Toddler Tips from a scatter brain

I am a single mom with a 20 month old son. I knew nothing about parenting when I had him and I've got plenty more to learn. These are just some things I've come up with for myself and I figure they might help someone, maybe :)

1.       Eating

·         Hide Veggies! Just today I baked crescents with broccoli and cheese in them, they were delicious. Put them in soups, sandwiches, or sprinkle them on top of whatever you’re serving. Also, put them on top of a frozen pizza halfway through the baking and add more cheese on top to keep them well hidden.

·         Fruit- My son likes to have whole fruit because he feels like it’s more of a big boy food than cut up pieces. Obviously, this should be age appropriate. I started it around 14 months, apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes more fun whole!

·         Meat- Some kids have a thing with chicken, so simply calling all meat chicken works sometimes.

·         Drinks- Kids like to feel like they get to use the same things as adults. As long as you’re ready to clean up, give your kid a big cup, or a sippy cup with no lid. My son drinks almost anything if it’s from a big cup, better yet served with ice and a straw.

·         Utensils- When I started giving my son forks and spoons, he was much more interested in eating even though he didn’t always use them correctly.

·         Salt and Pepper- No, kids don’t need salt and pepper, but they think they do. I have those 2 packs of disposable salt and pepper with barley anything in them. I make sure the tops are closed and let him shake away. Suddenly the food in front of him he was too busy to eat is now tastier (without s&pJ).

·         Finally, reaching this age of independence, my son likes to get things out of the fridge himself. When he does it himself, it makes him want to eat whatever he “chose.” So I keep snacks of fruits and veggies in the bottom shelf of the fridge just for him to grab.

2.       Sleeping

·         Everyone’s heard this one before- bedtime routine. Mine is so simple, but even so He knows what to expect so it makes it smoother. Ours is just getting lotion on, jammies, and then brushing our teeth.

·         If they want to take a toy to bed, let them. As long of course that it is a safe one that won’t break or hurt them while they’re sleeping. Sometimes they aren’t always tired right at bedtime and this helps them entertain themselves for a little.

·         I keep a soft book in bed with him also for this reason.

·         Make sure the bed is comfy and warm, something you’d want to sleep in too.

·         Put them to bed with a cup of water.

·         Nap time should be at the same time everyday and have a routine in itself too. Ours is just nap after lunch. Naps are important because kids actually sleep better at night when they get well rested during the day. Being too tired makes it harder for children to fall asleep.

3.       Separation

·         Make sure your kid knows and is comfortable with whom they are going to be staying with.

·         Send them with whatever comforts them, stuffed animal, toy, blanket, pillow.

·         Try to tell them far in advance what’s going to happen. Examples : “This weekend you’re going to go out of town with Grandma, won’t that be fun?” Or, “Tomorrow at daycare you’re going to have so much fun with the other kids.”

·         Always tell them you’ll be back and it won’t be long.

·         Separation is a normal part of growing up, as long as the children are comfortable it makes it a little easier for parents and kid.

4.       Discipline

I want to first say that I by no means have a perfectly behaved child. No toddler is perfect. They learn from their curiosity, discipline should be used sparingly.

·         Baby proof as much as possible so that the opportunity for trouble is sparse.

·         Try ignoring bad behavior. When they don’t get a reaction from you, they won’t repeat what they did often.

·         Time out can start being used around 18 months but only for 1-2 minutes. I only use time outs when he’s either putting himself in danger or is hurting someone else (biting, hitting, throwing.)

·         Stay calm! The more your kids see you stay calm, the more they will.

Toddlers are so curious and into everything. They have so many emotions and don’t know what to do with them. The best way for toddlers to learn is to see you doing it. Act yourself, be calm, be nice, and be sweet if that’s what you want your child to do. Let them have as much space as possible. They learn through exploring and experimenting. Even though something they’re doing might get on your nerves, as long as they’re not endangering anything, let them do it and take some deep breaths. Don’t have too many expectations. Remember to always love and appreciate them even through the tough toddler phase.