Anyone else tired of dealing with attitude in your little ones? It seems like the minute my son turned three his sass level skyrocketed through the roof and just kept ramping up each day!
From a very early age kids learn that they can use their words as a means of control over others, because it’s what they’ve seen in adults. Parents are constantly using their words to instruct, redirect, or discipline their children. It’s only natural that our kids would begin to mimic this behavior.
I’m a newbie stay at home mom, so crafting my 3-year-old’s daily schedule has been an exciting part of the adventure! Having been a preschool teacher for many years, I wanted to make sure that our days at home are balanced with enough play, rest, and active times. Here are some things to consider if you are working on crafting your daily toddler schedule:
Children love predictability and knowing what is going to come next, so it’s important to have a general rhythm to your days. With this said, don’t feel like you can’t change things up for special events and activities. Our schedule is always fluid and changes when necessary!
This is the general “flow” of our daily routine that works really well for us:
Dealing with toddler behaviors is downright frustrating. Do you find yourself racking your brain daily trying to figure out why your toddler won’t listen to you? There are so many factors that go into how our children behave that often times it can be difficult to determine the culprit. Are they overtired? Overwhelmed? Feeling shame or embarrassment?
When we have a better idea of how toddler’s brains work, we can gain insights into their behavior and take steps to help them improve over time. Here are 5 secret truths behind your toddler’s behavior and the positive parenting strategies you can use to help them:
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Your child’s first day of preschool is almost here! This is an exciting (and scary) time for both you and your little one because for many children, this is their first real experience being away from home.
As a mom, you worry about all the little things that go along with being away from your child… Will they be able to handle the separation from you? Will they play well with others? Will they like their teacher? Will they be able to do things on their own? If not, will they be able to ask for help? There’s so much that goes into becoming a preschooler!
Choosing a preschool can be an extremely daunting task for parents. For many children, preschool is the very first time they are spending time away from mom or dad. While this is an important milestone for little ones, it can also be so, so scary!
As a preschool teacher (and mom) myself, I can speak first-hand to the anxiety that parents feel when they bring their child to school for the first time. Most of the time it’s mom shedding more tears than the child!
My husband and I have been very fortunate to find an in-home preschool for our 2.5 year old where he is thriving with an incredible teacher that we’ve known for years. But for parents in the midst of choosing a preschool for your child, here are 5 important factors to consider:
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I think most moms would agree, there is nothing more stressful than driving in the car with a hysterical child.
Ever since my now 2.5 year old was an infant he has absolutely hated his carseat. Within moments of pulling out the driveway the screaming and thrashing would start, and as a mom I felt powerless in knowing that I couldn’t soothe him. The louder his screaming, the more stressed out I became, and it led to a vicious and miserable cycle for both of us. There were times that my son screamed so hard that he would cough, gag, or stop breathing for a few seconds. It was absolutely terrifying.
As a preschool teacher and mom of a busy toddler, I have spent more hours than I’d like to admit trying to figure out the most useful, sturdy, bang-for-your-buck learning toys. With so many toys on the market, I look for ones that will grow with my child and help him build up his attention span and problem-solving skills. Basic concepts like colors, shapes, letters and numbers are all things that can be learned through play when your child is provided with the right learning materials.
In terms of quality and durability, I have found that wooden toys stand up to the test of time far better than plastic toys. Wooden toys simply last longer and (contrary to popular belief) they don’t have to be more expensive! Here are my top 5 favorite learning toys for toddlers under $25:
Raising a spirited child takes parenting to a whole new level of exhaustion and frustration. The nights are long and the tantrums are longer. Honestly, it can make you question both your child’s sanity and your own parenting abilities.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my disclaimer here.
Which of the following describes your child:
A. My child constantly needs my attention, he is unable to entertain himself.
B. My child moves quickly from one activity or toy to the next, not able to focus or maintain her attention for more than a couple minutes at a time.
C. My child doesn’t know how to play with his toys – the toys end up all over the place and he isn’t engaging in sustained imaginative play.
D. All of the above!
Are you the laid-back parent at the park that watches your child from afar, or are you the parent that hovers close-by to make sure your child doesn’t take a spill off the play structure?
I’ll admit, I’m the latter.
When it comes to giving my child opportunities to take risks and seek adventure, I err on the side of caution. It takes a major effort for me to stand back and let my son push the boundary on his physical limits.
But early childhood research suggests that taking and managing these risks in play is an incredibly important part of a child’s development, so I’m working on keeping my anxiety in check and letting my son discover his strengths and abilities.