Thursday Tippity Tip: Four Ways To Create Happier Toddlers!

Life with toddlers is a constant, glorious, frustrating, crazy, challenging, hug-filled, mess-filled, I-love-being-a-parent, what-have-I-done, mess of emotions that leaves you questioning your sanity while simutaneously feeling blessed beyond measure.If parenting wasn't challenging enough, parenting a constantly whining, hyper, or unhappy toddler is a sure way to start a root of dislike toward them and is a test of patience that even the saintliest person would succumb to.So what makes a happy toddler or an unhappy one? Why do some seem content and inquisitive and others mannerless minions?Having thought about those questions in depth and dealing with both first hand, I would like to share with you four things I learned through trial and error as a parent in raising my little toddler that lead me to discover some eye opening truths. There will always be moments of your toddler being overly tired or just a bad day but these four key steps will help your toddler become a happier more content child more consistently. Be forwarned, if none of these next steps have ever been done, the transition will most likely be rough for the first few days a week but the end result is so worth pushing through to achieve!Here are the 4 easy ways you can help create a happy, more content, confident toddler!

1. Take AT LEAST 1hr a day to focus on your child INDIVIDUALLY. If you have multiple kids you will have to work with your family schedule to fit in individual time with each child and with them as a group. But individual time is the important key. I have found that when I spend at least an hour focusing on my toddler doing activities like learning numbers or reading a book or taking a walk and discovering the world around us, it really makes a difference in her attitude. When she starts getting whiny and clingy and doing all sorts of things that she knows not to, I found it is because I have not spent enough time one-on-one with her. The difference is amazing and we'll worth the effort. Because I have two kids I try and work the individual time around my baby's nap or if the baby is happily playing then I will take that time and spend it one on one with my toddler.
2. Make sure they have lots of exercise! Take them on a walk, to the park, play ball with them, dance to music, go on a hike, play tag or hide and seek. Just get them moving! Exercise is good for their physical and mental health as well as yours. We see them simply climbing or running but it goes way beyond that. They are learning how to calculate and coordinate where to place their hands and feet and how to regulate their steps so they don't trip which all takes cognitive reasoning. I have found that when I take the time to make sure my toddler and baby get lots of fresh air and exercise, they are way less wired or hyper when I have to go do something like food shopping and are actually happy to sit still and chill out. Crazy right!?
3. Limit media/tv. Too much inout like that dulls their minds and kills their brain cells, not to mention making them discontent and zoned out zombies. Their mind re-programs itself to expect certain things. Their brain stops creative imagination because it gets lazy and used to having stimulation done to it instead of self starting thoughts. ALL toys become boring and that is when they start whining and saying they don't know what to do and or beg you to let them just watch something even though there are litteraly toys E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. The best thing you can do is avoid getting your child addicted to a tv, phone, tablet, tv shows, games etc no matter how innocent because it is an easy default baby sitter that will end up buying you in the butt later on.
4. Provide toys that require interaction and thought from the child. It is only we parents believing all the marketing pitches that think our kids need to have piles of toys. I have found my toddler plays more with things like paper, pencils and coloring books, wooden spoons, mixing bowls, and the like more so than toys and is content when she is given a set of real unusable keys or plastic cup when traveling for example and there is nothing else. Too many toys creates the same problem that happens with tv. They get overloaded and discontent and bored because a lot of toys don't make them have to think and over stimulate their mind. The toys make all the noises and motions so the toddler never has to use his/her imagination and real life begins to feel boring. So when you give them a toy, make sure it is one like a play kitchen, building blocks, or music instruments that sparks their imagination and creativity. And don't feel like you have to get your kid tons of toys! I make sure to only keep around the toys that I know my toddler and baby play with consistently and get rid of any other useless ones. And you know what? They have always been happy and content with what they have to play with and as of yet, neither has ever been bored. Less toys is also good for kids because it gives them quiet reflective times throughout the day. Having too many toys or over stimulating toys never allows their minds to settle down and sort through the information they've been gathering throughout the day so a balance of play and quiet time is essential. I have found that when the toy is one that requires interaction from them they don't get bored playing with the same toy because it intrigues them and keeps their imagination growing and curious.

So their you have it! Four tried and true ways that will help create a happier toddler and as a result, a happier more restful you who loves spending even more time with your little one. 😊