Bananas & Toddlers authored by Gretchen

1) Why did you start blogging? As an outlet. I’d been home for a little over a year with three kids under five. I just wanted a place that I could put some of my thoughts down. I didn’t think I’d ever last this long!

2) Your favorite posts: Losing my boy in walmart, Packing for Disney, and Kids Growing Up.

3) Do you really throw bananas at your toddlers? No.  Not anymore.  The inspiration came one day while loading the dishwasher and tossing diced banana to my then one year old daughter.  It kind of struck me as funny “Throwing Bananas at Toddlers” - now shortened to “Bananas and Toddlers.”

4) I know the past few years have been a major rollercoaster ride - leaving your job to stay home, baby #3, packing up and moving - how do you cope so well? Some days I wonder how I’m coping at all.  For me, the biggest transition was going from a nice, tidy 40 hour work week with child care on-site to leaving for maternity #3 and not coming back. I was home with a four year old, a two year old, and a newborn and was wondering what I’d just done. As for the move, I was hesitant at first. My husband and I had been in the same community for nearly 10 years. I think was more scared of trying to make new friends than the actual move! Before we moved, my husband commuted Monday through Friday (meaning he’d leave Monday morning and come home Friday night, sometimes Thursday and telecommute Friday) for six months to make sure the job was a good fit. We’ve been here almost a year, and I don’t know if it could have turned out much better. I think the most important thing to remember is that it’s only temporary. This fall, I’ll have a second grader, kindergartener, and my ‘baby’ will go to preschool two mornings a week – a far cry from the four, two and newborn!

5) Best parenting advice you’ve ever received. It’s a toss up: life happens one day at a time or this too shall pass. Or, no kid ever went to kindergarten in diapers. Or, someday you’ll look back on these as ‘the good old days.’ Or, teaching friendship starts at home.