Me do! Me do! {Encouraging Indpendence Part II}
In our post, Encouraging Indpedence Part I, we provided you with three tips to help your kids feel more successful and raise their self-confidence, by allowing them to do things independently.
Now, we provide you with the rest of the story. There are so very many things that a young child must master to be able to take care of himself. Here are some tips to help get him there!
I Can Do It!
Most children will verbalize a desire to do things for himself. This is a great thing! Providing the proper support for him to do it will go a long way towards reducing frustration and helping him feel a sense of pride in accomplishing tasks.
Pint-Sized Products
One of the first lines of defense is providing the right tools for the job. A young child would struggle to pour from a full gallon of milk. Imagine a wee one trying to hoist 4.5 lbs in one hand, while centering it over a cup or a cereal bowl. It's a recipe for disaster. If that same milk were to be transferred into a smaller pitcher, the job becomes a breeze! We've found some cheap ones on amazon.com (see below). You might have luck looking in your local dollar store, too!
10 Things Your Child Can Do for Himself
Here are some things a young child can do with the right-sized products:
1. Brush his teeth and hair (yes, you will likely need to provide a once-over when he's done)
2. Match socks and fold them
3. Fold hand-towels and wash cloths
4. Set the table (with plastic or unbreakable ware)
5. Sweep/Mop (with kiddo sized implements)
6. Put his own toys away (keep things on low shelves, with pictures of what goes in each bin)
7. Help load small, unbreakable items into the bottom shelf of the dishwasher
8. Put his shoes on the right feet, using this awesome idea!
9. Put his own coat on (really) using this tip! It's how they teach kids to put on coats at all of the early childhood programs to which I consult.
10. Feed the dog/cat
11. Help make a PB&J sandwich
12. Dust
Pint-Sized Tools for Preschoolers
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