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If you’re in the thick of parenting toddlers, take heart! These are hard years, but sweet ones and the building blocks for the years to come.
I am currently parenting what I believe to be our last toddler.
He is the 5th baby in our family and even his toddler days are numbered.
I’m not new to this toddler rodeo and, having is going through these precious times more than formerly and closely spaced, I have learned a few things.
Something else I have, as my oldest is now 8 years old, is perspective.
When all my children were 4 and under it felt like I was parenting FOUR toddlers.
I didn’t know what would happen when they get school age. Or progressed through elementary.
Shoot, I still don’t know what will happen when they hit adolescence and the teen years.
But now having done this toddler gig 5 times( and desiring nearly every minute of it !) I can say there are a few things mamas need to hang onto.
Truths On Parenting Toddlers …
This can be a challenging hour as the issue is little whirlwinds who can tear up the whole living room in about five minutes … but it is truly a lovely season full of nuzzles.
1.Their Bark Is Worse Than Their Bite
Toddlers are gonna cry.
And whine.
And scream sometimes.
If your days are built around trying to figure out how to avoid any rips or meltdowns, then life is gonna be hard parenting your toddler.
You probably have some family rules already in your home. Your toddler will, at times , not want to follow the rules.
They will show their resist with tantrums and crying.
Toddlers, unlike preschoolers and older infants, nonetheless, are quick to adjust and keep the boundaries and principles if you anticipate it.
Don’t change your rules or expectancies as a response to toddler tears.
Yesterday morning my toddler asked for Cheerios in an orange bowl.
He gets Cheerios in an orange bowl and then cries because he wants Rice Krispies and not cheerios.
And now he craves a dark-green bowl.
If I shed away perfectly good cereal and then switched his bowl … he’d be likely to cry about the spoon.
Allowing selections is fine, but don’t get in the habit of servicing whims.
Read: The Crucial Elements Of A Rock Solid Toddler Routine
2.They Know What They Want, We Know What They Need
There is a notion going around that little ones know what they need.
This is- quite simply- absolutely no truth to the rumors.
They know if they crave food. They know if they want mommy. They know if they want a brownie. They know they don’t want to go to bed because playing is much more fun.
A loving and encouraging mama will scheme their toddler’s day based on their needs firstly, then their preferences.
Toddlers need snoozes and early bedtimes. They need nutritious food at banquet and snack occasions. They need to learn to fall in with family rhythms. They need period and attention and adoration.
Read: The Common 2 Year Old Sleep Regression: How To Overcome
3.They Will Grow Up
I formerly Googled, “Is my 3-year-old a sociopath? ”
I will never say which son this referred to because I’m against oversharing.
But, yes, I did that.
Matter of fact.
I did that for two of my sons.
One truth I was so happy to realize and take hold of is this … the majority of members of the exasperate actions your toddlers does, he will be increased out of.
While I’m certainly not saying to let behaviors proceed unchecked that are against family frontiers, I am saying that all the things your toddler is doing now is not predictive of what they’ll do later.
They are little.
They are learning.
Give yourself and them grace.
Read: Brilliant 10 Year Rule For Moms Of Little Ones To Follow
4.You Don’t Have To Teach It All Now
We moms put immense pressure on ourselves to do everything right.
And to do it all right now.
We are relentlessly busy and never have time to get things done.
We think that if we want to teach our kids about Jesus, fund, and chores then we better do it tomorrow, Thursday, and twice on Saturday or our children will be terminated unemployed and living in a granny flat in our backyard.
This is not the case.
This is a false pressure from within fed by your desire to give your children the best.
Toddlers need to be well fed, well slept, and well adored, and that’s about it.
Discipline is essentially helping your child learn the family governs at this age. Live out your own values is the best way to introduce your children to them when they are so young.
Read: 5 Things You Think Your Kids Can’t Do That They Can
5.They Will Love Boundaries As Much As You Do
Boundaries is indispensable for kids.
They are necessary for children to feel a sense of security , and so that you don’t lose your mind and become mentally ill.
And the good news is this … children may resist bounds initially, but they enjoy them!
Boundaries around sleeping mean consistent bedtimes and naptimes .
Boundaries around devouring mean consistent mealtimes, snack occasions, and meal time expectancies .
Boundaries around behavior necessitate consistent responses, expectancies, and clear communication.
Parenting Toddlers Is Tiring, But Not Complex
While you may feel exhausted from hyper-vigilance and tired of meltdowns and tantrums … take heart.
These early years can be wearisome, but they aren’t complex.
Toddlers need adoration, attention, boundaries.
Toddlers need sleep, healthy food, and limits.
When you find consistency in these things … parenting toddlers becomes a joy , not a drag.
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The post 5 Truths About Parenting Toddlers — That We Incline To Forget showed first on A Mother Far from Home.
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