Day 200 - Test Drive

Today's first time parenting tip - Try out new situations when there's no pressure to prepare yourself

Picture it. You're super excited about taking your baby on his first camping trip. You've got his little boots, little backpack, all set to take him into nature and have him enjoy the wilderness.

Then, you get up there, and he can't sleep outside. He won't eat because there's too much going on around him. There are sticks and sand in his diaper. He's anything but a happy camper.

Granted, you can't prepare for every single possible situation under the sun, but you can make your plans based on test runs that you do. For instance, rather than jumping full tilt into a camping trip, you could camp out in the backyard so you can retreat to the safety of your house if things go south.

It's always a good idea to try out new situations in no pressure situations first, where there's a safety valve. For example, you can take shorter bike trips and build up to a longer one before you find yourself ten miles away from home with a baby screaming to be out of his bike trailer.

Parenting, Safety, Trips