4 Pieces of Advice for Busy Parents of Toddlers
Up to 5 million U.S. parents experience parental burnout every year. Busy parents have a lot to balance! It feels impossible sometimes.
There’s no real way to make parenting a toddler easy, but there are a few ways that you can make it more manageable, even if you have a busy schedule. Read on for a few tips.
1. Maintain a Schedule
This is going to be a tough one at first, but it will help both you and your child. Create and maintain a schedule for your toddler.
Schedules for toddlers don’t have to be as in-depth as schedules for older children, but toddlers thrive with structure. By getting your child used to a schedule while they’re young, you’ll set them up for an easier time adapting to school and the “real world” in the future.
Wake the toddler up at the same time every day, even if they don’t have daycare. Meals should be around the same time as well when possible. It’s even okay to schedule playtime.
2. Make Time for Yourself
Many parents forget to make time for themselves and accept help, but this is a bad call. You need to prioritize self-care (and your relationship, if applicable) if you want to be the best possible parent. It’s hard to take care of someone else if you aren’t taking care of yourself.
Don’t be afraid to hire a babysitter or ask family members to help you out when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Look into local daycare programs if you need a break or if you want to go back to work or school. If you’re partnered, have date nights. A healthy relationship is conducive to a healthy household.
3. Involve Your Toddler in Chores
Tiny toddlers won’t be very helpful when it’s time to do housework, but older toddlers are more than capable of simple chores. No, your child won’t be dusting the top of the fridge or cleaning the oven, but they can handle small tasks.
By encouraging your child to do chores early on, you’ll make them more independent.
Toddlers can put away their toys, feed pets (if you make the food accessible to them), and even dust places that are low enough for them to reach (like baseboards, as long as they’re cool).
4. Share Responsibilities Equally
Make sure that one person isn’t taking on all of the household work. Working parents should split household responsibilities equally, especially if they’re both working full-time.
If only one parent works, the working parent should still offer help when they’re home, even if the other parent is taking care of most of the childcare responsibilities. You don’t want a busy mom or a busy dad to get burnt out.
Busy Parents, You’ve Got This
No one ever said that being busy parents was going to be easy, but you’ve got it under control. Always remember to accept support when you need it. Being a parent is tough!
Are you looking for more parenting advice? Check out some of the other articles on our site.
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