Who needs cake when you have profiteroles?

I'm so excited and I just can't hide!.. Okay to be honest dear listeners I'm not really sure why I have to be excited but the Big Sister is spinning around in circles and Mum's rushing around getting all my haute couture wardrobe ready, we are definitely off somewhere special, no idea where but lets not sweat the small stuff. I'll just join in the frivolity of it all and emulate Big Sister in the mindless act of spinning in circles, till we both get dizzy, fall down and knock our heads and exasperate Mother darling...it's devious fun but we are her children and it's our rightful duty to do it.

The party turned out to be Big George's 2nd birthday, Georgie Peorgie was a much loved acquaintance of mine, a die hard member of our so called “diapers and tantrums” gang, I've known him since his newborn days..wowzers is he turning two already Ma?...pretty soon he'll be getting married and stuff. Anyways enough about Big George, who cares if it's his special day, I'm here at the party and I'm ready to get wild, this is how it goes down!!!! So not sure if Big George had any input in the theme du jour but his dear parents decided to have a “Frozen” themed party, WHHHAT..you say, why torment a strong male character like Big George with Frozen Princesses, but apparently Big George loves the movie, this is what happens when you stare five minutes at the T.V screen because your little brain can't comprehend how this square screen illuminates up with all these funny characters and everyone thinks you are a fan, so you get the themed t-shirts, all the soft toys, lunchboxes, school bags...sheesh does it stop.

Word to the wise peeps be very careful how you communicate with the said parents, they always take get it wrong, I mean look what happened to poor George, dressed in blue and white, looking like a snowflake partying with Frozen Princesses, for gosh sakes throw that boy a truck or a train.

Anyways once my mind got over the nauseating Frozen theme, I headed off in search of the good stuff, the much welcomed SUGARY treats, took awhile though, got distracted in the Frozen themed bouncy castle, screamed at the endlessly popping balloons, rode a scary pony, cried a lot over that one, and finally reached the birthday goodies table, silence the noise, let me view this magical work of mountainous sweetness in pin drop silence with angels singing in the background, no it's not the birthday cake, it's a heaping mound of Mrs. Udulagama's delectable profiteroles, those luscious, gooey chocolaty, mound size goodies fit perfectly into my hand and each one has my name on it, this is the the best birthday party EVER!!!!

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How to discipline toddlers?

The principles of toddler discipline and child behavior management are:

Give positive reinforcement for behaviours you want - praise even the small things, like "what a good boy for listening so well". Praise everything that is good, which by definition is everything that isn't bad - so "good boy for sitting still", "good boy for eating dinner", "good boy for playing nicely" etc. Note that the praise is for a positive action not a negative one (so don't say "good boy for not hitting", "good boy for not shouting"). Consider a reward chart.

Ignore behaviours you don't want - it can be hard, but specific advice is given on pages for temper tantrums and breath-holding spells.

Use time out for "out-of-control" behaviour.

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Babies and Loud Noises

Some toddlers enjoy the excitement of bustling, noisy places, but others are especially sensitive to sound. At home, you may be able to keep things fairly quiet, but you soon discover there’s no volume control for the rest of the world. Stuck at a noisy family gathering? If you see it’s getting to your child, consider taking him for a short walk outside or for a visit to the bathroom where you can close the door.

That may help him settle enough that he can handle things for a bit longer when you rejoin the crowds. As your toddler grows up they will become less sensitive — and better at coping. So while taking your toddler to movies or fireworks, or on a motorboat ride, may lead to tears, if you can wait a few years, your child may be able to handle these situations.

By Mayuri Jayasinghe