I heart Sundays. Usually I get to cook a nice big dinner, something different, something for me and my hubby to ooo and aaaa over! But yesterday we headed to my MIL’s for a nice BBQ with my mom, aunt, uncle and Nana. It was nice to see boo run around and be herself and see so many family members enjoy her. She even through her usual nutty while daddy changed her and everyone got to hear what we listen to every time we change her!! We are now taking the advice from the book we are reading called “The Happiest Toddler on the Block” I never read the “Happiest Baby on the Block” because well………we got lucky and had a really good baby. So here we are reading this book on how to eliminate tantrums and raise a patient, respectful, and cooperative toddler. Certain things I read and I want to laugh because I think it’s a joke, then there are time when I try something they suggest, which usually leads me to wanting to chuck the book out the window!! Here is one thing we are trying starting today because of the fact that she HATES being changed so much and my poor kid sits in full diapers because getting her to actually lay down and be changed sets me into a full fledge stressed out 10 minute project!!
We’ve all heard of Time-Out’s right? Well this is called Time-In’s: Little Rewards.
Small gifts can grease the wheels of cooperation. Some critics disapprove giving kids “rewards.” They say, “Children should obey simply out of respect.” Nice idea, but expecting toddlers to cooperate purely out of respect is like expecting patience from a baby. It’s not going to happen.
What it is: Little rewards (incentives) are small gifts we give to acknowledge when a child does something we like. Rewards are not the same as bribery. Bribery is done to discourage bad behavior….incentives encourage good. Of course, you are your child’s number one reward. His/Her favorite gift will be a little rough housing, an insect hunt, playing tag, or story time. But occasional small incentives like stickers, poker chips to collect, had stamps or a bit of candy can have a magical effect. Wait!! Did he just say “candy”? Sweets used wisely – and frequently – are a powerful reward for toddlers. Please don’t worry. Using a lollipop or animal cracker as an occasional treat won’t cause obesity or lead to a life of dessert-mania.
Best Used For: All toddlers.
How to do it: Say changing diapers is a daily struggle (my eyes lit up at this section, yes and actual example of how I struggle with something!!) Stand your tot up and take out a little reward, like a special “diaper cookie” (only given at diaper changings). Offer half the cookie when you start the changing and the other half in the middle. Usually within days the struggle will diminish.
A few days later, begin to withhold the second piece until after the diaper change is complete. After another week, reduce the reward to just a half a cookie when your all finished. Eventually, you won’t need the cookie anymore. In addition to the cookie, reward his/her cooperation with a lot of praise and some loving one-on-one time with your tot, eventually your loving one-on-one time will be the top reward long after the cook tactic is phased and forgotten.
Well….I can see how this would work, though when I first read it I thought it was considered bribery, but I guess what they say above about bribery makes sense, I’m not a fan of feeding my child every time she gets changed, however I guess an animal cracker or cookie (we are using the skinny wafer like cookies because they are small) can’t hurt. I started this tactic this morning when changing her diaper, it was roughly 8am and she had already had her breakfast so I brought her over to the cookie cabinet, got down to her level and took out the cookies and said I’ll give you a cookie if you let mommy change your diaper. Of course she went to grab and I said, nope diaper first, so we headed into her bedroom she quickly took half of it, she was good, I kept calling her a good girl through out the changing, I got through the diaper part and the onsey was half on when she started fussing, she was still munching on the last of the cookie so I hadn’t tried to give her the other half yet, she started kicking and screaming, kicked me in the face in the process and through the rest of the cookie over her head. Well so much for that! LOL I didn’t even have a chance to get to the second half. However, the second time I used the same tactic, I had a harder time getting her to the changing area but I did get through the whole diaper change by giving her the whole cookie!! YAY!! I said she was a very good girl and brought her over to her star chart (yes that’s another thing my hubby and I are already starting! Read about that one tomorrow!!) she got a star and lots of praise from mommy, and a little snuggle one-on-one time on the couch!!
Soooooooooooo anyways I needed to share that bit of info just incase anyone is struggling with something particular. OK so the BBQ was a blast, it was cold and we ate inside but it was still nice to get together, have some good food, and visit with each other. Here is boo eating her dinner!!
Then I had to take this picture because OMG she walked around with this hot dog for a good hour munching off of it LOL!!
So I got a nice night off from cooking, which normally I really do enjoy, however I’m feeling withdrawals LOL!! I said to my husband yesterday while I was making dessert for the BBQ, “Wow I haven’t cooked since…..LOL Thursday!! LOL” not even 48 hours! So this Momma made Cream Cheese Brownies! They were yummy and everyone else seemed to enjoy them! Here is how I made them. Now the original recipe was from scratch, I was going to attempt that however when I was at the store Friday buying my friend saltines and ginger ale I saw a box of Dunkin Hines brownies, and figured this would be much easier!! So this is how I made them:
Ingredients:
1 Box of family sized Dunkin Hines brownie mix
For swirl
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
So I made the cream cheese swirl first to get it ready. I took out the cream cheese and butter about an hour before I was ready to start. I combined them in a bowl.
Whipped them together. Then took the sugar and slowly added it in, whipping it each time I put more in (3-4 times).
Then I added the egg and whipped that. Then I added the flour in and whipped that.
I put the boxed brownies together according to the directions on the box. I beat that together.
I greased a 13×9 pan and poured most of the brownie batter into the pan, then I added the cream cheese part, then added the last few scoops of the brownie batter.
I took a batter spatula and zig zagged up and down the pan.
Seriously look at that mess!! It looks horrible…how do people perfect this part??? Any tips?? I didn’t want to make it worse so I left it be and baked it according to the packaged directions. Then I got this as a result:
Tip: Wait until they are completely cooled to cut them, they fall apart way too easily when they are still warm. They were way better than just plain brownies! I like the creamy texture!! YUM!!!
Enjoy!!
