What can I do with my two year old all day?

3. Read Books

Have time each day for enjoying books.

* reading quietly in bed before the wake up song begins the day with hugs and tickles

* individual reading time after 1 each day - start with 1 - 2 mins and build up to 10 - 15 mins

* enjoying snuggly one-to-one reading time just before naps each day

* have a sibling  'read'  to another sibling

* have a book or two in room play each day

* have books available during free play times

* plastic books are great for bath time play

* family reading times

* audio and interactive books

*sticker and activity books

What can I do with my two year old all day?

2. Enjoy table play.

Having one or two short times of 'sitting' play each day
will help your child develop focusing and concentrating skills.
They will be cultivating self-control and many fine motor skills too.


* playdoh

* sticker books

* wooden puzzles

* pegs

* crayons

* books

* farm or zoo animals

* mini keyboard

* duplo

* stacking toys

. . . and many more!

What can I do with my two year old all day?

1. Explore the outdoors.

* every day

Plan an outdoor time each day. In Summer we had this early in the morning

or late in the afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day. In Winter it would be more in the late morning to make the most of the Winter sun.

* 60 minutes a day

We aimed for an hour a day. My boys often loved being outside twice a day.

Some days we spent most of the day outside, on other days it would be a 20 or 30 minute time, depending on the weather.

* outside toys

Often they played outside on their own with bats and balls, sand and sand toys, bikes and scooters. The trampoline was often a popular choice for fun. Sometimes I would join them and enjoy simply playing together, other times I would be pottering in the garden and doing bits and pieces with them playing nearby.

* outdoor craft

Sometimes I'd organise an outdoor craft activity with paint and huge sheets of paper for them to create monster size pictures.

* cardboard box fun

Sometimes we had a large cardboard box which would lend itself to all sorts of imaginative play.

* water play

In Summer we would fill a small wading pool for hours of water fun. A bucket of water with a large paintbrush provided hours of fun 'painting' the fence. A small tub of water with a few containers from the pantry is great 'pouring and filling' fun.
 

In Winter we would rug up and walk in the windy weather. On rainy days we would pop gumboots on and splash in the puddles. A few times we even made mudpies - with a warm bath straight afterwards!

* nature play

Sometimes they would find a snail to observe - my little ones loved to simply lie on their tummies and watch them for ages!

* building fun

Sometimes they enjoyed creating with a stack of wood off-cuts - building bridges and roads and garages for their outdoor cars and trucks.

* parks and picnics

Sometimes we would walk to the park for a play on the equipment or a very simply picnic with another family.

* walking time

 

Sometimes we would walk slowly around the nearby streets with no destination in mind, simply observing and exploring.

Parenting Personality

So, understanding your own personality,

and that of each of your children

 is so helpful in the parenting journey.

It is helpful to understand their motivations,

 reactions and choices through this lens.

The aim is not to put them into boxes,

or to excuse any forms of choices,

but rather to see personality types as a way

 to help you wisely guide the heart training of each individual

 who has been entrusted to your care. 

Enjoy their uniqueness!!!

Goal of Parenting

Tedd Tripp:


If the goal of parenting is no more profound than securing appropriate behavior, we will never help our children understand the internal things, the heart issues, that push and pull behavior.

Those internal issues: self-love, rebellion, anger, bitterness, envy, and pride of the heart show our children how profoundly they need grace. If the problem with children is deeper than inappropriate behavior, if the problem is the overflow of the heart, then the need for grace is established.

Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life and died as an infinite sacrifice so that children (and their parents) can be forgiven, transformed, liberated and empowered to love God and love others.

When we miss the heart, we miss the glory of God. The need of children (or adults) who have fallen into various forms of personal idolatry is not only to tear down the high places of the alien gods, but to enthrone God.

Children are spring-loaded for worship. One of the most important callings God has given parents is to display the greatness, goodness, and glory of the God for whom they are made.

Parents have the opportunity, through word and deed, to show children the one true object of worship—the God of the Bible.

We know that the greatest delights our children can ever experience are found in delighting in the God who has made them for his glory.



Tedd Tripp, Shepherding a Child's Heart (Shepherd Press, 2005), xii.

Phlegmatic - let's do it the easy way!

Phlegmatics desire to avoid conflict.  They are characterised with an even disposition, balanced and pleasing personality, contentment, kindness, diplomacy and a steady strength.

They can tend to lack decisiveness, enthusiasm and energy and avoid conflict at all costs. They have a hidden will of iron.

As leaders they tend to keep calm, cool and collected and don't make impulsive decisions. They are recognised by their calm approach and relaxed posture.

They are afraid of having to be the one to make decisions or major changes. They get depressed when life is full of conflict. They react to stress by tuning out.

Parents of phlegmatics need to not rush theses children and teach them to take initiative.

Melancholy - let's do it the right way!

The melancholy has the ability to organise, can set long range goals and has high ideals. They analyze deeply and complete tasks well and on time.

Melancholy types can be easily depressed as they remember the negatives and tend to be suspicious of others. They usually overprepare and become too focused on details.

As leaders they organise well, are sensitive to others, are deeply creative and want quality performance. They are afraid of making a mistake, having their feelings misunderstood and having to compromise standards.

They get depressed when life is out of order and when standards aren't met. Then they intend to withdraw, give up, get depressed and cry.

Melancholy nature is serious and sensitive and enjoys private time.

Parenting this type needs to focus on helping them get thier emotions under control and to speak words of life to others. It is also important that they have an area of their own that can be tidy and right.