Tiny Opportunities to Eliminate Stress

Raising tinies is hard. Teaching a classroom of 17 of them sometimes feels even harder. But for all the work, time, hairs pulled out, whining, crying, snot wiping challenges, at the end of the day you look at each tiny person and see their wondering eyes staring back at you. At the end of each day, they have grown by tiny leaps and bounds--if you've done your job.

The other day, my niece announced, "I don't like being three!" When prompted why, she groaned and exclaimed, "Because it takes FOREVER to do things!"

My goodness! How many times have I had a tiny in my care struggling to tie his shoes? Impatiently, I drop to the ground and quickly lace the Buzz Lightyear sneakers and pull him to his feet so we can keep going.

But what am I leaving for him to do? What am I teaching him? How am I letting him grow?  If it's stressful to me that he can't do it himself, how must it feel to be him?

The only way for a three year old to not take FOREVER to do things is for her to practice slowly and build speed with time.

If I always stop to carry my baby down the stairs because she inches down like she's descending a mountain with each step, how will she learn to maneuver them with ease?

Taking time for our children is inevitable.

I always suggest to mothers of toddlers and preschoolers to allow for extra time when getting ready to go somewhere. Do not run out of time for your children to grow! Getting dressed, picking out their own clothes, learning to tie shoes and buckle their own seat belts are, more often than not, skills that are overlooked--important skills that build confidence, self-awareness, and independence.

As children get older and are able to take care of these tasks, give them an incentive. Have them get completely ready to go before they do anything else. Then, once they are ready, their leftover time is how long they will have to play. If your child chooses to drag her feet, she is only cutting into her own play time--not making you late.

Although today it feels like it is taking her FOREVER to do simple things, allow your child that space to work through it. Tomorrow will be quicker, and every day after that she will shave a little time off the clock, and soon, the struggles of today will be faint memories. You'll miss the days you could sit and drink your coffee while your little one worked and worked to pull her little shoes on her feet.

This, too, shall pass--and quite ironically, it will pass all too quickly.