Most days, I sit back and think to myself, "How did we get so lucky? We have the most amazing kid." But let's be realistic here too - there are times when I want to pull my hair out. There are days when the reality of "stay at home mom" gets the best of me....because it comes with some really repetitive, mundane, tiresome tasks that can suck the life out of you....if you're not careful. To name a few: cooking, waitressing, cleaning, budgeting, grocery shopping, teaching, picking up toys, reading (the same books over and over), rocking/soothing/fighting naptime....and then realizing you haven't brushed your teeth (much less showered) today.
So I've acquired a few ideas that MIGHT help put the fun back in motherhood for you. And they might make those Terrible Twos not so terrible after all.
1. Shake up the routine every now and then - you don't have to live and die by a schedule. Be spontaneous - if the weather is nice, go to the park. Yes, kids need structure....but they also need surprises. They need to know that mommy can have fun too. It's ok to put the laundry off until tomorrow - clothes can wait. Your baby won't be a baby very long.
2. Turn off the TV and play together. I have a rule that we only watch cartoons or talk shows until 10 am. After that, we play, we read, we go outside, we snack....and we don't need the TV as background noise that fills our head with more junk. If you need some noise, turn on some music. (This might encourage a dance party!) Lack of TV will encourage you to get creative. And most importantly, it will allow you to interact with your children. (Something a television can NOT do.) Play with them, talk to them, teach them something. You may simply need to teach your child HOW to play. (Kids don't naturally know how to play with new toys....until it has been modeled for them. They play "make believe" because they're mimicking adult behaviors that they learn from watching you. Think about it.) When you make yourself get on their level and play WITH your children, you will find the inner-child in yourself. You will remember what it was like to be young and care-free. You will get more joy than any household task (or TV show) could offer. That's a promise.
3. Search for educational, age-appropriate activities and free field trips. (Hello, Pinterest lovers! Don't just pin it...try it!) Go to your local library. Go to the park or take walks on nice days. Plan playdates with friends. (The pictures below were taken at Barnes & Noble and home. My son loves books so we took a trip to the store and I let him pick out a new book. He chose a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse box set of 12 small board books...and he hasn't put them down since we bought them!!) Figure out what type of activities trigger your little one's love of learning and foster that.
As an experienced educator, I don't claim to have all the answers. But I do have some insight about Discipline during the Toddler Years, because discipline strategies are similar at every age. I've always relied on Love & Logic. Show your love by giving your children the attention they need when they need it. When they're tugging at your leg, hitting, yelling or screaming, they're asking for your attention. Be as patient and calm as possible when you talk to them about whatever it is they need. Don't get physical or loud back to them, because that just enforces their behavior that was so frustrating to you. Be logical in your response to their request. It's ok to say no. If they keep screaming, don't give in. Remain firm. Ignore their bad behavior and simply walk away. If you choose to give in after initially saying no, then they win and they own you. (This only makes matters worse!!) It's also ok to say yes. Give in sometimes when they least expect it. Let them play outside if they want to. It may require you to stop what you're doing and go with them....but that's ok! The key here is - let your yes be yes and your no be no. Consistency is key.
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