Our job as caregivers is to balance kids’ needs for autonomy along with their needs for health, hygiene + safety…and this can be really tough sometimes!
Finding that balance between flexible + firm is tricky. Things that can help:
Acknowledging how kids are feeling…i.e. “I get it, you don’t want to do this!”
Being flexible where we can. Sure, they’ve gotta brush their hair today, but maybe not tomorrow, when you’ll be home all-day
Finding consistency where we can: i.e. “We always put on pajamas after dinner. You know that’s the plan, and so do I!”
All together, this might sound like:
- “You don’t want to change your diaper quite yet? Alright, we’ll do it in two minutes.”
- “I know you don’t want to hold my hand right now. I will let go as soon as we get across the street.”
- “Usually you can pick your own clothes, but on really wet days you need to wear a raincoat.”
- “I hear you, you really don’t like putting sunscreen on! We need to protect our skin from the sun. As soon as it’s on, we’ll be ready for the beach.”
- “You really don’t want to brush your teeth today! I get it, sometimes I don’t either. We always brush our teeth before bed. Should we do it in the kitchen or the bathroom?”
