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One of the hardest parts of raising a child has got to be managing the temper tantrums. Watching your child – who was only moments earlier perfectly content – go into a raging, screaming tantrum can be overwhelming and…. sometimes… intimidating.

What is a parent to do when their sweet little angel does a 180° in the middle of Costco? First…

 

• STAY CALM. Yes, I realize how hard that can be when you have someone screaming in your face that you’re a stinky poopy head and you need to give them candy RIGHT… NOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!! But you must remain calm. Because if your emotions rev up, they will know immediately and that tantrum will escalate. Children are extremely perceptive and intuitive, and pick up on shifting emotions very easily. So do your best to take a deep breath, take a sip of Chamomile Tea (or a shot of Whiskey), and prepare to deal.

 

• Do not try to talk to them about it when they are experiencing high emotions. If your child is just a little bit upset and crying, you may be able to soothe them by talking to them about why they are upset and how you may be able to help them calm down. If they are screaming, angry, and/or being physical however, talking isn’t going to do much except cause confusion and further aggravation. Instead, try to find a different way to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible. Some examples are:

 

• Sometimes a tantrum can be soothed quickly by averting the child’s attention onto something that they enjoy. Offering to read a book, getting out paints and paper, taking a walk, putting on their favorite music, etc. are just a few of about a billion ways in which you can take their mind off of being upset so they can calm down.

 

• Offering something else. If your child is upset because you said “no” to something s/he wanted, try offering something else that s/he might like instead. Being able to say “yes” to something when all your child is focusing on is the “no” you already gave can certainly help him/her realize that not everything is a “no.”

 

• Give your child a choice. If your child wants to do something that you cannot say “yes” to, offer a choice between two alternate options. This gives the child the feeling of control that they are seeking, while giving you the peace of mind that you have offered something that you are comfortable with.

 

• Do not spank!! I know spanking is a controversial subject, but I have to say this: How can we possibly teach our children how to express their strong emotions in healthy and peaceful ways if we strike them when they’re having a hard time doing so? I have heard parents yell at their children for hitting another person and then spanking that child for that very reason! That doesn’t make sense to me. Children are human beings, too, and deserve to be met with compassion and nurturing even during challenging moments just like we would hope for ourselves. End rant. Don’t spank.

 

• Some children are prone to lashing out and inadvertently harming themselves or another person during the midst of a tantrum. If your child has this tendency, your first priority should be to move him/her to a quiet, safe place where s/he can work through their tantrum with minimal opportunity or means to do harm.

 

• DON’T give in. It can be so easy to do when we just want the screaming/kicking/yelling/crying/repeating to stop, but that is one of the worst things you can do because your child will learn to use tantrums to get what they want. And no doubt, it will escalate every time you try to stick to your guns. So tell yourself right out of the gate that you have made your decision based on firm beliefs and you will stay true to that decision. Note: this doesn’t mean that we are never allowed to change our minds. Sometime we rashly say “no” to something that – once we give it a little thought – actually isn’t such a big deal to say “yes” to. In those moments, go for it! But don’t say “yes” just to stop a tantrum even if you feel your initial decision was warranted.

 

If you ever feel too angry or like you might become violent when faced with a tantrum, please reach out to someone who can help you. Whether this be a friend, family member, doctor or hotline, take that step towards nurturing yourself so that you can continue to show compassion and patience towards your child(ren). High emotions can be very triggering and it isn’t uncommon to feel some impatience, overwhelm, or even anger initially when thrown into having to deal with one, but it is critically important that you maintain your cool, even if it means reaching out for help to do so. Children are still learning to cope and express themselves in a peaceful way. They need your guidance, your compassion, and your love.

We sat down with our fearless leader Tereson Dupuy to talk a little bit about the brand!  She started this business full of passion and zeal and continues to work hard to bring you the best possible products.  Check out her thoughts on the cloth diaper industry today, her encounter with the Sharks, and what she thinks is plaguing the cloth diaper community!

What is the FuzziBunz difference?

The FuzziBunz difference is far more than just features and benefits, its what the brand stands for. We can say that the brand is more adjustable and more sustainable but WHY have we made it so? FuzziBunz were born out of my need for a better cloth diaper for my son, it evolved into much more however.

 

What is one word that sums up FuzziBunz?

If there were one word to sum up what FuzziBunz stands for as a brand it would be innovation. We strive to provide parents with products that are different and better than the majority of products on the market and continue to do so. When FuzziBunz was invented 15 years ago there were no such thing as “pocket diapers” as they are known today and no one was using fleece. That advent of something new and different arose from my own dissatisfaction with what was currently available and changed the way people felt about cloth diapers. To this day, people’s minds are being changed. When the “one size” diaper craze hit in 2006, FuzziBunz was forced to innovate yet again and answer the craze with its own version of a “one size” diaper incorporating adjustable and replaceable elastic instead of snaps down the front of the diaper that most one size diapers incorporate. As an inventor and as a former cloth-diapering parent, I tend to see things from a different perspective. I am always asking myself “how can we do better” and we continue to do so.

 

Why is using cloth so important for future generations?

It is a fact that we are destroying the Earth with our “throw away society” in which we all currently exist. I do believe however that the little things make a big difference and using cloth diapers is NOT a little thing. For every baby that uses cloth diapers there are 1 ton of disposables kept out of landfills. If we do not start preserving and caring for our planet and teaching our children to do the same, I fear that there will be no more beauty left in the world for future generations.

 

What is so unique about the FuzziBunz team?

The thing that makes our team unique (and maybe less so as we progress with technology) is that not one of us lives in the same area code. We have a fully virtual structure with team members living from Napa to Maine and New Orleans to Morrocco. This virtual environment has enabled me find the talent needed without the confines of geography. It has also enabled us all to be able to work from home and be present for our families and children as that is a key value we support.

 

The Sharks said NO but that didn’t stop you.  What kept you going even through the adversity?

The Sharks did say no and I am glad they did. Honestly, if I were sitting on the other end of that table I don’t think I would have invested in FuzziBunz at that time either. There were too many obstacles working against me. What I did get from the Sharks however was respect and I am not sure you can put a price tag on that. I left knowing that even though I had challenges, I had what it took to persevere through them and figure it out. It is that entrepreneurial drive that has kept me going and helps me continue to innovate and bring new products to market.

 

Please share the biggest misconception about cloth diapers that you feel people have?

I think the biggest misconception today surrounding cloth diapers is the same one that has plagued it from the beginning….that they are too much trouble to deal with. If people really realized how easy and convenient they really are I am positive they would think differently.

One of the major components of FuzziBunz Adjustable diapers that sets us apart from other cloth diaper brands is our Fantastic Elastic System. This means that the waist and leg elastics are completely adjustable, removable, and replaceable, which can extend the life of your diapers well past the point where other cloth diapers begin to wear out and become unusable. But how do you know when to change them out?

 

• When they relax. If you have been using your FuzziBunz for a year or more, and you start to notice that no matter how tightly you adjust the elastics they just don’t seem to “grab” the way they used to, then they are probably wearing out and need to be swapped out for fresh elastics.

 

• They snap, crackle, or pop. A few summers ago I took my bathing suit out of a vacuum seal bag in our bedroom closet and was shocked to discover that all of the elastic had deteriorated and “crunched” when I pulled on it. Rats! Well, the same thing happens to cloth diaper elastics, and a big part of avoiding this scenario is proper storage. Keep your cloth diapers somewhere that is somewhat climate-controlled (between about 45°F – 75°F), and if you are storing them for a long period of time put them in something breathable like a pillowcase, not in a vacuum-seal bag or air-tight plastic bin. If you discover this phenomenon when you take your FuzziBunz out of storage, swap ‘em out!

 

• If they don’t exist! Maybe you received some second-hand FuzziBunz that didn’t come with elastics. Surprise! We make it easy to “install” new ones with our Replacement Elastic Kits. 

 

More than likely you’ll know exactly when it’s time to refresh the elastics in your FuzziBunz, and here’s a tip for making it a little easier when the time does come: Attach one end of the elastic and then loop a safety pin or crochet hook through the last button hole at the opposite end of the elastic and thread it through to the other side. Done!

Tell us about the sweetest beginning moment you shared with your child?

Our sweetest moments have been watching Gideon and his big sister bond. I have been awed by the joy in their relationship.

Why do you choose FuzziBunz?

I tried other brands when I cloth diapered with my first with no success. A friend let me borrow her Fuzzibunz and round two had been so much more user friendly.

What is your favorite style from the new line?

Turtle Time

What is your favorite print or solid?

Pure White

What is your advice for new moms on their cloth diaper journey?

It may seem overwhelming before you start but find a mom to show you her routine.

Favorite Cloth Diapering Tip?

I launder them in the evening so they can dry in time for the next days use

I’ve been cloth diapering for almost six years now. I’m pretty sure I can call myself a veteran (right?). I’ve learned a lot since I first started, and I was thinking how great it would have been if I’d known someone who was already a veteran cloth diaperer who could warn me about certain things before I started to save myself a lot of trouble. Here are some of those things:  

• Do not over-complicate your wash routine. Cloth diapers aren’t terribly different than your normal household laundry (except for the fact that they get peed and pooped in on a daily basis). A quick rinse to get a good amount of soils out (unless you use a diaper sprayer), a hot/cold regular wash cycle, and - if desired - an extra rinse is all that is needed to get the diapers clean. You can dry them on low heat or hang them out in the sun. DONE!

 

• You do NOT need specialty detergents. I know, I know. What about the detergents made specifically for cloth diapers? Well, most of them are great and serve their purpose, but most regular commercial detergents are fine to use, too. In general, fabric softeners and heavy scents should be avoided because these can cause issues with repelling and rashes, but a good rule of thumb is to simply try what you feel comfortable with, and if it works - great! If not, strip the diapers and start over with something different.

 

• You really should aim to wash your diapers every day or at least every other day. I don’t know why, but for some reason I thought it would be okay to let the diapers go for 3 or 4 days before I got around to them. Um..... No. Think about a glass of milk that you set on the counter and say “Meh, I’ll wash this later.” And then you keep forgetting or you get busy and within a couple of days you have a putrid, chunky cup of ick. Well, cloth diapers are absolutely not the same as a sour cup of milk, but in a way the effect is similar! The longer you leave soiled diapers sitting in a pail, the more “baked in” the soils become. The more bacteria starts to build up, and the more odors begin to form. It’s not good. It’s bad. So wash your diapers regularly, mkay?

 

• Don’t blow your stash money all on one brand/style unless you are positive that it works for you! There is nothing more disappointing that using your entire cloth diaper budget on one particular brand or style, only to discover that there is something else that piques your interest or seems like it would work better for you. Many retailers offer cloth diaper trial programs that allow you to pay a flat fee for a certain amount of diapers (some of them you can pick and choose, some are set up specifically) for 30 days, keep what you want, and swap the rest for what you like. Or you could pick up one or two of a few different brands/styles of cloth diapers and do your own trial. This is especially helpful for absolute beginners who are unsure as to the difference in types of cloth diapers.

 

• If you are having any trouble with your cloth diapers and you cannot seem to figure it out, call customer service!!! They are there to help, and in the off-chance that there actually is something wrong with your diaper(s), you’ll want to get in touch ASAP before your warranty expires. And oftentimes, the issue is something that can be resolved easily with a rep’s expertise. They want you to connect with them, so do it!

 

• If your baby doesn’t have a diaper rash, don’t use diaper rash treatments! Cloth diapers greatly reduce - or even eliminate - the occurrence of diaper rashes on babies’ sensitive skin. In the occurrence that your child actually does develop a diaper rash, it is recommended that you steer clear of ointments containing harmful chemicals and fish oils. Cornstarch- or Arrowroot-based powders are great and can be made into a paste with a little water. A thin layer of coconut oil works wonders as well, especially when mixed with a drop of Lavender or Chamomile essential oil. Ointments like Desitin contain cod liver oil and if enough of the ointment gets into the fabric.... Whew!!! Your baby’s butt is gonna smell like a fish market. Gross.

  So these are the tips that I wished I would have known before I ever started cloth diapering, and hopefully you will find them helpful on your journey. Do you have any other tips that I didn’t mention?