Holiday Hiccups

Holidays are busy, crazy times.
Lifelong memory makers.

Enjoy the moment with family and friends.
Relax your routine and your expectations,
especially if relatives are visitng from afar.

I would keep nap times in place (nicer for all!)
but tried to be flexble as needed with most
other 'usuals' in my toddler's day.

Once life is back to normal, it will only take a
week (or three!) to get tehm back on track.
The memories are worth it.

Super Shopping

Choose the best time for shopping whenever possible,
not when you are both tired.

Include your toddler in the process as much as possible.
For example, they may help count the apples into the bag,
or place (non fragile) items into the trolley for you.

A small bottle of water and a tiny box of sultanas can ensure
your child has a healthy snack. If this is all you offer
from the first shopping trip, it will become part of the routine,
rather than a battle for other food items.

Speak pleasantly to your child. If you whine at them,
they will whine right back.

Be encouraged, as you work on training your child in patience
and self-control at home, each trip will get easier.

Insane Insanity

"If you keep doing what you have been doing,
you will keep getting what you have been getting."

To keep doing what you are doing
- and expect a different result - is insane!!!

To get a different result, try something different.
Be reasonable, give it three to four weeks to bear fruit.

If you are mostly enjoying each day with your toddler,
then not much needs to change.

If you are mostly not enjoying each day with your toddler,
then maybe try a different approach.

Dressing Dramas

Be careful to ensure that dressing your toddler does not turn into a daily drama.
Cheerfully chose the outfit for the day, chatting about your selection as you dress your child.

"We will wear this lovely warm jumper today as it is cold and windy outside."
"This cotton dress will keep you cool on this hot Summer day."
"These blue pants will be very smart for the party."

Your pre-schooler will be able to manage selecting between two outfits
"Would you like your floral or stripe dress for church today?"

Your school age child will be able to select for themselves the right clothing for the right
occassion. You have gently be teaching them how to dress by modelling the decision process.
Dressing can be a peaceful process for you and your child to enjoy together each day.

Reading Readiness

Your precious little one will problably be sitting in the high chair for meals from around 6 months of age.

At the end of each meal have a short "reading" time. Simply wipe down the tray and give your child a board or plastic book.

Yes, at first your child will eat it, turn it round and round, or throw it on the floor.

However, if you also read at this time, your child will begin to mimic your model. Have the microwave or other timer signal when reading time is over.

If you are calm and consistent, you can have 10 - 20 minutes of silent reading time at the end of each meal by the time your child is two years old.

You will also be developing in your child a life long love of reading, and have teens who adore books.

Choosey Choices

Jimmy gets up as soon as he awakes. He watches TV, wanders through the house, asks (and receives) cornflakes after mum serves weetbix, watches TV, wanders inside and out, watches TV, throws a few things in the toilet, watches TV, plays with mums make-up, watches TV, and asks (and receives) triangle sandwiches for lunch after mum serves square sandwiches. Then mum says it is nap time. What does Jimmy say?

Jonny gets up at 7 am when a song plays. He eats the weetbix he is served for breakfast, he plays in his room until his music tape stops, then watches TV at the usual daily time, then enjoys special play with mum, then has outside time until he is asked to come inside for the square sandwiches (he did ask for triangles but was politely refused). Then mum says it is nap time. What does Jonny say?

Someone is in charge in your house.
Is it you or your toddler?
Who does your toddler think is in charge in your house?
If you are having huge 'battles' in your toddlers day,
ask yourself - who is making the choices all day every day?

FUSSY FOODIES

Your child will often first display his food preferences at around ten months of age. For 4 - 6 months he has quite happily accepted your offerings. Now suddenly he protests - usually at the green foods!

Think ahead. Do you want happy, pleasant peaceful mealtimes, or battles, tears and tantrums over every meal?

We always gave our children a choice at mealtime. They may eat what is served or have nothing. No third choice was offered. Ever.

Be calm and consistent right from the start and you will not have fussy foodies.

TEEN TIP: Teens who happily eat whatever is served, and say thankful, are a joy!!

Bathtime Blues

Bathtime was a noisy time in our house once a week.
Hair wash night.
My daughter hated having her hair washed.
She screamed whether the water was in her eyes or not.

We tried a few different approaches in the early toddler days.
However, we realised the quickest and kindest (on everyone else's ears!)
way for all concerned was to simply wash her hair.

I would sing myself a little song, to keep myself calm,
and she would scream.
After about three months she realised her hair was washed,
scream or no scream.

And peace reigned.

Warren Wiersbe

"Early one spring morning I walked out the front door of my home and saw a spiderweb. It was beautiful, but it wasn't strong. Before the day was over the web was gone.

Some things are beautiful but not strong. And other things are strong but not beautiful.
Our God is practical, but not so practical that he leaves out the beautiful. He gave both strength and beauty to His creation, such as trees, mountains and rivers.

God also wants us to have beauty. He wants us to have the kind of strength that is beautiful and the kind of beauty that is strong."

Memorable Moment

I was mid-way through preparing to go out
for a talk one evening and had a purple floral shirt on with
blue striped pyjama pants while sitting down for dinner.

"Are you going out like that?" asked my nine year old.

"Yes, why not?" I replied, fully expecting
him to comment on the pyjama pants.

"Oh, its just that you don't have your lipstick on!"

That's boy logic for you!!

Fantastic Fun

Enjoy your toddlers!

Laugh with them, play with them, cuddle and tickle often and enjoy the moment.

Splash in puddles on a rainy day.

Make tents inside on rainy day and have an indoors picnic.

Play dress ups and bake - don't stress over the mess - enjoy their joy!

Take heaps of photos and pour over them often
- remind your child how special they are to you.

Teen tip - enjoy your teen!
CAtch a movie together,
drink at a cafe or play board games,
just enjoy this stage too!

Problem Patience

Do you sometimes wish that your toddler would exhibit self-control NOW?

You feel like you have explained why not to touch the tools, the light switches, the heater etc etc hundreds of times, yet they still touch!

You model a quiet, pleasant voice, day after day, and your little treasure still chooses to whine!

You role-play table maaners and encourage the good you see, and meal times are still often a disaster.

Do not lost heart - you will reap in a different season to the one in which you are sowing.

Teen Tip - Calmly responding to your teen with quietness and patience in conflict situatuions will eventually reap rewards.

Beautiful Boundaries

Thinking of boundaries as walls that keep your precious toddler safe and happy, enables parents to make rational decisions, rather than emotional reactions.

Giving thought to the secure rules you will need BEFORE your child crawls or walks will enable you to be proactive and avoid many 'no' moments in your day.

For example, my babies were never allowed in the kitchen. Most home accidents occur there, and I did not wish that for my children. So the very first time they crawled to the kitchen, they were calmly redirected back to their toys. My calm consistency ensured that after a few days, they realised that it was a non play area. This meant I had years of cooking in peace and we never had an accident in the kitchen!

Teen tip - firm boundaries in the early years result in very few boundaries being needed in the teen years!

Cheerful Chores

Have you noticed how your precious little one loves to help?

Helping you sweep, set the table, sort the washing or weed the garden. Following your actions like a little shadow.

Allowing them to help, and encouraging their progress is time consuming (and truely not very helpful!) for the first 10, 000 times.

We had a set chores time every afternoon in which everyone was busy. The youngest one always loved to join in. Keeping this time positive and fun meant that this early willingness extended into cheerful chores time throughout the school years.

Teen Tip: Having teens who keep their rooms tidy, do chores each day and ENJOY their cooking night each week can be a reality, not just a wish!

Parental Prattle

Would you like a happy, gentle, polite toddler?

The most important thing you can do
is speak kindly, happily and gently to your toddler.

Toddlers will mimic the tone,
volume and words of those around them.

Try it. Halve your volume, smile
and praise your child five times more
than you instruct or correct.
See what happens in your home over the next two weeks.

Teen tip: A teen who has almost always been spoken to politely, will almost always do likewise.

Terrific Toddlers Tips

Hi,

The purpose of this blog is to post toddler tips.

I am passionate about helping mums ENJOY the toddler years!!

I will aim to post one or two tips each month.

I hope you find them helpful!!