Toddler Tactics: Stay-at-Home Mum Edition

Navigating the challenges of raising toddlers can be overwhelming for stay-at-home mums. However, by implementing a few practical strategies and mindset shifts, you can create a more peaceful and enjoyable parenting experience. Here are some evidence-based approaches to help you thrive in this demanding yet rewarding stage of parenthood:

Prioritise Attunement and Attachment

Building a strong emotional connection with your child is crucial during their early years. Focus on developing your child’s nervous system by practising co-regulation—soothing and comforting your child when they’re distressed. Research shows that children rely on their parents’ emotional state for regulation until about age seven.

Simplify Your Mornings

Meal prepping breakfast can significantly reduce morning stress and set a positive tone for the day. Prepare items like pancakes, French toast, or oatmeal in advance. Studies indicate that daily stress can negatively impact healthy eating habits, but meal prepping can help parents stick to nutritious meal plans even when stressed.

Declutter Toys

Limit the number of toys available to prevent overwhelm for both children and parents. Research suggests that fewer toys encourage better focus during playtime and make clean-up easier. Having an abundance of toys can actually hinder children’s creativity and extend play duration.

Regulate Your Nervous System

As a mother, focusing on calming your own nervous system is essential for creating a peaceful home environment. Consider techniques like somatics, chiropractic care, or practices like Bowspring to help manage your stress levels.

Implement Calming Tools

Have strategies ready to manage parental anger or frustration. Research shows that parental stress can negatively impact children’s behaviour and emotional development. Prepare a “special box” with engaging, low-mess activities to redirect your toddler’s attention during challenging moments.

Embrace Outdoor Time

Getting outside daily, even in cold weather, improves mood and reduces stress for both parents and children. Nature play has been shown to enhance children’s physical and mental health, sleep, resilience, and learning.

Utilise Bath Time for Mood Resets

Baths can be calming for toddlers and serve as an effective way to reset the tone of the day. Research indicates that bath time offers a multimodal sensory environment that encourages an infant’s social, cognitive, and behavioural development.

Foster Independent Play

Spend time sitting near your toddler while engaging in your own quiet activities like journalling, reading, or praying. This approach fosters independent play while maintaining proximity for comfort. Studies show that independent sitting changes everyday opportunities for learning and has cascading effects on cognitive and language development.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a more balanced and enjoyable parenting experience. Remember that while toddlerhood is chaotic, it is also fleeting. These approaches can help you find joy amidst the challenges and support your child’s development in meaningful ways.

Citations

• Tauber, Lilian, et al. “Attachment-Based Parenting Interventions and Evidence of Effectiveness”
  https://srs.tcu.edu/review/all-submissions/?num_per_page=25&order_by=p_dept&degree=Undergraduate&year=&department=&page=24
• Tate, Allan. “Meal prep helps families stick to healthy meal plans in face of stress”
  https://publichealth.uga.edu/meal-prep-helps-families-stick-to-healthy-meal-plans-in-face-of-stress/
• Dauch, Dr Carly. “When too many toys are a big distraction”
  https://www.mother.ly/health-wellness/its-science/its-true-giving-your-kids-fewer-toys-at-christmas-makes-them-happier/
• Sukhodolsky, Denis G., et al. “Behavioral Interventions for Anger, Irritability, and Aggression in Children and Adolescents”
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4808268/
• Australian Institute of Family Studies. “Nature play and child wellbeing”
  https://frsa.org.au/frsa-national-conference-2024/a1-3-the-first-1000-days
• British Journal of Midwifery. “Bath time: More than good clean fun”
  https://www.britishjournalofmidwifery.com/tag/bathing/
• Kretch, Kristen M., et al. “Opportunities for learning and social interaction in infant sitting”
  https://dornsife.usc.edu/ccf/2022/09/01/opportunities-for-learning-and-social-interaction-in-infant-sitting-effects-of-sitting-support-sitting-skill-and-gross-motor-delay/