Supernanny Book Review #4

Getting back to our review of Supernanny : How to Get the Best from Your Children, we move into the trouble-shooting sections. Jo begins with Dressing and its related subject Washing.

Jo highlights two keys when it comes to dressing your toddler, involvement and options, and both are rooted in age appropriateness. First, involve your child in dressing himself so far as he is able. Be honest with your assessment. My experience says shorts will come first, and pants second. Shirts will lag behind, because getting the arms and head coordinated can be tricky. (My two-year old tends to panic when he gets stuck inside his shirt.) Socks and shoes are hit-and-miss; it all depends on the particular sock and shoe. Involving your child in the dressing process, and talking him through each step is essential.

The second key is age appropriate options. Remember: Young children can’t choose between many options. They don’t get it, and offering them a multitude of choices will only confuse them. Start by making the decisions for them and introduce options slowly.

One quick note on “fad dressing” and “repetitive dressing:” Parents, relax. My older son wore his Tigger halloween costume most days until it got too hot. (Then it just never made it back into his dresser.) My daughter loves dresses. So, unless particular attire is required for the days activities (e.g. shorts and t-shirt for a trip to the park), she normally gets to wear whatever party/princess dress she wants. The day will eventually come when they become fashion conscious. Until then let them have fun.

When it comes to washing, I’m Bath Daddy in our house. Rule #1 is safety. I’ve heard that it only takes two inches of water in the tub for a child to drown. My solution: showers. Most of the time I do quick showers with no toys. Get ‘em in; get ‘em clean; get ‘em out. They can play when they get done.

When they do get baths, err on the side of caution. The 14-month old is almost always in hand, literally. Occasionally I let go for a moment… while I hover over him kneeling at the side of the tub. The 2-1/2 – sorry, now 2-3/4 – year old gets time to himself, but I’m normally in the bathroom with him. (I grab a book while he plays.) Sometimes I run around the upstairs popping doing little errands, because he’s noisy enough for me to hear that he’s okay. The 5-1/2 year old gets time to herself, though I leave the door open. I usually fold laundry in the bedroom, and give a holler every now and again.

Next: Toilet training.

Order Supernanny : How to Get the Best from Your Children from Amazon.com