Getting dressed & ready in the morning can feel overwhelming to a lot of children. Preparing a plan to help them be successful can really make a difference for the whole family!

5 TIPS TO HELP KIDS GET READY
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1.) PREPARE clothes and items needed the night before
2.) ENCOURAGE your child to participate in the process as much as possible
3.) OFFER choices for clothing, accessories and other key items
4.) EXPLAIN the new process and expectations you have of them
5.) Lend a HELPING HAND if they need it

Kids really enjoy exporing, playing and even....making a mess! This is great for development and many other needed skills however, it can be a nightmare for most parents and teachers! Here are some tips that can help make this daily concept more successful.

4 CLEAN UP TIME TIPS 

1.)     DISCUSS - talk to kids ahead of time to let them know the new expectations (give them a demo)
2.)     FUN - Sing a special ‘clean-up’ song, show visual cues, use a bell or chime to signify clean up time 
3.)     COUNTDOWN - give a five minute warning before the clean-up time begins 
4.)     TEAMWORK - offer to help as cleaning the whole mess can be daunting

Eliminate the rush when getting ready to go out by giving children enough appropriate TIME to get ready. Plan ahead and allow enough time to achieve this goal. Bringing awareness to how long it takes on average for kids to get ready helps keep things positive and moving in the right direction. Children really do need a lot of time & patience to process info, learn new skills and then be successful at it.

GETTING READY TIME BREAKDOWN
 1.)   Giving a 5 minute warning that it’s time to go soon (5 minutes).
2.)   After your announcement to start getting ready, add a few more minutes just for them to process the info before making a move (2 minutes).
3.)   Kids actually getting their shoes, coats & bags on once you’ve asked them (approx. 10 minutes depending their age).
4.)   At least 5 minutes for tedious questions & distractions throughout the process (5 minutes)
5.)   Clock in time to walk to the car, get in the car, buckle up and get yourself in the car (5 minutes)
6.)   Don’t forget the 1 minute for yourself to breath.

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes! Consider other factors as well like weather, traffic, not feeling well, having younger children and having more than one child.  Someone may need the bathroom or they forgot something or they need to grab their toy, always allow for some wiggle room!

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535                                                                                               

Crying, throwing food, climbing under the table, needing a toy to play with, eating cookies or holding out for dessert....sound familiar? 

Success at mealtime has little to do with food and a lot to do with the behaviours of the Parent & the Child. A lot of Parents have anxiety around mealtimes and find it very frustrating. Creating a plan with expectations and a routine can provide structure which can improve mealtimes all together. With out clear rules and a strategy to follow through with, it can become very challenging! This can lead to confusion, which leads to frustration, which can then lead to kids 'acting out'. Different behaviours can pop up because kids may be feeling anxious and  insecure. 

4 TIPS TO CREATE A MORE SUCCESSFUL MEALTIME

1.) RULES -  create some simple rules and stick to them
2.) CHOICES - offer food choices that are reasonable 
3.) PARTICIPATION - allow kids to help out either cooking, setting the table or dishing food
4.) CONNECTION - ensure you are talking and enjoying the meal together with your child

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

Solid routines can equal solid bedtimes! !Getting ready for bed is one of the most important routines for kids to have established. It can allow for a better night’s sleep and a healthier start to a new day. For the most effective results, ensure that consistency with your routine is top priority. This can help kids feel more safe & secure.

Kids need adequate rest for proper development. On average for children under 5 years, sleep should range from about 10-12 hours per night.  Parents also need downtime and a good rest as well.

5 BEDTIME ROUTINE TIPS

1.) POST the routine in or near the bedroom so kids can follow along. 
2.) QUIET activities before bed are helpful like colouring or books.
3.) Keep things POSITIVE by saying good things about the day or what your child means to you.
4.) Give enough TIME for the whole routine to be complete.
5.) Offer time NOTIFICATIONS between each part of the routine such as '5 minutes till bath time'.
Enjoy & have FUN!

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

The bathroom experience can be challenging for a lot of Parents as it seems to be a 'fun-house' for kids instead of a place to get their 'business' done. With all that water around and interesting gadgets, kids can get really distracted and lose focus. Most kids respond better when the environment is positive and fun. Singing songs, having a conversation can encourage small children along. Try to always offer PRIVACY when they are on the toilet (turn around or leave the room for older kids) as well as a HELPING HAND if they need it with wiping or hand-washing.

5 BATHROOM TIPS

1.) Be very CLEAR on the expectations in the bathroom.
2.) Use VISUALS like a photo or chart to help explain of what is expected of them.
3.) Actually DEMONSTRATE how to use the toilet properly, wash/dry hands and turn off the lights.
4.) Offer CHOICES throughout the routine so kids feel they have a say.
5.) EXPLAIN what is happening after so they know what to expect.

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

Being the Parent can often times feel overwhelming and stressful. There are so many things to consider, organize and be responsible for. Figuring out the Families Values & Purpose can ease some of the Parenting priorities and decision-making Parents do on a daily basis. *Family Values are the beliefs Families hold that are the core meaning & purpose of the family.

CREATING 'FAMILY VALUES & PURPOSE' TIPS
1.) Hold a family meeting to talk about values & purpose
2.) Discuss what means the most to each member (love, quality of life, being well-rested, honesty, health or togetherness). 
3.) Allow each family member to express or discuss what it means to them.
4.) Post in a special spot with in the home for everyone to reference.

​Most companies and organizations have their values posted on their websites and in their offices along with their mission and visions as well. This acts as an official statement, decided by the key players, that ensures the integrity of the purpose of the mission.

When daily decisions are based on the Family Values & Purpose, it can help prioritize in a way that is in the best interest of your family even if you end up having to say ‘No!’ to other people and events.

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

Children develop their independence as they grow. Most children enjoy 'being in charge' and try to find ways to take the power of being the leader, even it it may not be in the most appropriate ways. Giving appropriate choices can really help children have a sense of power, feel in control and like a 'leader', all in positive ways.

HOW TO GIVE EFFECTIVE CHOICES
- offer 2-3 OPTIONS as choices
-give choices WITH IN a desired outcome
-AVOID questions with a 'YES or NO' answer
-offer HELP making the choice if they are not able to
-Give POSITIVE acknowledgment when they've made a good choice

Kids not listening?
Hearing the word ‘NO’ all the time? 
Kids refusing the everyday routine?

3 TIPS FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION
 ·        1.) NOTIFICATION - Give enough warning time when something is about to change to allow time for kids to 'process' what is about to happen. For example: “In 5 minutes we will be going back inside for lunch.” Ask them to repeat back so you know they heard you and understood.
 ·        2.) GIVE CHOICES -  Avoid asking a question that requires a Yes or No answer.  Replace it with a choice with in your desired expectation. For example: Instead of asking “Are you hungry?” try saying, “It’s time for breakfast. Do you want cereal or toast?”
 ·       3.) FOLLOW THROUGH - Use the ‘first and then’ approach to help children understand what is expected. Try saying “first brush your teeth, and then we’ll read a book.”

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

Children screaming, yelling and hitting all day long can leave a lot of Parents feeling frustrated, fed up and stressed! Here are 3 easy ways to help children increase their communication to help keep a more pleasant atmosphere with in the home. 

     1.)     Encourage children to speak instead of 'acting out'.

For example:  Try to ask them to “Use your words!” This may help get their message across in an appropriate way. Explain that no one understands hitting, screaming or yelling but they understand words. If they are young, give them the words to copy such as “Billy, say to your sister ‘I don’t like it’ instead of using your hands”.

     2.)     Ask your children what they DO want rather than focus on  what they don’t want.

For example, if they do the typical whining or screaming when you say it’s bedtime, instead of focusing on not wanting to go to bed, ask them what they do want like story time or turn their sleep time music on. By talking about what they do want, it can leave them feeling more empowered and in control and can leave you feeling more calm.

     3.)     Give CHOICES by giving kids 2 options with in the desired outcome that you are expecting.

For example:  If it’s time to get dressed in the morning, the choices would be ‘do you want the yellow or purple shirt’ OR ‘do you want to choose the clothes or do you want me to?’ Try to avoid asking them if they want to get dressed or not. It would be too easy for them to just say ‘no’ leaving you with a potential power struggle.

Try having a discussion with kids beforehand to let them know new things are happening. This may help them to know what the expectations are. Kids usually love this new found power once they see that they are being heard.​

Contact or learn more about Julie Romanowski - Mother, Coach, Leader, Educator, Author, Speaker & founder of Miss Behaviour: parenting coach & consultant services.

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535