Blog & Resources

 Potty Training, Sleep training, and parenting tips, stories, and more!
Potty Training Dawn Whittaker Potty Training Dawn Whittaker

What Is Encopresis?

Encopresis; chronic poop accidents in children, is more common than you think, and it’s not a behavior problem. This condition, often caused by constipation, affects up to 3% of kids and can be confusing and frustrating for families. Learn the signs, why it happens, and how to help your child heal without shame

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Potty Training Dawn Whittaker Potty Training Dawn Whittaker

Why Potty Training in Daycare Can Be a Challenge

Potty training at home can be going great, until daycare throws a curveball. From mixed messages (hello, pull-ups) to rigid policies and staffing shortages, many parents struggle to keep progress on track. Here’s a breakdown of the most common daycare potty training barriers, what research says about timing and readiness, and how you can navigate the challenges.

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Eating & Nutrition Dawn Whittaker Eating & Nutrition Dawn Whittaker

Bottle Feeding Tips When Also Breastfeeding

Struggling to balance breastfeeding and bottle feeding? You’re not alone. Combo feeding can feel tricky, but with the right approach, you can maintain your milk supply, avoid nipple confusion, and keep your baby happy. In this post, I share 5 practical, from paced bottle feeding to scheduling strategies that make feeding easier.

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Behavior Dawn Whittaker Behavior Dawn Whittaker

“That’s It! No TV for a Week!” Why Idle Threats Don’t Work on Toddlers (and Might Make Things Worse)

If you've ever threatened to cancel TV for a week because your toddler threw a meatball, you're not alone but you're also not helping. Discover why idle threats don’t work, what the research says about toddler discipline, and how logical consequences now can help raise respectful teenagers later.

Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for meta tags or something quirkier for your blog header!

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Behavior Dawn Whittaker Behavior Dawn Whittaker

How to React When My Toddler Hits Me. A Developmentally Informed Guide for Parents

Your toddler just smacked you in the face and you're wondering if you're raising a tiny barbarian. (Spoiler: you're not.) This blog breaks down why toddlers hit (hint: it's about brain development, not bad behavior) and gives you simple, effective tools to respond with calm and confidence. Backed by research, grounded in reality, and designed to make you feel human again.

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Behavior Dawn Whittaker Behavior Dawn Whittaker

“Please” and “Thank You”Teaching Toddlers Manners and Gratitude

If you’ve ever locked eyes with your toddler after handing them a snack and waited in vain for a “thank you,” only to receive a blank stare or, worse, a demand for a different color cup, this one’s for you. Teaching manners and gratitude to toddlers isn’t about raising little Victorian tea guests it’s about helping them build empathy, connection, and social awareness (while maybe reducing public meltdowns along the way).

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Sleep Training Dawn Whittaker Sleep Training Dawn Whittaker

My Baby Is Scared of Their Crib” — Or Are They?

Think your baby is scared of their crib? Here’s the truth: babies under 6 months don’t yet have the brain development to feel fear in the way we understand it. If your little one cries when placed in the crib, it’s not fear—it’s unfamiliarity, change, or protest. In this blog, we break down when fear actually develops (hint: around age 3), what’s really going on during those bedtime tears, and how you can support smoother crib transitions with confidence and clarity.

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Sleep Training Dawn Whittaker Sleep Training Dawn Whittaker

Infant Sleep Around the World:

If you’ve ever Googled “how to get my baby to sleep through the night,” chances are you’ve been flooded with articles touting routines, independent sleep, and Ferberizing like it’s a global mandate. But zoom out from North America and you’ll find that the way we approach infant sleep is very cultural—and often driven more by economic policy and social expectations than biology or what's "best" for babies.

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Eating & Nutrition Dawn Whittaker Eating & Nutrition Dawn Whittaker

Is Your Child a Picky Eater?

Let’s set the scene: You've made a delicious homemade spaghetti bolognese. Your toddler takes one look at it, frowns like you’ve served them a plate of actual worms, and declares, “I don’t like red food anymore.” Yesterday, red food was life. Today, it’s personal betrayal.

Is your child picky? Or are they in the middle of one of life’s great developmental milestones—asserting autonomy?

Let’s dig in (pun intended).

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Parent Coaching Dawn Whittaker Parent Coaching Dawn Whittaker

Feeding Feelings—Not Bellies: Why Emotional Feeding in Toddlers Has Lasting Consequences

It starts innocently enough: your toddler is mid-meltdown, and a snack magically soothes the storm. Problem solved—right? But what if we told you that handing out crackers to calm a tantrum may have long-term impacts far beyond the terrible twos?

Let’s dig into why this happens, what the science says, and how to change the pattern.

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Potty Training Dawn Whittaker Potty Training Dawn Whittaker

What is Elimination Communication?

If you’ve ever heard of “Elimination Communication” and thought it sounded like a New Age parenting trend—or something involving crystals and a potty—you’re not alone. But this method of toileting babies without diapers has roots deeper than any trendy parenting blog, and it’s not as woo-woo as it might sound.

Let’s dig into what EC is, where it comes from, how it works, and whether it’s a practical solution for Western families today.

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Potty Training Dawn Whittaker Potty Training Dawn Whittaker

Why Is My Child Scared to Let Go of Poop?

Let’s talk about poop. Not in a whisper, not in code. Just straight-up bowel movements. Because if you're reading this, chances are you've got a toddler who's holding it in like their life depends on it — and it's stressing everyone out.

You’re not alone. Many children, especially during potty training, become afraid to poop. It’s confusing, sometimes painful (literally), and emotionally frustrating for both child and parent. But there’s a very real developmental reason behind it.

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Potty Training Dawn Whittaker Potty Training Dawn Whittaker

Why Is My Child So Attached to Diapers?

Ah, diapers — soft, squishy security blankets with leg holes. If your toddler is treating them like their prized possession and flat-out refuses to even look at the potty, you’re not alone. Many parents hit a moment where it feels like their child might walk across the graduation stage in a Pull-Up. But I promise — they won’t.

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Parent Coaching Dawn Whittaker Parent Coaching Dawn Whittaker

Why Do Toddlers Throw Food?

Picture this: you've made a meal—maybe even chopped vegetables!—you plate it up for your toddler, sit down, and two seconds later… SPLAT. Peas on the floor. Sauce on your shirt. And your toddler? Beaming like they've won gold in the Olympic food-flinging finals.

Let’s dig in. (Preferably with a spoon, not your floor mop.)

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