Surprising Things Your Toddler Can Do Themselves (And Why You Should Let Them!)
*This conversation is sponsored by Pampers at Sam’s Club. All opinions are my own.
As a mom to four young children I have learned a LOT over the years and one piece of advice that I received really stuck with me. What was that golden nugget of information? Don’t do for your kids what they can do themselves! Truly, you will raise more independent, self-reliant children and you’ll save your own sanity by raising kids that don’t require you to do everything for them. Trust me, you’ll burn out if you keep doing it all for them! I’ll show you how easy it is to do this and also reveal surprising things that toddlers can do for themselves.
Surprising Things Toddlers Can Do For Themselves
Part of raising our children is to teach them things and equip them for adulthood. This job doesn’t start once they hit the teen years though, it starts from day 1! Here are some surprising things toddlers can (and should) do for themselves. I’ll touch more on why you should let them near the end!
1.) Toddlers can feed themselves – It can be tempting to continue to feed your toddler because they are messy and often play with the food more than they eat it, but resist that urge to neatly feed your child each meal. Learning how to pick up foods, hold a fork and scoop a spoonful of cereal are all part of learning life skills they need to know. Provide easy to pick up foods so they can practice their pincer grasp (try these mini PB&J bites!).
2.) Clean up their spot – This will depend on what stage of toddlerhood they are in. You might have a very helpful one-year-old that loves to swipe everything off their high chair tray. This can be very frustrating but it does pass! Once your toddler hits age 2 they should be able to help clear their spot and put dishes in the sink. This is yet another life skill that they need to practice. Will they do it perfectly? Of course not, but practicing it is more important than how clean they are able to get their place.
3.) Help make food – As your toddler hits age 2 and 3, they are able to make simple things like a sandwich or cheese and crackers and you should let them! They won’t make it perfectly, and it will be messy, but once again this is an important skill.
4.) Clean up their toys – Kids as young as 1 year old should be encouraged to clean up their toys when they finish playing. Teach them to put them back in the bin or on the shelf and sing a clean up song to make it fun! Once they hit age 5, you’ll be glad you instilled this skill in them from the start!
5.) Undress themselves – Before bath time I always tell my kids to take off their clothes. When they are younger they may only be able to remove a couple pieces of clothing and require help with the rest, but as they get older they’ll master all of it! Resist the urge to do it for them all the time.
6.) Dress themselves – Just like undressing is a skill they will need time to master, so is dressing themselves. Let them do as much as they can and learn how to do it. When my kids are younger I will lay everything out on the floor the right way so they can easily slide their legs into their pants, and as they get older they are able to learn how to do it themselves.
7.) Walking and Pulling Up – Learning to walk is one of the biggest milestones as your baby journeys from baby to toddler. Encourage them to learn by pulling up on furniture and giving them opportunities to walk around wherever you are. As they get older you can also encourage them to walk instead of ride in a cart or stroller. Learning to walk by mom (and stay near her) is an important skill.
8.) Help put away groceries – As your child hits age 2, they can help put away the groceries when you get home from the store. Give them things that won’t break (no glass) that they can carry to the pantry. My kids range in age from 3-9, and when I arrive home from grocery shopping I put away all the fridge stuff (to ensure nothing gets missed) and they put away all the dry goods. It saves me a ton of time and energy and since they’ve always helped with it, it’s something they are really good at doing. Brady and I recently hit an amazing deal at Sam’s Club on Pampers Cruisers and wipes so we stocked up. Here he is grinning with his pile. He wanted to put them away but they were too heavy so he pushed them across the floor instead!
P.S – If you want to score the same great Pampers stock-up deal that we did, just head to your local Sam’s Club where you can score $8 off the purchase of two Pampers diapers or wipes items AND free shipping or Club Pickup through October 31st.
I recommend the Pampers Cruisers if your baby is on the move! Cruisers’ unique 3-way fit adapts at waist, legs and bottom for more flexibility and have Extra Absorb Channels for a 12-hour dryness and less sagging! The soft, stretchy sides help the diaper stay in place, flexing with baby’s every move.
Pro Tip: Every mama knows that shopping with kids isn’t always a walk in the park. Teaching your newly-walking toddler to stay nearby requires time, energy and patience. For those days when you’re short on any of the above, I recommend using the Sam’s Club Scan & Go App! Just download the app (apple or android), scan the items as you add them to your cart and you’ll skip the checkout lines altogether!
Once you have finished shopping and have everything in your cart added to the app, just hit Check Out and show the completed purchase at the door on your way out. That’s it! No more screaming kids in checkout lines. Thank goodness right? Mamas rejoice!
OR….skip the store altogether and use pickup. Order your Pampers Cruisers on samsclub.com and select Club Pickup to have everything waiting for you when you arrive to the club. You don’t even need to leave your car in some clubs – a life saver when you have kids in tow!
9.) Make breakfast – Breakfast is perhaps one of the easiest things you can let your child help with. I put our cereal in reusable containers with easy-pour lids and Brady loves being able to pour his own cereal. Since these containers are a bit easier to handle than a box with a bag inside, he feels confident and it gives him a sense of pride.
Why You Should Let Your Toddlers Do It Themselves
While it takes more time, energy and patience to let your toddler do things by themselves, it also builds lifelong skills that will SAVE you time, energy and frustration in the end. I look at the big picture here. When my kids were all little, the last thing I wanted was to let them destroy my kitchen while making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I let them. Now my kids that are elementary aged are SO capable of doing things themselves.
My daughter is 9 and can make us this sheet pan dinner recipe all by herself (with supervision of course). My son who is 7 can make mac and cheese himself (I just dump the boiling water for him). And my 5 year old is amazing at cleaning (he actually loves it). My 3 year old can make toast himself and pour his own cereal. And guess what? They all are so proud of their independence.
While the battles can seem insignificant now, it is so important to let your child explore their independence and actually do things they are capable of. When you clean the house let your toddler dust and wipe down counters. They are actually really great at dusting baseboards because they are so short! Look at each situation in life as an opportunity for them to learn a skill, and in the end, your life will be easier as they get older. Stop doing everything for them and encourage them to do it! Remember it’s fun for them too.
Pin Surprising Things Toddlers Can Do Themselves:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine.
I love this post! My sister has been really good about letting her kids grow into themselves and be independent when they are ready. That’s so important and her girls have grown up feeling more confident, too!
It is SO important to allow toddlers to be as independent as they want and as makes sense. They need that sense of empowerment.
Letting toddlers do stuff by themselves is something most parents just cannot do! It is so hard, but so important for them!
I know I should let my kids do more for myself, but it is sometimes MUCh easier to complete the task myself.
Time to lengthen the leash 😉
A great reminder for parents. I had twins so this was important to make things go smoothly, younger kids enjoy helping and doing things for themselves it’s just important to remember that and letting them help. Sometimes not the fastest route but sooo important.
There is so much a toddler can do. It can get messy but it is worth it in the end. Wow $8 off the purchase of two Pampers diapers or wipes is a great deal. I will have t share this with my friends with little ones.
I love this post! It’s sometimes easier to do everything for your little one, but they can do so much. Just takes a little practice.
They have really awesome prices! Also, my toddler has figured out some crazy things like unlocking my cell phone! LOL
The perfect thing for new parents.
Toddlers are capable of a lot more things than many people realize. It’s important to give them the chance to show their independence and skills – it helps build their confidence.
All your ideas about things toddlers can and should do for themselves will be eye-opening to parents raising little ones now. I know my own 4 4 kids (all in diapers at once) and I made a competition for toy clean up time when they were that age.
I didn’t know better and treated my first born as a baby even after he was far capable, but with my second, she was doing so much on her own from a few months old. It’s amazing how they’re able to grow if we allow them to. 🙂
I wish I would have let my kids do more when they were toddlers. I babied them more than I should have. Now getting them to help clean is like pulling teeth.
Das Casino in Utrecht ist der Anlaufpunkt, wenn Sie gern Bingo
spielen. Das Holland Casino in Venlo liegt direkt an der Autobahn und ist damit sehr gut zu erreichen.
Nahe der deutschen Grenze und damit im Osten Hollands liegt das Casino Enschede in bester Innenstadtlage.
Deshalb setzen Länder klare Altersgrenzen, um sicherzustellen,
dass nur Personen mit der nötigen Reife und Verantwortung spielen dürfen.
Wer Online Casinospiele genießen möchte, wird feststellen, dass
jedes seriöse Online-Casino ein festgelegtes Casino Alter
verlangt. Anderswo kann das Casino Amerika Alter bereits ab 18
Jahren gelten, abhängig von den regionalen Gesetzen. Portugiesische
Casinos sind zudem bekannt für ihre strengen Kontrollen, um sicherzustellen, dass diese Altersgrenze stets eingehalten wird.
Das Portugal Casino Alter beträgt 18 Jahre, was Volljährigen den Zutritt zu Spielbanken erlaubt.
Alle Spielbanken kontrollieren streng, sodass ein Altersnachweis bei jedem Besuch erforderlich ist.
Diese Regelung macht Monaco einzigartig, da Monegassen selbst die berühmten Casinos des Landes nicht betreten dürfen.
References:
https://online-spielhallen.de/betano-casino-promo-code-dein-umfassender-guide/
Loyalty rewards and reload bonuses also give extra perks to regular
players. The no deposit bonus lets you play without
adding funds. Each bonus gives players extra value and helps them enjoy more
games. Smart players use bonuses wisely to extend their gameplay and improve
their winnings. Often the RocketPlay casino sign up bonus is automatic, but some seasonal offers require codes.
Meanwhile, the casino Rocket no deposit bonus can be used to explore new
titles.
Using a bonus code at RocketPlay is easier than finding a pub
in Sydney. RocketPlay’s bonus codes are like finding a twenty in your old stubbies.
Let’s say you catch $10 from free spins in the Ignition casino
bonus.
References:
https://blackcoin.co/mindil-beach-casino-online-comprehensive-review/
Enjoy up to 15% cashback, free spins, high roller bonuses, birthday surprises, priority
withdrawals, and your own VIP manager. 100 Free Spins when you play £10 on slots Use them to play Diamond Strike online slot for free To play on one of UK’s favourite slot games, Aztec
Gems + 400% bonus up to €2,200 & 350 free spins on your first 5 deposits Plus free bets,
live casino chips & trips to Las Vegas!
Our free spins promotions include daily offers, welcome package inclusions, and special promotional campaigns designed specifically for Canadian online
casino players. You can benefit from different types of casino bonus promotions,
including no deposit bonuses and reload bonuses on a
regular basis. As Pocket Play is one of the best gambling sites in Canada, we offer our players a wide variety of casino bonus offers and rewards.
Our live dealer games bring the excitement of land based casinos directly to your screen, featuring professional dealers
and real-time gameplay. Immerse yourself in an authentic casino atmosphere with our
live casino games for Canadian players. At RocketPlay, we
pride ourselves on being among the best online casinos available to players.
References:
https://blackcoin.co/melbourne-hotels-near-crown-casino/
online poker real money paypal
References:
vulnerableyouthjobs.ca
online casino mit paypal einzahlung
References:
cheongchunplant-as.com
Whether you are an area Ukrainian trying to mingle or an expat trying to navigate the courting scene, Tinder’s got your again. Irina additionally wrote of her awe when she bought to pose in a vintage Versace gown from 1995 on her Instagram. Irina has spoken previously about her physique picture and revealed that when she hits the road, she brings exercise tools – however seldom makes use of the package. On feeling body positive, she previously stated: ”Even if in case you have some additional kilos, you don’t need to kill yourself for that, you just have to have a look at yourself as a positive. European men might have different preferences in relation to love but there are some frequent traits all of them appear to admire! Irina newest love was rumored to be Leonardo DiCaprio, after they were noticed together at Coachella. Irina seems to have stayed single for a few years. On the other hand, women from Saint Petersburg have a good colder climate and the character depends upon each particular person, though it is alleged that women from the city are way more energetic in relation to finding a gentle accomplice.
In case you are severe about finding a Slavic companion, trusted dating websites are the very best method to do it right as we speak. If you want to hitch MeetSlavicGirls, you are able to do it at any time-the registration is totally free and there are free chat vouchers, so you can begin speaking with Slavic matches instantly. Urban Slavic girls are very intelligent and educated. Small marvel many Slavic ladies and their admirers have joined the web relationship scene now. They are simply buddies and have recognized each other for a very long time by way of mutual friends,’ the source revealed. He was returned to Israel, to be re-charged and sentenced, however slipped [url=https://www.pinterest.com/charmdate_review/]charmdate scam[/url] out of the country for a second time. Shimon Heyada Hayut, from Israel, found notoriety after a 114-minute Netflix documentary exposed how he allegedly conned girls he had met on Tinder out of an estimated £7.4 million by posing as the son of a billionaire diamond mogul.
That is when his elaborate con to trick the victims featured within the Netflix documentary began. In this manner, he persuaded his victims to offer him the money he said he needed. In 2018, Cecilie, travelled to Amsterdam with more than £20,000 in money to offer Hayut, considering she was saving her boyfriend’s life. Dating life aside, the Hercules star has been retaining herself busy posing for main model campaigns. The star beforehand revealed she’s a Capricorn, meaning she’s ‘very stubborn’. She’s showing on E4’s Celebs Go Dating – and yet Tinder Swindler sufferer Cecilie Fjellhoy (left) has insisted she does not really feel like a star and would like to point out viewers ‘a different aspect to me’. She’s showing on E4’s Celebs Go Dating – and but Tinder Swindler sufferer Cecilie Fjellhoy has insisted she would not feel like a star and would like to point out viewers ‘a distinct aspect to me’. I’m blessed that I’m capable of do Celebs Go Dating and present a special facet to me,’ said Cecilie.
On the present, Cecilie joins Laura Anderson – who not too long ago break up from her boyfriend Dane Bowers, Simon Cowell’s ex Sinitta and Hollyoaks actor Gary Lucy. The London-primarily based Norwegian tech designer, who starred on the Netflix documentary Tinder Swindler, where she claimed she was conned out of £200,000 by Simon Leviev, also confirmed she’s back on the dating app. Hayut has by no means been charged for the crimes outlined in the Netflix documentary. Hayut has denied all their allegations against him, claiming he’s ‘not a fraud and not a faux’ however as an alternative a ‘reputable businessman’ who made his fortune by investing in Bitcoin. Cecilie, who insisted she wasn’t scared of him, recalled how they checked out each other earlier than she gave him a ‘little wave’ and they went their separate waves. Cecilie, 34, was one of Simon’s targets who opened up about her experience on the Netflix docu-series which adopted a bid to track down the con artist – real name Shimon Hayut – who claimed to be the son of a diamond service provider. But she famous that she appreciated their union, adding: ‘I feel we have been very lucky to expertise what we had with each other,’ continued the model.