King's Kids Academy

The Great Christmas Cookie Disaster: A Parent’s Field Guide

Ah, Christmas cookies. The scent of cinnamon and sugar wafting through the air, tiny hands eagerly pressing cookie cutters, festive sprinkles showering everything in a magical glitter…

And then there’s the reality.

Baking Christmas cookies with kids is less like a heartwarming Hallmark movie and more like an episode of Nailed It! judged by a panel of extremely sticky, hyperactive toddlers. It’s a battle of wills. It’s a test of patience. It’s a guaranteed path to finding flour in places you didn’t even know existed. This includes, somehow, the dog.

If you’re brave enough to embark on this annual tradition, prepare yourself for the following stages:

The Biting Phase: Understanding the “Why” and Managing the “Ouch”

Few things make a parent’s stomach drop faster than picking up their child from daycare and hearing, “There was an incident today…” whether your child was the one bitten or the one doing the biting.

Biting is a visceral, emotional, and often painful issue. Parents of the biter often feel intense shame (“Is my child aggressive?”), while parents of the victim feel protective anger. However, in the world of early childhood development, biting is surprisingly common and rarely malicious.

Here is a guide to decoding the behavior and handling it with confidence.

Hit a Potty Training Puddle? How to Handle Regressions with Confidence

You did it. After weeks of patience, sticker charts, and tiny potties, your child was finally using the toilet. You’d triumphantly packed away the diapers. And then, suddenly, it’s accidents all over again.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is potty training regression, and it’s one of the most common and frustrating bumps in the road for parents.

First, take a deep breath. A regression is not a failure—not for you, and not for your child. It’s a temporary setback and a sign that your child is dealing with something new.