Do it yourself!

Ok, so I was thinking...Are there other older moms out there like me who read this blog and could give the younger moms some ideas of things that worked when your children were small? What are some practical and realistic ways to teach a child to become more independent and learn to do things on his own?

Below are a few that I thought of from my own experience...

1. If your child constantly begs you for juice or water, put a sippy-cup on a low table or for a slightly older child, put a small easy-pour container of water within his reach and show him how to pour his own.

2. Set aside specific times, say 30 minutes every morning and every afternoon for your child. Announce that it's "mommy time" or "game time" and make it fun! (Because my type-A personality tended to focus on things around the house that needed to be done, this allowed me to relax and enjoy the designated time, rather than dreading how I was going to end it without a melt-down.) Set your stove timer to ring when the time is up. Tell him at the beginning that when the bell rings, it means you have to stop and go back to your work, or your reading, or whatever. Then do just that.

3. With multiple children, do not even expect that they will work well together on the same chore. Telling three children to clean up their toys turns quickly into a battle of "he/she did it!" or "he/she isn't doing his/her part!" Give specific chores: one can pick up the lego's, one can sweep the floor, etc.

4. Be quick to tell your child the truth: "You know what? I don't have time to do that for you right now. If I have time later and you still need my help, I'll see what I can do. Or you can try it yourself now."

5. As the comic strip below shows, you can give your younger children fun "jobs" that they can do while you are working on another project. The goal is not necessarily to have them finish the chore, but to keep them occupied while you are doing yours!



I'd love to hear some of your ideas!