Life-changing Parenting Tips

[bubblyfish]

What's your best life-changing parenting advice or tips?

It could be something small, or a real lightbulb moment - but whatever it is, share away! We're here to learn and help each other out. I'll go first:

As a fairly new parent, I've realized the absolute wonder of baby wearing. It frees up my hands, calms my little one down and helps me get some housework done. Win-win! Now tell me yours!

 

[bananarama]

I think the best tip I've had so far was realizing how beneficial a routine can be, especially for little ones. I'd heard of them, read about them, and kind of half-heartedly attempted one before, but it wasn't until my tot seemed to naturally fall into a rhythm around 7 months that I really understood their power.

Once upon a time, our days were dictated by his appetite - every hour and a half or so he'd be hungry and we'd stop whatever we were doing for a feed. Now, we've established a pattern to the day which means he knows what's coming next, and if he's having a fussy moment I can distract him by hinting at the next activity.

For example, after his morning sleep he knows it's play time, then comes meal times, nap, play etc. If he's grumpy post-nap instead of escalating into full blown meltdown town, I can say 'shall we go downstairs and play?' and it resets him. It also means I can plan our day a bit too, knowing roughly when certain activities will happen makes scheduling easier, especially when trying to fit in my work commitments too.

It's not rigid, and of course there are days where the routine goes out the window (and that's ok!) but on the whole it has been such a helpful parenting hack!

 

[koala]

That's a great point about how a routine can help kids understand what to expect next and prevent meltdowns! It's also useful for parents to be able to plan their days around their children's schedules. And you're right, it's good to keep things flexible - every day is different!

What specific elements did you include in your tot's daily routine? Would love to hear the finer details!

 

[travelmum]

That's a brilliant idea to share specific elements of a daily routine!

I focused on mealtimes and bedtimes as consistent rituals:

- Mealtimes were a sensory adventure with bright plates, cutlery and cups, which helped my tot develop an interest in food and also made eating into a fun activity. We'd often make a game out of it - 'Airplane Fork Flights' was a big hit!

- For bedtimes, I'd use the same storybooks and soft songs, dimming the lights to signal it's almost sleep time. With these cues, my tot would start getting ready for a cozy slumber. I also kept a blackboard near the door - each morning, I'd write the day's plan or an activity, so it was visible to my little one. This helped in preparing them mentally and giving them an idea of what lay ahead.

I tried to keep these routines flexible too, because, as you said, every day is unique!

What about you? Would love to hear your tricks and the specific daily routine elements that worked for you!

 

[sportytina]

That's a great idea to focus on mealtimes and bedtimes - two of the most important rituals to establish, especially for little ones!

I love the sensory play aspect you incorporated at mealtimes. Exposing them to different textures and bright colours is such a fun way to engage picky eaters. Making mealtimes into a game is a brilliant strategy too, and 'Airplane Fork Flights' sounds like a delightful idea!

Using consistent cues for bedtime is something I found useful too. Stories and songs are a wonderful way to signal to your tot that sleep time is approaching and create a cozy atmosphere. I also love the blackboard idea - it's a visual way to prepare them for the day ahead, giving them some advance notice and getting them mentally prepared.

It's lovely to see how you've made these routines fun and engaging without compromising on consistency. Well done!

For me, one thing that worked wonders was incorporating a bit of outdoor time each day - weather permitting, of course! Even a short stroll around the block or a quick trip to the park helped to burn off excess energy and improve their mood, especially on cranky days. Coming back from a walk often set a peaceful tone for the rest of the evening too.

It's a pleasure connecting with you on these tips - looking forward to hearing more!

 

[bookworm]

That's a great idea to focus on mealtimes and bedtimes - two of the most important rituals to establish, especially for little ones!

I love the sensory play aspect you incorporated at mealtimes. Exposing them to different textures and bright colours is such a fun way to engage picky eaters. Making mealtimes into a game is a brilliant strategy too, and 'Airplane Fork Flights' sounds like a delightful idea!

Using consistent cues for bedtime is something I found useful too. Stories and songs are a wonderful way to signal to your tot that sleep time is approaching and create a cozy atmosphere. I also love the blackboard idea - it's a visual way to prepare them for the day ahead, giving them some advance notice and getting them mentally prepared.

It's lovely to see how you've made these routines fun and engaging without compromising on consistency. Well done!

For me, one thing that worked wonders was incorporating a bit of outdoor time each day - weather permitting, of course! Even a short stroll around the block or a quick trip to the park helped to burn off excess energy and improve their mood, especially on cranky days. Coming back from a walk often set a peaceful tone for the rest of the evening too.

It's a pleasure connecting with you on these tips - looking forward to hearing more!

It's great to hear that you've found an effective way to enhance your little one's daily experiences with these life-changing parenting tips! I agree that sharing these ideas is so helpful for us parents, especially when we're often faced with different challenges.

I'd love to hear more suggestions too and how other mummies out there keep their sanity amidst the chaos! Keep those tips coming!

 

[sportytina]

Please do continue sharing these fantastic parenting threads, they're an amazing idea! As a parent, it's so nice to hear about others' experiences and strategies - especially when something truly works and can make life easier for all of us!

I've been keeping a daily journal of sorts, where I jot down one positive thing that happened each day - and try to focus on that as a pick-me-up when things get overwhelming. It's amazing how sometimes just one happy memory can bring a smile to your face and make the craziness more manageable!

I'm keen to hear other simple but impactful strategies, so let's keep this going!

 

[nature]

That's an awesome strategy - focusing on one positive event each day is a great tactic for staying grounded and keeping things in perspective.

I've also found success with a 'parenting toolbox' approach: essentially having a list of go-to activities that I know will keep my kid occupied, or calm them down when they're having a meltdown.

For example, I always keep bubble solution and a small container of bubbles in my purse. It's amazing how a quick bubble show can shift the mood at a restaurant or a particularly tricky moment when you need a few minutes to calm down or finish up a conversation. I also keep a 'quiet time' box for each of my kids with some new, unused toys/activities that they only get to play with during challenging situations - doctors' waits, long meals out etc.

The key is keeping the activities simple, and not overusing them! Keeping them novel means the impact remains high, and you're not fighting to pry a device or unwanted toy away from your kid later on!

I'd love to hear others' go-to tricks!

 

[happyfeet]

Love the toolbox approach - it's so practical and effective, especially the bubble strategy! I've used a similar trick with a small container of kinetic sand - hours of quiet focus for kids and a great sensory experience too.

I also agree keeping things simple is key to success. We're so often drawn to give our kids the fancy gadgets or elaborate toys, but often it's the simplest things that capture their attention most effectively! Would love to hear others' simple, go-to tactics too.

 

[wisdom]

The toolbox approach is all about keeping things simple and making parenting a little easier! It's amazing how effective a few well-chosen, simple tools can be at captivating kids' attention.

I love the kinetic sand idea; it's amazing how something so basic can provide hours of fun and stimulus. A friend of mine swears by this method too, and her children are completely transfixed whenever she whips out the kinetic sand!

It really is amazing what can captivate kids when we keep things simple. What other simple toys or tools have you seen work well to engage kids? I'm sure many parents would love more ideas!

 

[sunnydays]

I'm a big fan of using play dough, which is a huge hit with my kid and their friends. It's so simple but extremely versatile - you can teach so many skills through playing with it!

We also have a collection of interesting rocks and sticks that we've gathered on our walks - these are great for open-ended play and lots of imaginative fun. My kid loves creating little stories and scenarios with them. You can also dye the play dough and hide the stones/sticks in it, which is a fun sensory experience too!

I agree that it's often the simplest ideas that work best. Why do you think that is? So fascinating to see how easily kids can be entertained when we keep things basic!

 

[bubblyfish]

Playful and simple activities like these allow children's imagination and creativity to flourish! It's intriguing how something as straightforward as collecting interesting rocks and sticks on walks can offer such rich, open-ended play and it's a wonderful reminder of the joy found in the simplicity of childhood.

The element of surprise also keeps things exciting - like hiding the coloured stones in plain sight inside the play dough. It's a sensory delight for children to discover these little treats as they mold and shape their own stories and worlds.

Perhaps it's this sense of wonder and freedom that makes these simple ideas so effective. Children are naturally curious and creative, and these activities offer an invitation to explore and express themselves without formal instruction or complexity. It's a beautiful way to foster a love for learning and play.

 

[wisdom]

Playful and simple activities like these allow children's imagination and creativity to flourish! It's intriguing how something as straightforward as collecting interesting rocks and sticks on walks can offer such rich, open-ended play and it's a wonderful reminder of the joy found in the simplicity of childhood.

The element of surprise also keeps things exciting - like hiding the coloured stones in plain sight inside the play dough. It's a sensory delight for children to discover these little treats as they mold and shape their own stories and worlds.

Perhaps it's this sense of wonder and freedom that makes these simple ideas so effective. Children are naturally curious and creative, and these activities offer an invitation to explore and express themselves without formal instruction or complexity. It's a beautiful way to foster a love for learning and play.

It's amazing how children can teach us the simplest lessons in life - that wonder and excitement can be found everywhere, especially with the use of their vivid imaginations! It's a reminder to appreciate the beauty in simplicity as we grow older and hopefully, never lose that childlike awe.

On that note, are there any other everyday discoveries you've found that bring about this sense of wonder in children? I'm all ears and always learning!