When we have a newborn baby in our arms it can be easy to imagine they will stay like that for a long time, especially on the long night feeds and during the difficult postpartum stage, but when it comes to how fast they grow there is nothing quite like it, we are told ‘they grow up so quick’ and that we should enjoy them while they are small, but nothing can prepare us for how quickly they turn into toddlers, walking, babbling, destructive toddlers. The destructive side of them is certainly a challenge, so here are some ideas to get you through those days and the home adjustments that may be required over time. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Plumbing
Many babies and toddlers absolutely love the bath, with the bath toys and bubbles there is plenty of fun to be had, but unfortunately, this means that toddlers can find it an entertaining area to play in when Mummy or Daddy aren’t looking. This means that you may need to contact a drainage company to unblock your toilet when you find your little toddler has been a little enthusiastic about throwing things in it. This can be very costly especially if you live in London. Most parents will agree that toddlers enjoy causing chaos in the bathroom, so we need to be careful by keeping all items out of reach of children, and making sure that they are never left alone to block the toilets or drains. This can be a very costly mistake, so always stay one step ahead. This also extends to the kitchen as well, ensuring that toddlers can’t reach taps to cause floods!
Safety
Safety should always be the number one priority when it comes to our children, whether they are toddlers or older, there should always be protected from dangerous mishaps. Taking care whenever a new piece of furniture arrives and making sure that the toddlers can easily understand what to do to stay safe is a great start. There are essential safety packs on sale now as well which takes a lot of the guesswork out when it comes to safety, but also professional health and safety professionals who can visit and check everything is ok. Fire alarms, electrical socket covers and coffee table corner covers are all great miner adjustments that might keep your youngest children safe and secure. It’s also worth remembering that we need to keep up with our toddlers as well, and with their unwavering energy, there will be times when it may feel pointless trying to chase them around. But as long as you’re sensible about it, have set the safety precautions in place and keep a close eye on your toddler that’s all you can do!
Food
Sometimes toddlers find themselves in the bottom of a cupboard playing with tins and jars, and sometimes breaking things, so even though it isn’t the end of the world, there is always something going on, and toddlers love the attention so will add to any chaos with their own idea of fun. There are tools you can buy to help avoid any big problems and with a little forward planning, you should find it easy to stay one step ahead. In addition to this, the toddlers in our lives LOVE making a mess with the food on their plates. Making sure the toddlers have the correct bibs, sippy cups and tools to succeed in their exploration of new foods will not only keep the kitchen as mess-free as possible but it also encourages them to reach their next development stage. It might even be worth buying some wipe-clean paint so if anything does happen to end up on the wall it can be dealt with quickly. It is also recommended that children get involved in the cooking from a young age so allowing a toddler to ‘help’ in the kitchen can also build on their development, and help their self-esteem too.
Ultimately life is never the same once you have a baby, the fact that these babies grow up so fast means that our changes need to be made really quickly, otherwise we find ourselves trying to make adjustments while in the thick of it all, and that doesn’t always go to plan. But the learning opportunities are vast for a toddler just going about their business. It can even help with their development to have the opportunity to make a mess and get into certain levels of chaos and misunderstanding. Child development at this age is crucial and moves at a rapid pace, so making these little adjustments should mean you see things like a little bit easier, a bit more peaceful and thankfully safer all round in the end.
