Tired of dealing with your toddler’s tantrums and their terrible twos? Find some really useful tips on how you can make parenting a toddler a little easier.

Parenting is hard! We all know that. From not having a minute to yourself as you are always busy trying to keep your kids busy to also having to deal with their occasional outbursts and unrealistic demands, parenting can sometimes feel nothing less than a crazy roller coaster ride.

And although every stage in parenting is really hard but for me trying to negotiate and reason with a toddler, feels really daunting at times. Even simple tasks like brushing teeth, putting on clothes or to stop my daughter from not colouring on the walls, every task with a toddler can be a challenge in itself.

Well although there is no way to escape from all this, still there are a few ways that can help make your parenting journey seem less challenging and also motivate you to keep a healthy and happy mindset while dealing with your toddlers.

Below are a few tried and tested tips and to be honest, all these have worked really well for me while parenting my now three year old. And if you give these a try, I am sure these will help make your mom life a little easier too and help you enjoy your motherhood journey all the more.

Related. Wondering how to teach your toddler to be more responsible. Sign up here to get a complete list of chores that can teach your toddler responsibility and independence.

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12 Easy ways to make parenting a toddler easier

1. Meal planning

Don’t you sometimes get the feeling that you are always spending most of your day in the kitchen? And if your kids are anything like mine, then you will feel like you spend the majority of the day just keeping their bellies full 🙂

Sometimes cooking and cleaning the kitchen constantly can often cause a lot of frustration and you might also end up feeling unproductive. To overcome this feeling, I found that meal planning really helped me take those occasional breaks when I needed them.

I would plan my meal for the entire week and stick it on my fridge. Also, sometimes I would prep 1-2 days meals in advance so that I can take a break from spending most of my time in the kitchen.

To make this task even easier, I often take the HelloFresh subscription boxes. I love how fresh all their ingredients are and cooking those recipes feels so exciting and a change from the regular routine. Other meal subscription boxes that you can try out are Blue Apron, Green Chef and Plated. They can make cooking meals a million times easier.

Related. For HelloFresh – Use my code MOMSENSE10 to $90 off to 10 free meals across 4 boxes including free shipping on your first box.

2. Plan for outdoor playtime in your daily routine

Spending the entire day at home with toddlers can often feel really exhausting and to make the situation even worse your toddler can feel cranky and frustrated from being cooped up at home the entire day.

Spending a few minutes outdoors in the morning and evening can be a huge game-changer. It really helps us clear our mind and get some fresh air and also, I have found that my toddler is more satisfied and in a happier mood.

Lately, it has been snowing like crazy here, but I do try to take my daughter out in the morning before lunch for 15-20 minutes and then early afternoon again for the same duration. I let her play in the snow in her snow gears while I get some fresh air.

Sharing some of my favourite snow gears for my toddler that has been really effective in the snow.



3. Tackle tantrums with a reward

Have you heard of the sticker reward sheets? They are a great strategy and can work like wonders with the kids. In our home, I have a simple sheet stuck in my daughter’s room where every time I ask my daughter to do something and when she does the task, I give her a sticker. It’s a fun game in our home but works great with my daughter.

From brushing her teeth to putting on her clothes, every time she refuses to that, I offer her a sticker if she completes it. And I have no idea whether it is the excitement of getting a new sticker or receiving a reward (usually chocolate!) but my daughter is always eager to get her task done which saves us from a lot of unwanted tantrums at home.

Related. How to get a toddler to listen without yelling

4. Don’t take up more than 2-3 personal tasks a day

This tip is more for us MOMS! As mothers, we often try and fill our plate up with more than we can take.

Every single time that I have done that like giving myself a huge task list to complete setting unrealistic deadlines, they have only ended up making me more anxious and frustrated.

Taking care of toddlers is a huge task and a full-time job. So, give yourself some grace and cut down on those to-do lists.

*Tip – A simple thing like writing down 2-3 important tasks a night before helps me clear my mind and sleep better.


5. Look for activities for your toddlers to initiate independent playtime

Introducing activities to your toddlers that they can do on their own can help you get your me-time as well as keep your toddlers engaged.

I have found setting up a simple sensory bin in our home with different things in them are a great way to keep my toddler busy. Check out these helpful articles that can help you master sensory bins for your toddlers.

They are my favourite tool in homeschooling and engaging my daughter for long.

Also, if you are wondering how to introduce an activity to a toddler so that they will love it and want to do it again and again. Then check out this article on how to introduce an activity to a toddler, the Montessori way!

6. Plan a weekend trip with the entire family

Spending some outside time with the entire family can be very therapeutic. As a family, we often take small one day trips to a local state park to hike or head down to the beach over the weekend.

Small trips like these with the entire family can help you take a break from your regular routine and help you recharge and relax.

7. Make fun games with your toddler out of your daily chores

A fun and effective way to get your work done as well as keep the kids busy! In our home we have names for each and every room and when it’s time to clean them. I would tell my daughter that we have to go clean the beautiful room (that’s the name for our master bedroom!).

She loves helping me out by pulling the mattress and organizing the pillows in place. Also, a simple task like collecting toys can be fun challenges like who can collect and put the most toys in the bin will win.

These have been very helpful in keeping my house in order as well as enjoying some fun playtime with my daughter.

Try adding nursery rhymes, fun challenges or games to any of your daily tasks and get your toddler involved in them as well.

Related. 10 Incredible resources to homeschool toddlers

8. Get outside help

Sometimes just taking some outside help can help make your life more easier. From calling in a nanny to help you out with your kids to hiring a cleaning service for your home, all these little help can go a long way in keeping you sane and happy.

9. Take every misconduct of your child as a parenting opportunity

Even after applying all these tactics, you will often come across moments when your toddler will do something crazy to irritate you.

Instead of instantly getting angry and frustrated with your toddler, take this moment as a parenting opportunity. For example, if your toddler hits you instead of scolding back, talk to your toddler how it is hurting you and that they should not do it.

Or if your toddler keeps getting out of the bed every night to come to you, spend time with him and talk to him that a good night sleep will help him feel more rested and then they can play more tomorrow.

Changing your attitude as to how you react to your toddler can not only help you understand and bond with your toddler better, but it can also help change your mood and maybe the situation at hand not feel that frustrating.

10. Take out me-time by making your toddler daily routine interesting

Me-time is really important for anyone but maybe sometimes it is not possible to just be away from your kids for long. In that case, you can still get that me-time by trying out any of these tips below.

  • Make bath time for toddlers more fun by introducing new toys that can keep them self-entertained while you can sit beside them and read a book or just relax
  • After my daughter is done with her mealtime, I offer her some clay or kinetic sand to play with while she is seated in the chair. It keeps her busy for long!
  • Also, try changing rooms every few hours to play with your toddler. A change in environment can keep them from getting bored and they will feel excited about exploring the new place
  • Lastly as mentioned above, introduce activities in your toddler’s schedules that can help them to play independently like sensory bins.

11. Don’t take things personally

Lastly, don’t take anything personally. Toddlers are just inquisitive human beings, and most of the times they are unaware of the consequences of their actions.

As parents, it is our responsibility to teach our kids the difference between right or wrong. And to do that it is important to keep patience and be their guide when they need you.

I hope these tips are helpful to you and they help make your parenthood journey a little easier. Being a parent is a huge blessing, so embrace it and make the most of it.


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