Toddler tantrums are inevitable. I have talked about this before. 

And there are lot of strategies out there on how to handle tantrums, but did you know that there are different stages to a toddler's tantrum and not every strategy works at every stage?

In today's blog, I'll break down each stage of a toddler tantrum and what you should do at each stage. You'll  be on your way to calmly handling any toddler tantrum even when they pitch a fit for wanting to eat with the green plate instead of the red plate even though at first you did give them the green plate, but they said they wanted the red plate. 

Like any good book, a toddler's tantrum follows the same elements of a plot. 

First, we have the BEGINNING or EXPOSITION. This is when the reason for the tantrum is introduced. Now, sometimes the tantrum can end before it even started.

Maybe on this particular day they are able to handle it. Maybe you prepped for this kind of thing, and your toddler takes it in stride. That's great! Although this tantrum would make for a very short and boring story, we are thrilled as parents that a toddler was able to happily and healthily move on. 

Second, we have the RISING ACTION. The reason for the tantrum is introduced and now our toddler is starting to process what just happened. There might be some reasoning, begging, whining, pouting, stomping, crying, but it isn't all out, although it is ramping up to be.  

Again, a tantrum might be stopped somewhere along the line of the rising action. 

But, if it is not, we are lead to the CLIMAX of a toddler's tantrum. This is the point where our toddler's brain is totally dysregulated. They can't think clearly. They can't reason. They might not even be able to form sentences. This is an all out meltdown. 

Finally, our toddler is going to start to calm down in the FALLING ACTION. This can take a while depending on the intensity of the climax. Again, in this stage they might try to reason with you or beg you. They, might have also gotten all their emotions out and be completely depleted. 

Lastly, they will reach a RESOLUTION where they are back to their normal selves and they are able to move on with life. 

So, now that we know the 5 stages of a toddler's tantrum what do we do during each stage. 

Some common reasons for a tantrum are the following: 

• Hunger
• Holding a boundary
• Something unexpected
• Lack of attention
• Wants something
• Frustration
• Transition 
• Tiredness 

To help a toddler healthily handle those reasons, I like to use a lot of GREENLIGHT STRATEGIES throughout my day. 

While greenlight strategies will never totally reduce the number of tantrums a toddler has, they will help reduce them. 

Also, remember this. All kids have tantrums. You are not a bad parent if your toddler is having a tantrum. Tantrums are healthy. They are your toddler's way of saying he needs help and this is an opportunity to help him. 

But how do we help? 

During the very beginning of the rising action, you want to CALM YOURSELF FIRST. If you aren't calm, you aren't in control. Your toddler is. And toddler's do not like it when they are in control. They really don't. 

The second thing to do is HOLD BOUNDARIES. If boundaries aren't held, the tantrum is over and your toddler realizes he can cry harder and longer to get what he wants for next time. 

Third, you are going to VALIDATE FEELINGS, VALIDATE THE MAGNITUDE OF THOSE FEELINGS, and use the magic phrase "YOU DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN." 

If the tantrum is still ramping up, you can try strategies such as MAGIC BREATHS - where you both model how to breath and help your toddler take deep breaths. You can use SIGN LANGUAGE to help your toddler calm down. You can also become a BROADCASTER. 

Hopefully, those strategies work, but if not, you've reached the CLIMAX. 

Dun, dun, dun. You've reached the CLIMAX. Sit back and enjoy with some popcorn because one of the best strategies is to LET IT RIDE. 

The CLIMAX isn't the time for trying to ask questions or reasoning or lecturing. Nothing is totally computing and making sense in your toddler's brain. 

The best thing to do is just be there. Reassure your toddlers that they are safe, you are here for them, you love them. Nothing is worse for them than feeling like Mommy and Daddy can't handle their emotions. 

If my son lets me, I hold him during this time. I MODEL DEEP BREATHS - I don't ask him to though. I might continue using SIGN LANGUAGE or BECOMING A BROADCASTER. But mostly, I just hold and rock him and repeat my own mantra if I'm having a hard time with the tantrum. 

I wish you the best and remember your toddler isn't doing this to be bad. 

Much like in the RISING ACTION, we are going to apply the same strategies but work a little backward. I really like to do some REDIRECTION or CONNECTION WITH HUMOR during this stage. 

And, continue to hold those boundaries because our toddlers might try to ask again for something you said No to. 

Our toddlers are back to normal. Now, is the time to teach, repair, scaffold, lecture in a calm, nice way without any guilt or shame. 

For every family, this can look differently. The strategies listed above are some of my favorites. They are GREENLIGHT STRATEGIES.  We use these strategies to help our kids learn what to do the next time the same problem that caused the tantrum arises. 

​We are setting ourselves and our toddler up for success! 

Not sure what some of those strategies are above or how to apply them? 
In my Module: My Child Is In the Middle of a Tantrum. Now What? I break down each strategy with a description and video. I also provide scripts on what you can say. Get it for free here.  Or sign up below

​You can also take a deeper dive into Greenlight Strategies and more in my parenting guide: NOW WHAT? MINDFUL CHECKLISTS FOR LIFE'S HARD PARENTING MOMENTS. 

Country Roads Take Me Home....

West Virginia is my home state and it really is a beautiful state. It has a lot to offer. 

In my quest to visit all of the National Parks in the US, I knew New River Gorge National Park, America's newest national park, had to be on the top of my list. 

This summer of July '22 I made that happen. With my mom, dad, aunt, cousin, and two kids, including my own, we traveled to New River Gorge National Park and experienced some breathtaking views, thrilling rapids, fresh mountain air, and the best activities to do with kids there. 

It is truly so important to take kids outside and into nature.

Read on for 5 of the best activities to do with kids while visiting this park. 

Adventures on the Gorge is a mecca for kids. You don't ever have to leave the resort and already it has some of the best activities for kids. 

We stayed in one of the cabins called Lost Paddle. It has a master bedroom with a king sized bed and bathroom. Upstairs in the loft area has two double beds, a pull out chair (perfect for a small kid), and a bathroom. The living room has a pull out couch and some nice sitting chairs. Plus there is a fully stocked kitchen. Outside has a hot tub on the deck and a fire pit and grill down below. 

The cabin alone was fun for kids by doing activities like playing in the hot tub, digging in the mud, and making a fire to roast s'mores. 

But the rest of the resort was the best. 

For starters, the pool, Canyon Falls, is right on the rim of the New River Gorge with incredible views of the New River Gorge Bridge. 

The 3,000 square foot pool has a kiddie splash area, waterfalls, and an upper and lower pool with a huge surrounding deck and a snack bar. You could spend a whole day there. 

The rest of the resort has four other dining options: Sweet Java Falls, a coffee and pastry shop; Chetty's Pub, a restaurant with burgers, beers, and wings; Smokey's on the Gorge, more of an upscale restaurant with premiere seating on the deck with spectacular views; and Rendezvous River Lodge which you can rent out. 

In addition to dining, there are family activities such as disc golfing, aerial activities (zipline and tree treks), paintball, and a playground that our little kids loved. 

Adventures on the Gorge definitely tops the list as the number one place to stay and explore with kids. 

Get off the mainland and take your kids on a hike for an activity. 

Adventures on the Gorge had an easy path that went around the resort that my son loved being "the leader" on. 

Want to go on a hike with a more scenic views of the gorge? Try Endless Wall Trail or Long Point Trail. Both are around 3 miles which is the threshold for little kids. 

The hike up the Endless Wall Trail is easy for kids to navigate, but once you get to the top, there are steep drop offs if you want to take in the view. If you are nervous about this, either keep the kids on the main trail with another person and then switch as both of you look out the vista or strap them into a backpack. 

However, if you stay on the main trail, there are no steep cliffs. 

There are about 9 total waterfalls in the whole park, but we only went to one, and it was such as great activity to do with little kids. 

We went to Cathedral Falls which is right off the road. 

Kids can literally play in the shallow waters before the falls all day. My son had a blast turning over and piling rocks. Such a good sensory activity. 

Okay, so little kids might not be able to do this. Most trips you have to be 12+. 

But this was too good not to do. Keep the little kids at the pool with a designated scaredy cat and sign up for this trip. 

We did the 1/2 day run on the New River and had a blast. We booked through Adventures on the Gorge. 

​There will be 8 people + a guide in one raft, and we probably went through 8 or more Class III rapids. The tour guides were funny, and we got beer on the bus ride back.

If you're adventurous, do this! But also my 61 year old Mom did it (no offense, Mom), so it isn't too strenuous. 

We didn't do this one, but if we had an extra day, we would have. 

Head on over to Summersville Lake where you can swim, boat, fish, or rent kayaks.

A great day trip for little kids. 

Overall, I have three takeaways about New River Gorge National Park. 

1.) Don't sleep on West Virginia. It's beautiful. The people are great. 

2.) Take your little kids out in nature. 

3.) The New River Gorge National Park has lots of great activities for little kids. 

Having lived in the Triangle area for almost 11 years now (Raleigh and Garner), I’ve visited a fair share of parks in Wake County, and in the last 3 years I’ve really ramped up our visits. 

My son was born in 2019. The Pandemic hit in 2020. I’m also a teacher. So we’ve used those times when everything was shut down and the summer to explore all the Greenways and parks in Wake County. As an outdoor mom myself, I really want my son to be an outdoor kid.  

I’ve gathered my list of the 11 best parks for Triangle area families to explore. I’ll list the parks and what they have to offer. The list is in no particular order.

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I really like this park for its splash pad, but the overall park does lack shade (Can you tell shade is important to us? Haha). 

The splash pad gets turned on mid-May and is free to the public. The splash pad does have tables with umbrellas and a large wall with an overhang for parents to hang out. Restrooms and changing areas/showers are nearby. 

The rest of the park features a playground with slides, swings, climbing areas, and those animal seesaw things. 

There are also picnic shelters, a dog park, a climbing wall, greenways throughout the park, and public art on display such as the whirligigs, and Suffolk sheep grazing in the fields. 

The splash pad can get crowded, so go early to claim your table.

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Newly renovated Chavis Park, for short, is really nice. It’s just what a downtown city park needed. 

The views of downtown are great. 

My one complaint is that there is very little shade, and it can get HOT in the summer. 

The park is centered around the community center which has programs and classes and has a gym, second floor track, and fitness center. The community center opens up into a nice outdoor terrace that overlooks the downtown, the water feature, and playground. Visitors can lounge in the many chairs and tables located throughout the balcony. Again, shade is limited. 

Go down the stairs and you get to the water feature. This water feature reminds me of something you would see in downtown NYC. Water basically squirts from the ground to create different size fountains. Kids have fun running through it.

The playground has rubber safety surfacing. The playground includes areas for ages 2 to 5 years and 5 to 12 years, and several features are inviting for teenagers and adults. The playground has adult exercise equipment, a skywalk climbing feature, and nature play elements.

The rest of the sprawling park has an outdoor track, the Historic Allan Herschell Carousel (look up hours because it’s often closed), baseball fields, multipurpose fields, and many places to rent out (meeting rooms, fields, reception hall, picnic shelters, and more). 

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This might be my son’s favorite park, and it really is a gem. My only complaint is that it can get really, really crowded, which means that you have to keep a close eye on your kids at the playground. 

Pullen Park is dubbed an amusement park and looks like one as you walk in. You can really make a day out of this park by renting a pedal boat, riding the carousel, riding the train, and riding the little mini boats that go in a circle. Stop for lunch at the cafe. And then stroll over the bridges and walk alongside the pond and view Japanese inspired trees, resting at the many benches or picnic areas 

There are four areas to the playground: 

• Swing Area: (All ages) 10 traditional belt swings for all ages, 1 preschool full-bucket seat swing, 1 accessible molded bucket swing, and 1 tire swing
  
• School Age Climb and Slide: (5-12 years old) 2 universally accessible slides, 6 climbing opportunities, 1 see-saw, and 1 shade structure
  
• Sand Play: (2-12 years old) 2 sand diggers, 1 accessible sand digger, 2 shade structures, 1 playhouse, Music making equipment and stage, and 1 accessible spring platform
  
• Preschool Playground: (2-5 years old) Enclosed by a positive barrier of fence and vegetation, 3 slides,1 preschool full-bucket seat swing,1 accessible molded bucket swing, 1 see-saw, stepping stones, and 2 shade structures
  

Other features of the rolling park: 

• Tennis courts
  
• Athletic fields
  
• Arts Center
  
• Theatre in the Park
  
• Shelters and Rentals
  
• Stage and event lawn
  
• Aquatic Center
  

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We really like this park. Although it is very closeby to our house, I still would probably visit if not. 

The park has three separate playgrounds and a gigantic field where you can catch people playing flag football, frisbee, or tag on a nice day. 

There is a trail that runs throughout the whole park. Some of it is paved and the other is not and in the woods. Some of the trails connect to another park, White Deer Park, which makes the list too. 

There are shelters for rent and a place where you can rent kayaks or motorized boats which we have done twice and enjoyed. My only wish was that the park had a little beach where we could have docked the boats or my son to have played in the sand. 

However, the park does have some good community events such as the Easter and 4th of July events. 

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This park is severely underrated, and I doubt many people in the Triangle Area know about it. While it is a humble neighborhood park, which was located right next to my old neighborhood, and doesn’t have the features of the much larger parks we already talked about, it still is a nice little gem. 

For starters, it isn’t crowded. Secondly, if you are like me and try to take your kids to diverse parks in order for your kids to play with and see kids of different races, this park is located in a mostly Latinx community and has a cultural center with classes and programs. 

The park also has three courts: basketball court, handball court, and futsal pitch (a fast-paced variant of soccer). It also has a multipurpose field. 

There are two playground sections. One is for kids ages 2-5 and the other is for ages 5-12. I believe there is a sand pit. 

While the kids play, parents can utilize the adult fitness stations. 

Lastly, there are some really cool artwork and murals throughout the park. 

Don’t sleep on this park. 

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While the playground isn’t the main feature of this park and really isn’t anything special, I like this park for its unique indoor water aquatic center. It has three waterslides, a lazy river, lap lanes, and a wading splash pad area for little kids. It really isn’t that expensive to get in either. 

Other than that, the park has lots of baseball fields, a dog park, and an outdoor track. 

Plus, it’s conveniently located next to a number of Greenway access points. 

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This park has a lot to offer: community center with gymnasium, fitness center, programs and class; tennis courts; dog park; shelters; basketball courts; playground; and baseball and softball fields.

But why we love the park is mainly for its pool. There is an indoor section opened year round where my son took swimming lessons once. Then, the outdoor part is a wading pool and sprayground that is opened seasonally. In the summer, you can bounce back and forth from the indoor, big pool to the outdoor wading pool. 

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Laurel Hills Park has a community center with gym, dance studio, classes and more plus numerous shelters, fields, and courts. 

But the main attraction is the Sassafras All Children’s Playground, the creme de la creme of playgrounds. 

Taken straight from its description…
The 3.5-acre site includes a playground for children of all abilities and provides a variety of play experiences. The new playground increases the available activity area considerably. In addition to conventional play equipment such as swings and slides, the playground also features unique elements including basketball court with adjustable hoop height, accessible elevated decking, and a pair of 50-foot-long zip-lines.

Warning: It does get crowded. 

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Go for the Splash Pad. Stay for the cute barnyard playground. 

I love the Splash Pad. It’s conveniently enclosed, so you don’t have to worry about little kids wandering away. There was a shaded spot for me to sit and watch my son play. I brought snacks and we had a great time. 

The playground was cute and had some unique features. 

We didn’t explore much else of this park, but you don’t really have to. 

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This is a sleepy little park located across from much busier park, Lake Benson. 

But this park has a natural playground and an actual playground plus a nature center and Greenway trails. 

I think this park is great if you’re looking for kids to connect with nature. 

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I hope this list inspires you to get out and enjoy all the parks and recreation the Triangle Area has to offer. They are great places for families to explore. Have fun! 

Read More - Why I love Raleigh

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​Do you feel completely overwhelmed at the prospect of potty training your kid? Especially potty training boys? 

I’m sure you heard that potty training boys is more difficult than potty training girls and how to potty train a boy or how to start potty training a boy might be a recurring question you’re asking yourself right now. 

Potty training is a rite of passage for parents. It is a frequent search in Google with over 63 million results. 

And I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be so daunting as the internet or other people make it out to seem. Sure, at times it isn’t easy and can be, frankly, downright hard, but it doesn’t have to be impossible and such a terrible experience. 

Take it from me. I potty trained my son and lived to write about it. 

In this blog, you’ll get a 7 month guide on how I started potty training my son at 2 years old. You’ll get information on the best potty training supplies to buy, the process I used to get my son to go to the bathroom, mistakes I made, tips that worked, and information on pooping. 

Let’s dive right in. 


Lauren Barrett Writes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

*If you don’t want to take this month by month, you can take it week by week*

Potty training for me started long before I even put my son on the potty. I wanted to go into it with a solid plan of action and research on my side. 

So month 1, I simply read a potty training book and mapped out my plan. 

For me, I follow The Mom Psychologist on Instagram and really resonate with her parenting style. When I learned that she had written a book, The First-Time Parent’s Guide to Potty Training, I jumped right on it and bought it. 

After reading it, I had a good idea of how potty training implementation would go, and I charted my steps for each month. 

For you, you might consider other books, courses, or articles. Either way, use Month 1 to have the knowledge of what you’re going to do. 

It’s good to do the research, so you can learn if your kids are physiologically and physically ready to use the bathroom. 

​

This month was all about introducing the potty to my son. I put a kids potty in my son’s room, and I would reference it. 

I wouldn’t make him sit on it. I would just talk about it or casually bring it up. 

“Oh, look there is a potty. That’s where you pee and poop.” 

You do nothing more this month. 

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The focus of this month was reading books related to potty training. I went to the library and scoured the shelves for any and all books on potty training and body parts. 

We would read the books, talk about going to the bathroom, and continue to point out the potty in his room.  

Again, I never forced my son to sit on the potty. I let him take the reins when it came to that. 

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This month, we added in videos of potty training. We watched cartoons, songs, and real life clips on YouTube of potty training.

We continued to talk about potty training when it came up in everyday conversation. Like when I or my husband had to use the bathroom. 

Once again, the potty remained in my son’s room, and he always had the invitation to use it if he liked. 

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We were getting closer to the actual days of potty training, but we still weren’t ready yet. During this month, we role-played and helped my son build his confidence with potty training. 

I used his stuffed animals and acted like they had to use the bathroom. I acted out the steps of going to the potty by having them get the potty feeling, go to the bathroom, pull down their pants, and go! I used water and raisins to act as pee and poop. 

We did lots of role-playing this month to prepare my son for his turn to use the bathroom. 

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This month was the month that we prepared for the Big Day. 

Some key points that we talked about this month: 

• Only you know when you have to use the bathroom. 
• How to recognize the feeling of having to go. 
• What the Big Day would be like and what we would do. 
• Signs associated with potty training to help make the process easier.

During this month you want to gather your supplies, which I will list below, and pick three days where you and your partner/spouse do not have a lot of obligations and one of you, if not both, can stay at home for most of the day. 

Now, you can feel confident that your son is ready to learn to use the potty! 

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Before the Big 3 Days gather your supplies…

• Stand alone mini potty
• Seat reducer
• Flushable wipes 
• Step stool 
• Waterproof mat for the carpet
• Portable potty for car rides
• Easy to remove clothes 
• Reward chart
• Reward treat
• Food coloring 
• Rubber ducky
• Lots of liquids and foods high in fiber 

The day has arrived and your child (and you) might be feeling a ton of emotions. That’s okay! 

Validate their feelings and then get started.

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On this day, your child goes completely naked from the waist down and you’re not going to leave the house. 

Soooo….I suggest you set up some premade activities or be okay with some extra screen time because potty training can make for an endless day.

That’s also why it is nice to have a partner involved in this process today, so the two of you can take turns taking breaks because, trust me, you’re going to need them. 

The rules of this day are simple: 

• Instruct your child that when they get the “potty feeling” to go on the potty. Make sure the potty is easily accessible. 
• When your son goes on the potty, give him a treat right away. 
• If they start going on the floor, try to catch them midway and carry them over to the potty. If they finish their peering on the potty, give them a treat right away. 
• If they go on the floor, do not yell or shame. Tell them that it’s okay but remind them that the peeing and pooping are for the potty. 
• Load them up with liquids and fruits and fiber to give them plenty of opportunities to use the potty. 
• Use the gossiping strategy at the end of the day.
• *Extra* Give them a certificate for completing Day 1.

This day is exactly the same as Day 1, but you’ll do a 15-20 minute excursion outside. Maybe to the playground or to take a walk around the block. 

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Day 3 is the same as Day 2, but you’re going to add in a longer outside excursion AND you are going to put underwear and loose fitting pants on your boy. 

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Here are my best tips for potty training boys (and girls): 

1. Put food coloring in the potty
Show your son that you’re putting food coloring in the potty and use this script…
“Look, I put a red drop in the potty. Turn your pee red! Look, your pee is red! What color do you want to make your pee next time?” 

2. The Diaper Steps for Peeing and Pooping

If you have kids who scream for their diapers (mine did for pooping), try the diaper steps. 

• Step 1: They can wear their diapers, but they have to be in the bathroom. 
• Step 2: They can wear their diapers, but they have to sit on the potty. 
• Step 3: They can wear their diapers, but there is a hole in the diaper. 
• Step 4: No diaper! 

Do each step for about 3-7 days before removing onto the next step. Always, talk to them about the next step before doing it. 

“Ohh! Tomorrow, we’re going to cut a hole in your diaper. You’ll pee through the hole in your diaper. So fun! How do you feel about that?” 

3. The Rubber Ducky Trick

Okay, this is kind of gross, but it worked. We would put a plastic rubber ducky in the potty and tell my son to make him float in the “water.” 

Giving kids a goal that they feel proud of makes them feel confident to continue. 

4. Reward Charts

I’ll be honest, reward charts can be tiring because you have to be super consistent, but they can work. 

I actually used them later on in the potty training process. My son had mastered the art of going to the potty, but he was still having accidents here and there and wasn’t pooping consistently on the potty. 

So, what I did was write down the steps I wanted him to accomplish: 

• Pull down your pants on his own. 
• Pee. 
• Pull up pants on his own.
• Flush. 
• Wash Hands.
• Poop in the potty. 

For each one he did, he got a star and so many stars equaled a prize/treat/reward that we determined together. 

You can cater this to your experience however you want. 

Maybe for you, your son gets a star on his chart (or a sticker or a checkmark on his hand) every time he just pees on the potty. So many stars at the end of the day equals a prize. 

Increase the criteria as your child improves →  He has to get more stars per day or a prize comes every other day instead of everyday. 

Finally, gradually reduce how often you give a reward until you aren’t handing them out anymore. 

5. On and Off

This was kind of a mistake we made. I highly suggest the potty be an on and off thing instead of a lingering on kind of thing. 

I wouldn’t place your child on the potty and instruct him to sit there until he goes. We really want our kids to recognize when they have to go and then go and be done with it. 

That’s why I recommend no screens or books or games or sitting there holding their hands. 

Forcing them to go or sit on the potty for too long will create a negative association with the potty and generally lead to more resistance.

6. No more diapers or pull-ups

Once your kids are developmentally ready to use the potty, do not go back to diapers, pull-ups or anything that looks or feels like a diaper except for nighttime and naps. 

Kids need consistency and going back to diapers or pull-ups will be confusing. 

Stick to underwear even if the accidents are annoying in the short term. It will be better in the long run. 

Here are some thicker underwear that cause less of a mess. 
. 7. Character Underwear

Buy your child his favorite character underwear - Paw Patrol, Batman, Mickey Mouse - and instruct him not to get Chase (insert character here) wet. “Help keep them dry.” 

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Everyone makes mistakes. Here are mine…

My son was very scared to poop. He would hold it so badly that he became very constipated. At first, we tried to force him to go which was pretty traumatizing for him and made his constipation worse. We wouldn’t do this again. Instead we would do the Diaper Steps in the first place, which ended up working for us later on. 

The timing was slightly off, especially with getting him to poop. I started the Big 3 Days in August since I am a teacher and off for the summer. 

However, shortly after those Big 3 Days, I went back to work, we sold our house, moved into our son’s grandparents’ house, and then 2 months later moved into our new house. 

The timing will never be perfect, but he had to undergo a lot of transitions that can make potty training difficult. 

Try to avoid potty training when it closely coincides with a big transition like a new baby or moving. 

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Hopefully with this guide and tips, you’re successfully on your way to potty training. Remember your son will continue to have accidents. They won’t be perfect. 

They might get caught up in playing and forget to go or go through some regressions. 

Be gentle with them. 

If you are still having extreme problems, check in with your doctor to see if they are developmentally ready. 

But other than that, praise them and yourself for all your hard efforts. 

And check out my course Now What? for strategies for some of life’s other difficult parenting moments. 

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