Training your child may be considered by many parents to be the more difficult part of parenting. It’s easy to change a toddler’s dirty nappy, but not so easy to train him or her to use the toilet. It’s easier to feed your toddler than to let them learn by doing it themselves. Both the above scenarios are essential if you don’t want your carpet to get dirtied with food or other unmentionables. Carpet cleaners such as Brilliance Carpet Cleaning will always be necessary when you have kids, but it can be minimised with the right training.
However, training takes patience and you should not expect your little ones to learn something on the first day. Their little minds don’t always grasp the concepts of cleanliness that you present to them. And when they do, it takes longer to establish the habit in them. You may love hugs and kisses, bathing and dressing your child up in pretty clothes, but training them to be and do what you want is a whole other ball game. So how can you make it easier?
- First of all, never let your child get into a habit you don’t like. If you let them throw their food around the room or onto the floor without telling them no, they will think it is fine to do it. Breaking them of the habit is harder than training them to do it the right way to start with. So if your child throws his food around, take the plate away from him, or catch his hand before he can throw what is in it, and take it off him. It’s important not to get angry with your children as you train them.
- Do it with them. If you want your children to pack up their toys, do it with them. They love to copy everything you do and they love to spend time with you. It is easy to make packing up toys into a fun game. You can even sing a special song while you are doing it and they will soon do the same thing.
- Reward them. When your child does something right, reward them with a kiss, a sticker or even just a word of praise to let them know you are pleased with what they are doing. This will make them want to repeat that action in order to get more praise. Try to avoid sweets as rewards is bad for their health and is likely to make them see food as a reward for doing anything else, even when they grow up. It can even lead to obesity.
Once you make training your child an integral part of your day and ensure it is fun, it won’t be so hard for you or your child to do and enjoy. A well-trained child is a joy to have in your home.