DOESN'T Work for me Wednesday!

Well, this is a special edition of Works for me Wednesday! Things that DID NOT WORK for me. Since my blog is mostly themed to our family and parents with young children, I will keep my list organized that way.

1. Small diaper bags or bags without lots of pockets-I have found it is so much easier to just have a nice big bag with lots of pockets so I know exactly where stuff is. Next week I will give you advice on how to keep the diaper bag light and organized.

2. Target brand diapers-they all leaked. EVERY TIME

3. Going to the grocery store without a meal plan list, sticking to the list, and carrying emergency snack for when Little Dude starts to scream in protest at being in the cart. I'm a really bad impulse buyer if I don't have my list and plan out meals before I go.

3. Trying to sleep when the baby slept-I actually found that I felt much more relaxed and focused on my job as a parent if I took that time to sip some nice coffee and read a book in quiet; or got a quick catch up on dishes and cleaning. For me that was tons more calming than lying in bed trying not to think of all the stuff I was behind in and never falling asleep anyway.

4. Spanking my child. When I was little, my parents spanked A LOT, so for me it doesn't work to spank AT ALL. We use other ways to discipline and they have all been working well for us. We follow a lot of "reality discipline" as suggested by Dr. Kevin Leman-he writes AWESOME parenting advice books.

5. Worrying about Little Dude getting some outfit dirty-if I wouldn't want the outfit covered in mud, and it isn't for church, then I don't buy it.

6. The Clip and Go cup holders-they don't work very well for anything other than bottled water or drinks with twist off lids because they tilt and jiggle A LOT. But, since I usually carry a bottle of water anyway, they were a cheap way to add a cup holder to my Peg Perego stroller.

7. Gerber transition sippy cups-they worked great since they can be bottles or sippy cups; however, once Little Dude realized that he could hit the cup on the table to the the stopper out, it was a pain to keep the stopper in. It falls right out as soon as the cups are dropped or smacked on a table.

8. Playtex, my first sipster cups-I had the worst time getting these open to wash after they got slimy from food, and half the time the long handles would end up hitting my hand as I twisted the lid off and HURT!

9. Skipping nap time. Yes, Bill and I did this one time thinking Little Dude would sleep like a rock at bed time-instead we had a crying baby til 2 or 3 am because he was SO TIRED yet COULDN'T sleep. Yes, the better nap the kid has during the day, the better he/she will sleep.

10. Wearing shoes while pregnant-I like flip flops, slide right in and go, and when I am inside I am barefoot. Just much more comfy. Besides, it makes me chuckle to be "barefoot and pregnant".

Well that is a short list of parenting things that just Dont Work For Me! Check out Rocks in my Dryer for other great things to AVOID!