How to Tame a Toddler

Do you want to hear something hilarious?! I actually remember thinking to myself (whilst sitting in my cushy desk chair in my cushy cubifice) that once I transitioned to staying at home with the boys, Monday mornings wouldn't suck-so-much (Crazy right?!). Those were the days of "innocence" before I knew what it was truly like to be on the call-of-duty solo ALL DAY LONG with the kiddos. Monday mornings used to make me weepy, because I had to send the "cadebug" to daycare, trek into the office, and wonder what I was "missing" all day (now, I don't miss a single booger, poop or tantrum, thank goodness). Fast forward to present day, and I know that when my alarm goes off (either the one on my phone, or the other two tiny human alarms that set themselves off randomly), I only have a short time until the husband leaves me flying solo, and I'm left to fend for myself (talk about survival of the fittest)! In short, I'm glad I can still be in the "Monday mornings suck club."

I'm glad we cleared that up, but that's not the point of this post.

Today is about sharing ideas AND learning ideas from YOU (the one or two people reading this blog) about "how to tame a toddler." Sounds impossible, right?! Let me clarify... I know that you CANNOT tame a toddler completely. After all, they're like tigers in a circus. You can teach them somewhat of a routine that they'll stick to (sort of), but one day (or even in the next minute), and for some unforeseen reason, they will turn on you and bite your face off ... (OK not really). That being said, here are a few tips and tricks that I've tried that seem to keep Caden occupied (or mildly entertained) for a few minutes, anyway.

[Important: Set aside any expectations you have before starting any activity with your toddler, because nothing ever goes as planned.]

1. Finger-painting with cars (or blocks, Legos, trains, etc.) Let your toddler drag his car(s) through finger paint on construction paper. I usually sit Caden down in his highchair, tape the construction paper down at each corner, glob out a little of each paint color on to the middle of the paper, and then let him go to town! We've ended up with some great and very colorful artwork, and it's a great sensory activity too!

2. Make homemade dish foam. Expect things to get wet! Mix a good amount of dish detergent with a small amount of water (add food coloring if desired). Use a mixer or blender to create the smooth "whipped" foam. I let Caden dish out the foam into empty pots and pans, the sink, etc. Then, he stirs it, finger paints with it, and mixes it. (He also "cleaned" my dishwasher and cabinets with it!)

3. Trains! Trains! Trains! Grab your toddler and some toy trains (I guess this is geared more toward boys than girls, unless you have a little lady who's a train enthusiast) and build a really interesting track (assuming you have a toy train set) with lots of twists and turns. You can also instruct your toddler to put the red train on the track, then the blue one, the green one, etc. Little boys love their trains, so why not incorporate some basic learning too!

4. Make a collage. Caden's "DaDa" loves to build things, fix things, create things. So, I asked Caden to help me make a collage of "stuff DaDa likes to do." (Of course, it helped that Phil has a subscription to a couple home improvement magazines). We cut out saws, hammers, paint, tape measures, tool belts, etc and Caden used his glue stick to arrange the cut-outs on paper. DaDa loved his surprise tribute at the end of the day (well, at least he pretended to), and we had fun creating it for him!

5. Let your toddler take you for a drive (OK, before you call CPS on me, hear me out). Remove your keys from ignition. Make sure your car is turned off, in park and in a safe, cool place (like your driveway). Roll the windows down (assuming it's warm, but not too hot outside), and let your tot pretend he is taking you for a spin around the block. Caden loves pushing all the buttons, placing his hand on the wheel, flipping the dome lights on and off, etc. (Always check to be sure all lights are off and doors are completely closed, or you'll get a nice dead battery surprise next time you really need to get somewhere on time.)

There you have it... a few ideas we've tried that have kept Caden's attention (and allowed mama to quasi-relax). What are some ideas you've tried successfully with your toddler? Please comment and share them below!

{I'll leave you with this charming image of my "little monster" (not baby Cooper, he's an angel) who I just happened to discover in my shower today.}