Managing Toddler Behavior for Positive, Productive Days! :)
Hey everyone,
Today, I’ll be sharing my experience managing my toddlers’ behavior so we all have a better day. My 4 year old boy and 2 year old girl have gone through a transition where they are no longer babies. They are now curious, inquisitive, clever and intelligent little humans. They walk around every day looking to explore through their senses. They often get into quibbles with one another and you can very frequently find my little girl with some foreign object in her mouth. The days have been filled with crisis management for me. I found myself really frustrated and burnt out by the end of each day.
Then, one day last week, I had an epiphany! I am sure you more experienced moms/grandmas have had this “light bulb moment”, but it only just occurred to me. The thing that changed the game for me was getting the kids more involved in what I was doing around the house! Not only does this keep them on task and out of trouble, but it creates more bonding time with mommy and more learning time for them. Involving them in my tasks around the house satisfies their learning curiosity and keeps them engaged physically and mentally.
Here are some examples of how I keep my little ones on task and involve them around the house:
Have them feed the fish
Have them wipe their face and hands after meals with a baby wipe
Have them wipe down the blackboard we use for homeschool
Have my oldest grab small items around the house and bring them to me (i.e: remote control, slippers, phone, etc.)
Have them help me tidy up the living room
Have them help me make a smoothie (I allow each child to drop pre-cut fruits into the blender for me; under my supervision)
and the list goes on…
Of course, you have to determine what tasks your children will actually be able to do. Please, don’t send your child to do something that they are not physically or cognitively ready to do! :)
Anywho, I hope these tips helped you today! I can’t believe I only just realized this. lol The past few days have been much more productive and peaceful for us all! I hope you achieve similar results.