If you have kids then you will understand what a wonderful experience it can be. You’ll know how amazing it can be for you to watch them grow and how great it is when they start to learn things for the very first time. Of course, as they get older you’ll also find that they have way more energy as well, but this isn’t always a good thing. You may find that they struggle to sleep at night and you may even find it difficult to get them to sit still as well. If you want to find out why this is happening, then you can find out everything you’ve ever wanted, right here.
Running is Fun
Toddlers love to race around and that’s because it feels good. As you get older, you really do forget what it’s like to be able to acquire a brand new physical skill. Imagine if you could suddenly run at twice the speed you could now, you’d probably do it all the time, right? Whether it is running around trying to get the kids ready for school or even whether it is trying to get the washing up done quickly. The same concept applies to toddlers. Their world is opening up and they are starting to experience things for the very first time. You can’t blame them for wanting to check it out, and the whole experience to them really is enchanting. When your toddler is running around, they aren’t being bad or trying to make you and your partner’s life more stressful. When they chase a bird in the park, they aren’t defying you in every way they can, they are just having fun!
Remember that toddlers lack cognitive ability and self-control, so they can’t stop doing things
that they love. They are going to test the limits by walking over to play with the neighbour’s dog and by trying to climb really high. Their life is revolving around experimentation constantly, and if your life was like that, you’d have a lot more energy too!
Sometimes you Might Need a Some Extra Help…
It’s really important that you give your toddler some good room to explore. On the flip side, it’s also important that you teach them that sometimes they need to settle down as well. There’s a high chance that you have childproofed your home, but now your child is older it’s really important that you childproof everything again. Toddlers are crafty! So think to yourself, have you been able to cover all of your electrical outlets? Are there any plugs exposed that your child can pull out? Are all of your temperature controls and faucets secure? Think way beyond the basics. It’s also a good idea for you to look at any drawers or even bookcases that you have.
These are serious hazards and when your child does grab onto them, they may think that it is a very sturdy surface but this is not the case. All you have to do is pull out one drawer to make the whole thing unstable.
If you want, you can even watch your toddler to try and find out where the danger spots are. The
main thing here is that you want them to develop a level of confidence in their own abilities and for this reason, you need to give them room so that they can be noisy and even wild. When a toddler can run off, it’ll help them to unwind when you need it and this can really work in your favour. If you don’t let your toddler have “active” time then it’s no wonder they can’t settle down at night, and this is even the case if you have a bedtime guide.
If you do feel as though you need to have some quiet time then try and be positive about it. Instead of telling them that they absolutely cannot run away from you, try and tell them that they need to hold your hand. When you are out running errands it can be hard to keep your child calm and this is completely understandable, but it does help to have a couple of toys so that you can keep your child occupied. You could even ask them to point out a certain colour every time they see it, and this is a brilliant way for you to try and keep them occupied whenever you need it.
Expect Meltdowns
Toddlers are very prone to tantrums. It’s good to be prepared for this and don’t make a huge deal about it. Try and understand where they are coming from, talk to them about it and then direct their attention to someone else. You could also try and calm them down by giving them a bath or by soothing them with a CD.
Travelling
A plane trip with an energetic toddler may seem like the hardest thing in the world. It’s important that you are prepared and that you are more than ready to again, have some meltdowns. It is a good idea for you to go over what is going to happen at the airport and talk to them about what is going to happen when you get to the security points. Remember that your child will probably get scared when they come across uniformed guards, so make sure that you comfort them about this and be more than aware that this is a big experience for them as well. They may also get bored and hungry along the way, don’t we all? So bring some super healthy snacks. If you bring snacks that are high in sugar then this may be great for you but it’s not good for your child.
It will only add to the energy that they have and it will also make it much harder for you to calm them down when the energy spike does come in. Kids thrive on having things that are novelty, so animal crackers and their favourite toys really are ideal here.
A lot of airlines offer priority boarding for those who have younger children but it’s important that you don’t rush this. It is more than possible for there to be delays on the plane and this can mean that your child is sitting there far longer than they need to be. This is the last thing that you need, but if this does happen then you can try and walk up and down the aisles with your child. Don’t even think about annoying other people, because trying to apologise is way better than your child having a full-blown meltdown.
How to Turn Hyper into Sleepy
If your child is hyperactive, get down to their level and look them in the eye. You also need to hold them by the shoulder when you speak to them so that they know you are talking specifically to them. When you have done this, it’s really important that you keep it simple. You then need to explain why what they are doing is dangerous. Don’t just tell them not to run, tell them why they shouldn’t. You then need to give them another option so that they can feel a reward from their good behaviour, such as holding your hand or even walking with you to go to the park. If you do this then you should have no problem at all in getting your hyperactive toddler under control. Sure this is an exciting time for them but that doesn’t mean that you have to lose sleep over it yourself.
