We received a couple of questions for Kathy after we recorded this week’s show. She took the time to answer them here. Enjoy! If you have questions for a future show, send them to Kathy@manicmommies.com

Q: How do I get my 2-year-old to cooperate with changing his diaper without me feeling like I’m going to crush his ribs and dislocate his hips?

Kathy says: Aren’t two year olds fun? They drive us a little crazy not only because they are active and busy but now they also have their own agendas! A toddler doesn’t want to stop their fun to get a diaper change but here are some tips to make it easier on both of you. First, try changing the location where you’ve been changing diapers. If you’ve still been using a changing table, try moving a pad down onto the floor or a bed. Give them a choice of two places to get changed. For example you could say, “It’s time for Mommy to change your diaper—do you want to do it on the floor or on the bed?” Or, you could ask them if their dolly or teddy needs a change when they get their diaper changed. You can have things like board books or small toys ready to distract them. One of my day care boys loves to go get his own diaper and then takes off the tapes for me to get it ready. Toddlers love to get involved in everything and this is no different. If you make them feel part of the process, things should get better. Good luck!

Q: How do I graciously end a playdate when either my child is overly grumpy or another child is?

Kathy says: Play dates can be great when everything runs smoothly but if they don’t, how do you bow out gracefully? Well, for starters, if you are the host of this playdate, make the time clear to the other mom. You can say, “We’d love to have you over from 10-11 before she needs lunch and a nap.” This way, the other mom has an idea of your schedule—you know your child best and how long they can handle company. If you are at someone’s house, I’m sure she would appreciate you packing up when the kids have had enough playtime and are starting to get whiny, demanding, or cranky. It’s a little harder if you have someone at your house or if the mom drops off her child. My advice is to keep the playdate short and sweet. It’s almost impossible for kids to share their things at this age and play together. To be honest, isn’t it more for us moms so we can have adult conversations and get out of the house? Perhaps meeting at a fun location like the library or playground would work better. Keep us posted and thanks again for writing in with questions!