Childcare
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Teach children to cope with loss and disappointment rather than insulating them by replacing lost items.
It equips them for life and prevents them from becoming permanent children who cannot accept losing things.
7 people, independently
Swap identical backup toys regularly so they age and smell similarly, making it harder for the child to tell them apart.
It makes distinguishing them difficult and helps ensure the replacement has a familiar scent and worn appearance.
- Some children can still differentiate between items based on minor manufacturing details like fur direction or eye placement.
11 people, independently
- Buy multiple identical comfort items at once to ensure they look indistinguishable.1
Keep a backup of a child's favorite cup or water bottle at home in case the original is lost at school.
One family had a spare available when their bonus son lost his favorite bottle at school.
one person who lived it
Rotate multiple identical comfort toys so they age evenly and can be washed without causing distress.
This keeps the toys in good condition longer and allows for washing; however, some children may distinguish between them (e.g., calling one 'old fuzzy' and another 'new fuzzy').
- Some children may not accept rotation, distinguishing between the items.
2 people, independently
Buy silent toys for babies and toddlers.
Parents will thank you.
one person who lived it
children, toys, favorite, comfort31
Buy multiple copies of a child's favorite comfort object as soon as you notice their attachment to prevent loss or damage.
Teach study skills explicitly, as advanced early learners may lose these skills later.
One person reported being far ahead of peers in elementary school but losing study skills in middle school, which made college difficult.
- Based on one person's experience
one person who lived it
Point out safe places like police stations, fire stations, schools, and friends' houses by waving at them as if greeting friends.
Children don't know you are pointing out safe places on purpose.
one person who lived it
Bring water on road trips and allow frequent stops for bathroom breaks to reduce children's fussiness.
Children get thirsty faster than adults, and short walks outside the car help calm them.
one person who lived it
Enroll children in preschool to help with social skills such as listening, waiting turns, and not hitting or biting.
It helps with not freaking out when being left at school and developing social grace.
one person who lived it
26 more on this
Buy two identical copies of a child's favorite comfort toy and hide one as a backup.
To have a replacement ready if the original is lost or destroyed, especially before the model becomes hard to find.
2 people, independently
Place labels at a baby's eye level around the house to help them learn what objects are called.
One person reported it helped them learn what things were and how to spell.
one person who lived it
Buy multiple copies of a child's favorite comfort object as soon as you notice their attachment to prevent loss or damage.
5 people, independently
- Keep duplicate gifts of a child's favorite toy rather than returning them, as they may wear out over time.1
Involve children in washing their own toys by letting them help put the toy in the machine and add washing powder.
Involvement helped one child accept the cleaned toy without problems.
one person who lived it
Allow a one-year-old to approach you first rather than initiating contact, letting them explore on their own terms.
Like animals, they prefer to take contact themselves rather than being put on the spot by a stranger.
one person who lived it
Have your children lead you back to the car or home from public places to build their navigation and memory skills.
It builds independence, confidence, and helps them orient themselves with landmarks so they won't panic if lost.
one person who lived it
Sing and perform dance-like movements to encourage children to sing and dance along.
Children love it and will try to mimic your singing and dancing.
one person who lived it
Apply the backup strategy to blankets by cutting one in half and swapping pieces, or using washable cloth diapers as replacements.
This ensures the replacement smells and feels the same, and cloth diapers are easy to wash and swap.
one person who lived it
Introduce fresh herbs or vegetables by having children smell them to spark curiosity about green foods.
Smelling herbs like basil and oregano can make green foods intriguing.
- This method did not work for broccoli in one instance.
one person who lived it
Avoid buying stuffed animals for grandchildren who are not yet conceived.
You may have to move and cart around old toys for a hypothetical grandchild.
2 people, independently
Show older children how laundry works so they understand why a comfort object disappears temporarily.
One parent found that showing their daughter the process helped her understand when her blanket was in the wash.
one person who lived it
Let toddlers paint fences or walls with water for sensory play.
It keeps them busy and creates a vivid sensory experience.
one person who lived it
Normalize talking about books rather than just consuming them quickly.
Learning to enjoy books is important.
one person who lived it
Be aware that replacement toys from different manufacturing runs may have slight but noticeable differences in color or texture.
Toddlers have a strong sense of smell and texture.
one person who lived it
Decide immediately which personal items are irreplaceable and strictly forbid toddlers from accessing them.
Failure to forbid access can result in broken items within a week.
one person who lived it
Save furniture assembly manuals to use as free coloring books for children.
It provides a fun, free activity and saves trips to the store.
one person who lived it
Establish an early rule that favorite stuffed animals do not leave the house.
This prevents them from getting lost or dirty.
one person who lived it
Use a dedicated email alias for toy tags rather than your primary email address.
Forward all emails from the alias to your primary mail to keep things organized.
one person who lived it
Apply sunscreen on fussy babies or toddlers using an inexpensive makeup brush.
It provides more even application, reduces the risk of getting product in eyes, and the tickling sensation makes children enjoy it rather than run away.
one person who lived it
Perform a 'magic ritual' or spell to transfer love and memories from an old, damaged toy to a new one.
one person who lived it
Encourage unstructured play where children set and enforce rules to develop self-governance, interpersonal skills, and conflict resolution.
Self-governance may be rooted in setting rules of play; these skills are crucial for classroom success.
one person who lived it
Repeat favorite books multiple times, even if tedious, as repetition benefits brain development.
Repetition is incredible for developing young brains.
one person who lived it
Let children watch their toys being washed and dried to build anticipation for them coming out warm.
one person who lived it
Format parent contacts as 'ChildInitial-ParentName (ChildName)' to group friends' parents together alphabetically.
This keeps all friend parents' information together when looking for a specific kiddo's parent.
one person who lived it
Keep one comfort item with its tag attached and distribute others to various locations like cars or relatives' homes to allow for rotational washing.
one person who lived it
Teach colors using M&Ms by rewarding correct identification with the candy.
one person who lived it
Use baking paper as a cheaper alternative to tracing paper.
Baking paper is assumed to be much cheaper than tracing paper.
one person who lived it