If you are a mom with a toddler at hand, you can empathize with me when I say that "I am at my wit's end by dinner time". I mean, Yeah, some days are just that crazy. Toddlers being toddlers are mercurial and well, stubborn (at least in my case). They want what they want and they will have it, by hook or crook.
I am still thrown off the track every once in a while. I would be like "Hey, this seems to be working fine for both of us" and Boom! There is your plot change. Much like life, I dust myself up and improvise.
Here are few tips to help you manage time with a toddler around:
Figure out a schedule that works for both of you
I know you have to do those dishes now or get around to writing that email but it really does help if you schedule activities based on your LO's schedule. For example, I keep the most time consuming activities for the time my daughter is taking her nap. She takes a nap for 2 hours in the afternoon and that is the time I use for working on the blog, editing outfit pictures etc.
I use this 3 Strike system to prioritize daily activities.
She is a big fan of Curious George so we let her watch the cartoon for an hour or less in the evenings while I prep for dinner. Before you start judging me, we don't watch TV at home at all! - More on that later
Prep for Meals a day or a weekend before
Via Instagram
As it goes, Putting together Indian meals requires a lot of prep work and it helps to have some of it beforehand. I usually have 2 hours between the time my LO watches cartoon and plays with Daddy once he is home. I use that time to prep for the meals for the next day. Something as simple as having cut vegetables, or keeping the dough ready makes it easier for me the following day. It also keeps my daughter happy so overall a win-win!
You can also have a weekly menu prepared so you can plan the grocery shopping according to it and prep faster.
Cut down your time on Social Media
I can;t tell you how many times it has happened to me. The same goes for checking your phone every few minutes. (Guilty as charged).
When I was working, I had to check my phone every few minutes to make sure I did not miss any official emails. Any missed emails meant escalations and much bigger issues. Before I realized, it became a habit for me. Over the last year or so, I have worked on that gap. You know the phone will still be where you left it so LET IT GO!
Start with setting a time limit every time you log on to a social media account.
A Television! What's that? When my daughter was about 3 months old, we realized she was a high need baby. She used to get easily bothered by lights and sounds. One day we were watching a movie while she was in her crib and half way through the movie, she became inconsolable. It was close to her bed time and she went on wailing for an hour or so. Only after I switched off all the lights, took her in my arms and took her to a quiet corner did she calm down.
That was last we saw of the television with her around. We still allow her to watch her favorite program but we rarely watch anything else when she is around.
For now, that works for us and there are less fights over the remote control! Besides that, I rarely watch TV other than half an hour of it here and there.
Quiet Time and Time with Mommy
Quiet times are important because they help your child to learn to focus and concentrate (very hard for a toddler, right?) My LO has a very short attention span, but obviously and that's why I have had to nudge her a little bit in that area but it has gotten much better.
She can easily spend 15-30 minutes on an activity she is interested in without constant supervision. However, I think I have had to train much harder than her for quiet time. Most of activities she loves mean a big mess by the end of it so I have learnt to let go in that sense. I let her be and before quiet time, my only job is to set up the activity. I let her take over from there.
It is also important to have one on one with the LO few times in a day. Me and My LO do it once in the morning after she wakes up, once before her nap and once before she sleeps.
You can decide what do you want to do together. In the mornings, Me and my daughter have breakfast together. Before her afternoon nap, we read a book or look at magazines for 30-45 minutes. In the night, we look at the stars in the sky or on the ceiling (with one of these).
Never underestimate the Power of Books and Music
You know how I told you earlier that I don't watch much TV? Well that is because I read a book whenever I need some entertainment. The good part is my daughter quiets down and picks up a toy to play with and busies herself when I do that. The same goes for music. Mornings are much easier for both of us when I have a few playlists ready.
Most of all have fun together and remember to stop & smell the flowers.
Have a great day!
