Archive for the ‘Toddler Tips’ Category
If your toddler bedtime is a battle time then it’s time to make a change. Here’s our top tips to have an easier and happier bed time.
Your toddler is growing up and learning so much about the world.
During the day he’s learning new skills, practising his new moves and has realised that he is quite an independent little person. This is great fun but it also tiring for both child and parent.
At your toddler’s bedtime everyone will be tired. An easy and happy bedtime with your toddler going to sleep and you having a break is just what you need!
To have a happy toddler bedtime your toddler needs to be ready to go to sleep. Make sure his day time naps are neither too long nor too late in the day. If he’s slept too much during the day he simply won’t be tired enough to go to sleep in the early evening. This means that you may need to re-jig his day so that you are not in the car or buggy in the late afternoon otherwise your toddler may have an involuntary “powernap”! Of course, sometimes this can’t be avoided, but if it can, then do avoid it as it will scupper his bedtime.
Assuming he is ready for sleep at bedtime, then have a calming and relaxing bedtime routine. This could be for example, suppertime, little play, teeth cleaned, bathtime, story time and a good night cuddle. Make sure you have enough time in the day time for cuddles otherwise when your toddler has a goodnight cuddle he’ll want it last a long time!
Sometimes a child does not want to be left alone in his bedroom and then either the parent will enforce it or the parent will stay the room and read until their child goes to sleep. Remember that your child is going through lots of different stages very quickly and may need extra reassurance at this age. Reading quietly in his room whilst he goes to sleep may be very reassuring for your child and for you, a time to relax.
Reassuring a child is not spoiling him. He won’t always need reassurance but sometimes it will help him end his day happily.
If your child is scared of the dark, then do not enforce darkness in his room. A toddler’s imagination is very active and a child should never be kept in fear. Allow a lovely nightlight or keep the door open with the landing room light on.
Make sure his room is a welcoming place and that he loves his bed. Toddler beds and fun blankets are available and can really help with a happy bedtime for your child, and so for you.
Black out curtains are wonderful for keeping a room dark in the mornings so that your child is not simply woken by the sunlight streaming in his bedroom.
When you are away keep your toddler bedtime routine the same as at home and bring his familiar bedding. In this way, you should be able to get time off in the evening so that you too can enjoy your holiday!
About the author:
Debbie Morgan is a freelance writer and writes for http://www.toddlerbedtimetips.com.
Need advice on how to potty train a 3 year old? Worried that you might just have missed the bus to potty training land?
Wondering where you went wrong and if it is still possible to potty train your child at three?
My own toddler was still screaming “I hate the potty!” at three when I finally decided that I had had enough. By then I was also busy taking care of my one-year-old daughter and was completely in over my head with all the dirty diapers. So, despite the crying and pleading (which can get touching at times, I must admit), I had to take away the security diapers.
Surprisingly, my son didn’t take it as badly as I thought he would. A couple of days after our initial “potty talk”, the tears and tantrums started to lessen. Here are some tips I found helpful in weaning my child from the diapers he had grown accustomed to.
1. Make a ceremony out of it.
The day you throw out all the nappies in the house, make sure your child is there to watch. Make a show out of it, telling him that he is no longer a baby but a “big boy” now and therefore doesn’t need nappies. Ask your husband to join in too.
2. Take your child shopping.
Bring your child along when you shop for underpants. For daughters, make it into a “mum and me” sort of event. Ask them to pick out the designs they like. For sons, ask their dad to accompany them. This will make your little boy feel like he’s undergoing some important rite of passage – with daddy backing him up.
3. Invest in a child-friendly potty.
A lot of kids are afraid of the toilet because they might fall in. Buy a child-sized potty to alleviate this fear. However, don’t forget to expose them to the bathroom and the normal-sized toilet too. They’ll need to get used to it in the future.
Always make sure to offer encouragement and support to potty train your 3 year old. There will be accidents. Just show them what you would like them to do without making them feel bad about it. And make sure to always offer praise every time they do what they are supposed to do.
Read on for more great and helpful ideas on how to potty train your 3 year old. Feel free to use this great resource for more information about helping potty train 3 year old kids.
About the author:
Feel free to use this great resource for more information about helping pott
y train 3 year old kids.
For more information go to Cris Santeiro’s Potty
Training in 3 Days blog