Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
Raising an Independent Child:
How to Encourage
Self-Help Skills for Toddlers
As Simone Davies shares in one of my favorite parenting books, The Montessori Child:
"There are many opportunities for our child to learn how to look after themselves as we gradually scaffold their skills so they can do more and more for themselves. They love to master these tasks, including brushing their hair and their teeth, blowing their nose, and washing their hands."
Independent Activities for Toddlers, Room-By-Room
in the kitchen
Rather than find ways to distract your toddler while you try to do the work in the kitchen, bring your toddler into the kitchen.
Make the task you're doing the activity. Plus supervised knife use helps build autonomy in potty training (the child who feels capable and big acts more independent.)
in the bathroom
Encourage self-initiation with toilet training by setting up your toddler to be independent in the bathroom.
A bar soap is easier for most toddlers to wash hands. Make sure you have a stepstool, a seat reducer for the toilet, and the option of a small potty.
in the bedroom
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Is your toddler getting to choose which clothes they wear?
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Is your toddler in a bed so they can access the potty all by themselves?
