Little Kid

No one is perfect. Not your kids, not you, and certainly not me. I'm a parenting expert, educator, and coach, and I am not a perfect parent. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. We all make mistakes and have lessons to learn from our experiences in life. Oh, the messes I've made from time to time!

Each misstep in life has a purpose and causes further fallout for us to deal with. Each misstep is a teacher of sorts. No one likes that fact, and every parent forgets it at times. Whether it's due to stress, the fast pace of life, or our own childhood wounds, there are times when we forget that our child is just a child, and has only made a mistake, not committed a crime.

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A few weeks ago I wrote an article called The Common Discipline Mistakes Moms Make (and Regret). When the article was shared on the Circle of Moms Facebook page, there was some interesting feedback that I could so easily relate to as one of the mistake-making moms I was writing about.

One mom wanted to hear about the things parents are doing right. Another mom suggested it would be helpful to provide some answers about how to fix the discipline mistakes we are making.

Both comments really hit home. After all, we help our kids feel good about themselves by telling them what they are doing well, and if they are making mistakes, we give them strategies to help fix them. Don't moms deserve the same?

With that in mind, Circle of Moms members chime in to help us all learn to fix some of these common discipline mistakes.

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Is it normal for toddlers to still wake mom up for some comfort in the middle of the night? A quick search of the Circle of Moms communities turns up many frustrated mothers sharing the difficult truth: their toddlers still wake up (and wake their moms up) in the middle of the night. If you're facing this situation too, here are some tips that may help.

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"Is my child gifted?" Parents often wonder at one point or another whether their child is gifted. Here we've rounded up some basics to help you identify signs of giftedness in your child.

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Would you consider forgoing diapers altogether?

As reported in The New York Times, a growing number of parents are joining a no-diapers trend, choosing to raise their babies completely diaperless. The "elimination communication" potty-training method consists of letting infants go diaper-free and using timing, signals, cues, and intuition to address their need to eliminate waste.

Needless to say, it's not pleasing everyone, and the news has triggered strong reactions from parents around the country who disagree with the controversial potty-training method. What do you think of the trend?

Do you think spanking helps kids or hurts them?

About a week ago, I was standing in line at one of the tween/teen clothing shops at the mall with my daughter. The mom behind me and her young son started squabbling as the little guy became increasingly worked up over the long line and started squirming and whining that he wanted to leave. His mom kept demanding, "Stop it." Suddenly, the palm of her hand exploded against his backside — not once, but in rapid-fire motion, eliciting a burst of tears that turned into all-out wails.

My daughter and I were horrified, as it appeared almost everyone in line appeared to be too. The sadness on the little boy's face and his humiliation were palpable, and as his tears kept flowing, she resumed meting out her punishment.

My daughter and I talked about our disturbing feelings the entire way home. I told her how when I was growing up, these kinds of corporal punishment were standard in many homes. Spanking was just how parents disciplined.

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Tears and screaming are one thing, but what should you do when your toddler or preschooler's temper tantrum turns more violent? 

"My son is going to seriously hurt himself," says worried Circle of Moms member Savannah R. of her 1 year old. "What I worry about is the fact that he throws himself around. If he's sitting up he will throw himself backward and half the time [will] hit something as he goes down. Or if there is something in front of him he will slam his head into it. Table, wall, couch, you name it." Similarly, mom Kayla P. says her 18-month-old daughter "will not stop hitting herself in the head or banging her head on the floor when she gets angry."

If you, too, are wondering what to do when your child starts head-butting and hitting during tantrums, consider these seven tips from Circle of Moms members.

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Frustrated that your child isn't potty trained at night? Dry nights are often the last frontier of potty training. Even after becoming day-trained, it may be months or even years before a child is fully potty trained at night. In addition to patience (since a large factor in nighttime potty training is a child's physical readiness), Circle of Moms members suggest the following helpful tips for toilet training at night.

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Nursing older children is a very touchy subject, even among moms who breastfeed their infants. But one thing's for sure: moms who do it, either in public or in private, are passionate about it. As Circle of Moms member Cynthia A. explains, "Extended nursing is not for everyone, but those of us who have nursed for longer than six months or a year have our reasons both for ourselves and for the physical and emotional health of our children."

Truth is, you might be surprised to find out how many "closet nursers" there are in your neighborhood, church, or preschool. Here's a look at the extended breastfeeding issue from three perspectives: physical, emotional, and societal.

Keep reading to see why some moms breastfeed longer.