Chocolate Vegetables

When your children are very young the clock can seem to be your enemy.  Try this idea for managing your day.  Organise your day with the idea of routines inside bubbles of time.  

For example before and after breakfast routines that include making beds, cleaning teeth, getting dressed etc leading on to cleaning for you while he does independent play.  The amount of time for cleaning/independent play flexes to a longer or shorter time depending on his ability to play on his own that day or how long the earlier parts of the morning routine took.  End that bubble of time with morning tea at a set time of day.  

Use the same idea for the next bubble of time between morning tea and lunch and so on.

It gives your little one a sense of structure and familiarity to each day but you are not clock watching or forcing an activity to continue when it is a lost cause.

I was asked the other day if I had any advice for new mums seeing as I have been breastfeeding for over 9 years and have tandem fed during that time also.  I have obviously birthed 3 babies and have almost toilet trained 3 children.

My advice:  I don't have much to give as I have found that each child is different and each time I was a different person so each situation was as if new.  

On a practical level I really couldn't give any advice because I have changed things each time due to personalities and circumstances.  

On an emotional level I have learnt one thing, this whole parenting thing is a roller coaster ride, hang on to your sense of humour and enjoy the ride.  I have tried to not get stuck on any one parenting idea because each time has been different but I have loved my kids with all my heart, gotten better at laughing at the horrible days and try to remember the big picture, that those bad days won't last forever and the big smiles and giggles can last as long as you keep smiling too.

So please realise I only share what has worked for me with each personality so that maybe you,  the reader, will find something worthwhile.