Jessica's Parenting Journal

  Okay, so imagine walking past a café in Copenhagen on a freezing January day. Snow is falling. The temperature is well below zero. And there, parked outside on the sidewalk, is a row of baby strollers. With actual babies inside. Sleeping. Alone. While their parents are inside sipping lattes. Before you call child services, let me tell you – this is completely normal in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. In fact, it would be weird if they DIDN'T leave their babies outside. I first learned about this when a Finnish mom casually mentioned she'd left her three-month-old napping on the balcony. "It's only minus ten today," she said, like that explained everything. MINUS TEN. Celsius. That's 14°F for my fellow Americans who are currently clutching their pearls. Here's the wild part: this isn't some fringe parenting trend. A 2008 study from the University of Oulu in Finland found that 95% of parents let their babies nap outside in winter. ...

Welcome to Jessica’s Parenting Journal 🌼 A nurturing space for gentle guidance and joyful growth. Click below to explore our latest tools and mission. 🤝 Meet Jessica and Our Mission Discover the heart and intention behind Jessica’s Parenting Journal. We’re here to support your gentle parenting journey with clarity, warmth, and actionable tools. About Jessica 📚 Books, eBooks & Audiobooks Explore Jessica’s published parenting resources—crafted for quiet moments, busy days, and everything in between. Available in print, digital, and audio formats to suit your rhythm. Browse Books on Payhip 🧰 Parenting Tools Library Browse our growing collection of printable parenting tools—modular, calming, and ready when you are. From emotional resets to daily rhythms, each guide is designed to support gentle growth. Explore Tools on Payhip → 🌐 Connect with Us Follow ...

  Let me blow your mind for a second: there are babies in East Africa who are completely potty trained by five months old. FIVE MONTHS. My kid couldn't even sit up properly at five months, and these babies are managing their own bathroom needs. Meanwhile, the average American kid isn't out of diapers until they're three years old – some even later. We spend roughly $3,000 on diapers per child, create literal mountains of waste, and then spend months begging a toddler to please, for the love of all that is holy, just pee in the potty. So what are we missing? Turns out, most of the world has been doing this whole potty thing completely differently than us. Let's start with the Digo people of Kenya and Tanzania. According to a landmark 1977 study in Pediatrics, these folks start "toilet training" when babies are two to three weeks old. The mother sits on the ground with her legs straight out, places the baby on her shins facing away (for pee) or facing towa...