Life is a marathon and not a sprint, as the saying goes, but it may feel like no one told Baby! Whether they're trying to get away with running by the pool or flying through their lunch so fast that it’s hard to tell if they're even chewing, there are probably plenty of ways your tot rushes through their day at top speed.
One great way to harness that energy is to channel it toward the things they need to do – including chores that might not necessarily be their favorite. Below is a list of different ways you can help them enjoy some of the less exciting – but still important – tasks in life.
- Stopwatch it: Pretty much every smartphone has a timer, which means that most parents have access to a magic device that can make even routine activities that much more interesting. Is Baby dragging their feet when it’s time to put on their shoes and socks? Ask them how fast they think they could do it. Knowing that you’re timing them may help to put a little pep in their step, and the next time they're taking a little longer than you might like, you can always see if they can beat their last time!
- Join the competition: Sure, maybe the most profound competitions are the ones we have against ourselves, but it’s the competitions against other people that are generally the most fun, and you can be Baby’s race-buddy any day. As long as you’re in a safe area to do so, you can race them back to the house, race them down to the water at the beach, or race them right into their cozy bed at night!
- Reverse it: Some tasks, like tooth brushing, aren’t actually better when done quicker. For these sorts of tasks, aim for the opposite, and challenge your little one to see how long they can go. If you brush your teeth alongside them, you can brush and brush until your mouth is all foamy, and then let them “win” when you think it’s time for them to rinse their mouth out.
There’s just nothing like a little healthy competition, is there?
