Bathtime is a great opportunity for children to be able to relax, have fun and enjoy themselves while keeping healthy and clean. Here are some super-tips to help make this experience more easy and fun for everyone!

1.)  Make bathtime part of a daily routine, during the evening around bedtime is good. Keep consistent by having a bath daily at the same time every day.  This will help them to feel secure in the routine and be able to predict what’s next.

 2.)  Give a lot of warning time before the bathtime. Let children know there will be a change happening as they won’t like to just stop and start something without the warning. Repeat warnings and give time increments such as '5 minutes left before bath time’. Timers are useful. 

3.)  Make bathtime FUN! Bring in toys, games and activities. Allow enough time for kids to play and have fun as well as wash themselves. Most bathtimes are about 15-20 minutes.

4.)  Prepare all the necessary equipment needed for the bath. Have it already in the bathroom especially the towel! Never leave child (of any age) unattended in the water. Put a floor mat near the tub and always help your child in and out of the tub to ensure safety. 

​5.)  Some children fear washing their hair. Talk them through it and let them know you understand. Let them put the shampoo on and use a cup to pour water carefully to wash it out. Cover their face with facecloth to prevent water going into their eyes & ears.

 6.)  If a child is fearful to even get into the tub, use a gradual process and be consistent. Avoid being anxious as the child may feel the anxiety and feel insecure. Sponge baths inside the bathroom but out of the tub can be a helpful, gradual step. Try getting into the tub with the child too.

 7.)  Encourage children by making comments about how well they are doing. This helps them understand the expectation you have around bathtime and it keeps bathtime fun and positive.

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

4 CLEAN UP TIME TIPS that can help make this daily concept more successful.

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

Hand-washing is a routine that children go through several times a day. It’s necessary in keeping healthy and clean yet completing it can quickly turn into a battle between parent and child. Set up props and tools in the bathroom to ensure your child is successful at washing their hands after times such as using the toilet, before a meal or after some messy play. 

​7 HAND-WASHING TIPS

1.) Create a chart with 3-5 easy steps of the actual process.
2.) Have all the necessary items such as soap and a towel in reachable distance for your child.
3.) Put a step stool in the bathroom so your child can reach the tap on their own.
4.) Use a simple children’s song to sing while soaping up hands to ensure the soap stays on for at least 30 seconds or as close to that as possible.
5.) Do the whole process with them at the beginning so they are clear on how it all works and what the expectation is.
6.) If they're really young you can assist them otherwise for older children, you may want to encourage them to complete
the task on their own as much as possible.                                                                                                                              
7.) Always ensure safety measures when in the bathroom and around water!

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

www.missbehaviour.ca
778-996-6535

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
​
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

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

The secret behind using Routines & Schedules is that it helps children to 'predict' what is going to happen next. Knowing what to expect  can give kids the security they require to strengthen their emotional development.....an area of development often over-looked.

TIPS FOR CREATING A ROUTINE
1.) Write down what you expect your child do accomplish 
2.) Post the routine where child can refer to it
3.) Discuss with the child what you expect of them and how to follow the routine
4.) Demonstrate or do the routine with them - modelling
5.) Refer to the routine daily and be consistent with it

Many Parents have asked “What’s the point of a routine?” or “Why do we have to be so consistent?” and "What’s with all the ‘visuals and schedules’?" The secret is that CONSISTENCY can build TRUST and deepen the CONNECTION.

​It's the CONNECTION that Parents build with their child can determine how kids interact back with their Parents - listening, communication, etc..... Being consistent and following through coincides with being AUTHENTIC. Children know when an adult is being authentic or not.....and when they are not, it sends signals of insecurity. If Parents DO what they SAY they are going to DO, then they become someone of their word….a trustworthy person. If Parents do the opposite and say everything but only do some of the things or totally change your mind over and over, to a child - they become someone NOT of their word and potentially untrustworthy on some level. When kids are insecure & unsure, they don’t feel safe. Feelings of being safe & secure is fundamental in developing healthy self-esteem which creates confidence.

​Visuals, charts & schedules are all excellent ways of making the expectations clear as well as great tools for teaching what is expected of the child. You can adapt the visuals & directions according to the child’s age but the concept remains the same. When expectations are clear, kids can feel more secure. When kids feel secure, they are more confident. When kids are confident, they can achieve so much more and be more successful with a healthier self-esteem.

It will be difficult to find something else that can turn around a child's behaviour instantly than a serious session of 'quality playtime'. This is where you spend one on one time with your child with NO distractions and really focus on CONNECTION. The investment you will be making is priceless! 

QUALITY PLAYTIME TIPS
 ·        Let your child know when to EXPECT the one on one time (via schedule or daily reminder)
 ·        It should be CHILD-LED. Allow your child to choose a safe & appropriate activity and go along with it
 ·        You can ask your child questions & make comments but most importantly, just LISTEN!
·        Aim for at least 30 MINUTES DAILY or try to work up to that goal (10 minute increments or alternate days)
·        Turn off phones and stop any other possible DISTRACTIONS (like making dinner or folding laundry on the side)
 ·        Get creative and PLAN for other siblings to do something else during this time.

You can 'de-code' tantrums by sorting them into 2 separate groups. The first is 'TANTRUM PREVENTION' and the second is 'TANTRUM RESPONSE'.

PART 1. ) TANTRUM PREVENTION
Tantrum prevention is an important piece of the puzzle as this will be a 'proactive' approach which can help decrease tantrums tremendously if not stop them all together. It will be more effective in tackling tantrums versus not doing any prevention and be left dealing with them constantly which is a 'reactive' approach. 

   A.) Increase Sleep - 
One of the main issues behind behaviour in children is lack of adequate sleep. This is a huge issue for a lot of Parents who just seem to 'put up with it' because they don't know what else to do. Toddlers are needing about 12-14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period for proper growth & development and to just function normally on a daily basis.. {Infants about 14-16 hours and preschoolers about 10-12 hours}. Ensure your child is getting enough sleep as this will help diminish tantrums and behaviours.

 B.) Increase Routine - 
You may have several routines already but if your little tot is misbehaving or having a lot of tantrums, they may not be effective enough. At this early age you can't have enough routines. Children but especially toddlers, thrive on structure and routine. Being able to 'predict' what is going to happen next is a critical component to a child's learning and understanding.

 C.) Increase Attention -
There is a good chance that even though you may be spending every waking minute ( and night time too) with your child, there may not be enough 'attention' in the 'tank'. This is your quality, one-on-one time that you spend with your child with no other distractions or items on the agenda accept for making a true connection. Many Parents admit that this is lacking on a daily basis because they just think they are with them all the time anyway, so what difference does it make. There is a huge difference when you 'top up the tank' of attention as this builds attachment, connection and trust. 

Click here to continue reading PART 2 of Decoding Tantrums >>>>>