The Toddler Experience

As your child grows they will begin to sleep through the night enjoy this extra rest because you will discover a completely new level of exhaustion when your child becomes a toddler. Here are some tips on surviving and helping your child prepare for preschool. Remember, you're a child's best teacher.

Promise to give your child at least one hour of exclusive attention time preferably in some outdoor activity. - By taking short walks, going to the park or by playing sport, you can give them the exercise they need in a fun and a bonding way. An extra benefit of exercise is that children are less hyperactive in house and it is easier to put them to bed at night.

As your child begins to speak, remember to correct their English. - Yes, it's cute when baby says "Us are going to the park" or "I got candy" but remember your child is learning the language every time they speak. By not correcting mistakes as they happen, you are hampering their language development. It's also a good time in their development to start them on a second language.

No means No - This is the hardest thing to do as a parent. Children can and do try to wear you down! It's easy to say the word but hard to stand by it. I didn't start using the "No" word until my daughter said it to me first. Make sure your child understands the meaning of the word "No!", before you start using the word. It will save you hours of aggravation.

Don't allow temper tantrums - Yes! There are times kids will act up, however there is a difference between an over tired child who needs a nap and one that is misbehaving. Don't let your fear of punishing your child in public give your child the perfect place to practice temper tantrums and bad behavior. Practice the technique of one, two, three, and a time out. I like to call it the three strikes and you're in a time out policy. Once your child realizes that they will get a time out in public their behavior usually changes. Yes, you might get some looks but think of the value lesson you are giving your child.

Don't be afraid to say the words "I don't know" to your child. - The ability to learn and adapt quickly is one of our greatest survival traits. It's impossible to know about every subject. What we can do as parents is to show our children that it's all right not to know everything and that we continue to learn throughout our lives. Show them how to get information by going to library or using the Internet you can show them that learning is a daily process and it's OK not to know about things if you are willing to search for the knowledge.

Teach your children about manors - The best explanation of why manors are important was from a quote from the movie Blast from the Past. "Good Manors show that you respect the people around you" By teaching, your child good manors you help them in the future to get along in any situation. The early learning of "Please" and "Thank You" befits young children in their interactions with adults.

By starting your young children in the basics, you will save yourself time and anguish as they become older. Naturally, you will have to reinforce things as they grow older but reinforcing positive behaviors is easier than having to teach these behaviors once they have established habits. Remember, your child is a learning sponge from birth, by starting them early on the joys of learning you establish a behavior that will help them throughout their lives. Try to make learning an adventure!