STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Collette · Chanel

Parents of Toddlers or anyone else who knows about 2 year olds!

cahabo · Kate Spade

People parent differently, but here are my answers:

1. I would take them to the potty hourly. Don't force them to sit on it and go if they don't want to.

2. My girls vary greatly with nap times. I think the best time though is after lunch between 1-2 hours.

3. For breakfast: toast with jelly, flavored oatmeal, bananas, and apple or orange juice. For lunch I'd make corn with the chicken nuggets. I'll also suggest popcorn shrimp, yogurt (especially Sponge Bob Gogurt), Macaroni and Cheese (sometimes I cut up hot dogs and add it in) and geez I'm out of ideas! (This is pretty much the only stuff my girls will eat!)

tri_sarah_tops · Marc Jacobs

1. Do you know if they ask to go to the potty on their own? My daughter is currently potty training and I try to take her as soon as she asks, and if she hasn't asked, I ask her every hour or so. Beware of "games" - if DD is done eating and wants to leave the table, or is restless, or is trying to prolong bed/naptime, she'll ask to go repeatedly because she knows a trip to the potty will get her out of whatever it is that she doesn't want to do. It can get frustrating.

2. I agree with cahabo. We do nap for a couple hours after lunch as well.

3. For breakfast she loves frozen waffles and pancakes. It's easy because she just eats them plain. I don't know what the fascination is, but anytime i ask her what she wants to eat, the first answer is "pancakes," and if I say no she immediately says "waffles." I think it's an addiction. She also likes english muffins. Like cahabo's kids, she eats chicken nuggets, popcorn shrimp, mac and cheese, and yogurt. She also likes fish sticks, pasta, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, and rice. She likes most fruit but prefers bananas and grapes. I try to vary vegetables but she doesn't like any of them so this is always a challenge.

clothes_horse · Dooney & Bourke

1. personally, i think age 2 is a bit early to start potty training unless they are very interested in it, but if you are willing to try, just keep asking if they need to go and expect accidents. if they aren't interested, wait a month or two and try again. my daughter was NOT interested in potty training until she was almost 4 but once she decided to try it, she never had even one accident.
2. i agree with the after lunch nap idea. that's when my daughter (18 months) goes for her nap.
3. you could try sneaking veggies into the other food you make for them. for example, chopped broccoli could go in mac and cheese or on top of mini pizzas. you can also buy little broccoli and cheese bites that are frozen and i bet the boys would love those. other food ideas for toddlers: hot dogs, corn dogs, boiled eggs, crackers with cheese and meat on top (lunchable-style), applesauce, bananas, fruit smoothies/shakes (my daughter LOVES these).
good luck and have fun!

blink · Coach

1. Age 2 is a little early to expect toddlers, especially boys, to tell you when they need to go potty. Every hour or so is a good start, you'll need to watch them for a few days before you have their potty schedule down. Sometimes you can pick up signals that they need to go.

2. Nap after lunch is a good bet. Even better if some play is involved either before or after lunch to help wind them down. If they are hard to settle, tell them it's quiet time and calmly read books aloud to them until they will lie still.

3. All the above suggestions are great. My sons also love Ovaltine in their milk, plain yogurt with ground flax and honey, instant oatmeal with apples, grapes, raisins, grilled cheese sandwiches, frozen blueberry waffles (wheat by Vans), kolaches, fish sticks (with no trans fats), pizza. For some reason, Del Monte canned green beans seem to be one of the only plain veggies they will eat, otherwise it has to be hidden-like peas in a chicken and rice casserole.