Our little one (18 months) started swim lessons about a month ago, so we’re learning all about swim diapers and trying to avoid an accident until we get to the pool. We’ve changed in the locker rooms and got in the habit of just putting the swim diaper on in the trunk upon arrival. With a wiggly kid, that’s just a pain but we dealt with it.
Last week, my wife was in the water and I stayed in the chairs where I overheard two of the other moms talking and one had an awesome suggestion we hadn’t thought of. Put on the swim diaper at home, then put a regular diaper on over the swim diaper and take off the regular diaper upon arrival. Keeps everything contained, makes changing a lot easier, and we’re in the pool a lot faster.
Curious to see what the community has and see if we can get some knowledge sharing in! What else have you got?
A good baby carry (Ergo, Tula, maitai, etc) are worth their weight in gold. You can carry a baby, handle naps, and go about your life with your hands again.
Also, don’t dismiss cloth diapers. I was hesitant to go down this road, but they were surprisingly easy to use and saved money overall (not to mention the amount of diapers we saved from a landfill). The shells on many brand can actually double as swim diapers too.
Smart bulbs for wind down & bed time routines.
We’ve got the lights set to change to show that it’s time for wind down, then bath time and bed. I think it makes a big difference as quickly our little one recognised what the lights changing meant and actually started initiating the routines themselves “oh! It’s bath time!”
I think it really helped getting the routines in place and went a long way to smooth out their sleeping (far from perfect but you need to take every little win you can there!)
Biggest one was handling when it’s time to do something. Take a bath, go to bed, turn off the TV, get ready to go: I always give a five minute warning. I tell them we’re *about *to do something before it’s time, and just that small difference makes everything so much easier.
So instead of marching into the living room and declaring bed time, I’ll say “Hey guys, wrap it up, bedtime in about five.” They can finish what they’re doing, known not to start another youtube video or whatever, and everything goes way smoother.
Also, when they’re really little, don’t give them open ended choices. If you ask “What shirt do you want today” you’ll be there for ages. Pull out two that are weather appropriate and say “do you want this one, or this one”. Works a treat.
Both of those tips help give kids a sense of agency, which I think is important, while still getting the practical things done.
