Parenting kids 3-6 year old

Answer 1

Patience, kindness, understanding, consistency, and having a place to hide out and scream when necessary. Never allow young children into the bathroom with you, this teaches them it is - when you're in there - a private place for you. You don't need to tell them it's where you go with a good book to read after you've had a few silent tantrums. Also, keep a store of interesting toys hidden away and at strategic moments leave one or two where they'll find them after a meal or a nap. Little kids love this. Never, ever, interrupt them when they're playing, sleeping or just relaxing. In fact, never interrupt a child who isn't bothering anybody. If you've prepared a meal, put it aside until they come asking for food. Kids love Sandwiches, and even a three year old can operate a microwave oven for hot food, with supervision. This means they eat when they're hungry and aren't hassled by being dragged away from an important project such as a mud pie in order to wash and eat. Speaking of mud pies, let them get dirty; it's good for them. Another good thing is to put them in the bath with a plastic knife and a messy fruit such as a mango or watermelon slice. They soon learn to ask for the taps to be turned on to clean up the mess when they've finished. Let them sleep when they're tired, and never, never, never play boisterous games after evening has set in. You can't expect kids to be tossed and tumbled about and then tell them, okay, bedtime now! Be very firm with visitors who want to stir them up before bedtime. Suggest that if they encourage them to become overactive they can take them home for the night. This usually works. Give them a warm bath, a good meal if they're hungry, or a nice snack if they're not (nothing sweet, including drinks), and sit with a book or a wildlife documentary or something soothing as the day darkens. Have some soft music going. Let them wrap up in their quilts (doonas) if they like. If you've a dimmer switch on your light, gradually turn it lower, and they'll just wind right down; it's what we're designed to do. Otherwise, have only soft lighting on. Eventually you can shepherd them, yawning, off to bed. Then you can pour a glass of wine or make coffee, put your feet up, and relax. You'll all wake up next morning refreshed. Trust me, I raised a bunch of boisterous sons this way and I'm certain it saved my sanity. You can continue the routine well after six if you have several kids all accustomed to it; even with just one child it works, but the trick is you need to be there. Remember, every minute of closeness and kindness you put in is an hour of peace for you.