It can be tough going for a mom of little ones when there days are only about parenting toddlers, having to train, clean, feed and entertain toddlers all day without a break except for a nap here and there. Here you will find some tips to help and encourage you in your task.

Parenting tip
When you are on your own in parenting toddlers, the days can get very long. Break your day into chunks of time and dedicate a few things to each day so that neither of you get bored or frustrated.

For instance after waking and breakfast work through chores together. Music is always a great way to move through chore time with relative ease.

After this set aside some time for activities, or crafts or reading.

If you have errands to do, do them now.

After lunch time, which your toddler can help you prepare, make sure your toddler has a nap so that you can do some of your favorite things. Be it catching up on your own hobby, reading a book or catching up on your forums and chat groups.

When your toddler wakes, enjoy a snack together and read a few books.

We always enjoyed a walk in the afternoon; sometimes we had friends to come along. We also had a collection of favourite parks that we liked to go to.

While cooking dinner, introduce your toddler to time alone by encouraging them with free play toys or story tapes. I used to have a CD player in my kitchen and would set my toddler/s up with a chair so they could look through the book while the story was being read on tape.

When your day is split into chunks like this, they do not seem to drag on interminably, but each time and day has a purpose and parenting toddlers alone seems so much easier.

You and your toddler
Often in homes where the family is young, husbands are employed in the corporate world. This can mean that sometimes he will only get to see the children just before bed and on weekends.

This was one of the reasons that I tried to make sure that the home was in order when he came home and often the children bathed and ready to spend some time with Dad before bed time.

Devote some time in your evening chores when you and your little ones “get ready for Daddy”. There were times, particularly when there was illness or a newborn that you don't manage this goal, but in general try to work together to get supper done, baths over and house tidy.

Including your toddler, and preschoolers, in your daily routine is an important part of you day and a help in parenting toddlers naturally by your side. In the long term you will be glad that you put in this time as your children grow and mature and learn to enter into their chores with happy hearts.

A Thought For You
When women have husbands that work long hours it is inevitable that they sometimes want to “dump” their emotions on their husbands when they get home.

How often have you heard of wives telling their husbands: “I have spent all day wiping noses, changing diapers and cleaning up messes!” as they walk in the door?

While certain days are actually just about these processes, it is important to know that even though anyone can be employed to wipe noses, change diapers and clean messes, you have the absolute privilege of being with your children 24/7.

Being a stay at home mom is truly a privilege, particularly at this time in the economy when finances are tight. This is your job, and while you may not get paid for it, parenting toddlers is one of the most valued jobs there is.

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