Did I black out, jump into a silver De Lorean and travel to the future where my toddler is now a 15 year old? That is what was going through my mind this morning when I tried to wake up and dress my tot for school. First off, a freight train could have gone through her bedroom and she would not have budged from under her blankie. I tried turning the light on, I tried tickling her, I tried kissing her, heck, I even sang her some crazy wake up song. It was almost like she was taunting me. FINALLY, when I had bribed her with everything under the sun to get out of bed she obliged. So in my mind, I am thinking I won and the hard part is over. WRONG! I don’t know if any of you have ever tried to get a toddler dressed when they do not want to. You would think that a person that weighs 30lbs and is 2 feet tall would be as easy to dress as a Barbie Doll. WRONG AGAIN! It was like I was trying to put pants on a super human that was a combination of The World’s Strongest Man and a Kung Fu Master. It was unbelievable how strong my tot was and how she has perfected the Mae Geri Keages (front snapping kicks). When she was finally dressed, if that is even what you want to call it, I collapse on the floor due to sheer exhaustion. I think to myself, I cannot do this every morning!
Here are some tips if you have a 2.5 year old going on 15 who does not want to get up and ready in the morning.
· Keep bedtime consistent. There is nothing crankier than a tired tot (or adult to be honest).
· Give your tot “some” control. Offer them two outfit choices and let them chose which one they would like to wear. Do not worry if their clothes do not match. Just make sure they are dressed weather appropriate.
· Plan the night before. Make sure you lay the clothes out for the next day so you are not shuffling around the closet in the morning.
· Stay patient. The more composed you are in this process the more cooperative the tot will be.
· Allow for extra time. Tots don’t respond well to being hurried so try waking up a tad earlier.
· Give in a bit. If your tot insists on wearing pajama’s to school, let them. Just pack an extra set of clothes in case they change their mind later in the day.
Wish me luck tomorrow!
“Parents are not interested in justice, they’re interested in peace and quiet.” ~ Bill Cosby
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