Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Challenges of Parenting...

...That No One Ever Told Me About.

Putting pants (and now even diapers) on a toddler is very tough. Most times it's like to trying to dress a mechanical bull. At least I'm assuming so. I've never been near a mechanical bull, certainly not near enough to dress one.
The problem is that she desperately wants to flip over and crawl away. You spend the entire time trying to keep her from turning her shoulder (wrestling flashbacks) or hips. As a bonus, she becomes infuriated whenever you try and stop her motions.
There is a strap on the changing pad, placed so you could tie it around her middle. I have no idea what the designers think that would do for us. Maybe if she crawls off the edge she has a 50/50 chance of landing pad side down. It also gives me nightmarish visions of chasing a half naked toddler down the hall while she does a foam turtle impression. The FP Gal thinks we'd need the five point suspension that the car seat gives us. It would hold her down but also make any kind of pants/diaper removal impossible. Again, I think of tranquilizer darts but then I always do.
So how do we do it? Quickly, forcefully and with no tolerance for nonsense. Then afterwards you pick her up and try and stop her from crying. Not quite the Marines credo, but it will do.

2 comments:

MamaD4 said...

A concrete block kept next to the changing table always worked for us!

But seriously, there have been times when my strategically placed knee on their solar plexus (plexi?) has been the only thing that worked.

Kate said...

Well, since you have cats, you know the drill about giving them pills. I think it's quite similar to dressing your toddler and you're right on! (Although the cats usually scamper away after the deed, so no chance for cuddling.)