It’s Monday Morning here at Extra (Hour)dinary Parenting, which means it’s also memo time!
This week’s memo is a list of little tricks parents can use to sooth their kids before naps and during fussy times of the day. While driving in the car and rocking in the chair are two classics that have helped parents for years, there are a few others worth trying out:
1. Take Them For a Walk/Ride: By this I mean, you push them. If they are old enough to ride and pedal themselves, there are other tricks for calming them down you can use. But for that age when they can’t be swaddled and they can’t pedal, pushing them in a stroller, a plastic car, a tricycle with a parental control stick, or pulling them in a wagon is an ideal way to calm them down, work in a little exercise for the parent, and get some fresh air. I always start our walk 30-45 minutes before I want my son to go to sleep, and it has become an immutable fixture of our day.
2. Have Them Go For a Short Walk: The sunlight and fresh air are naturally calming aspects of nature that help everyone focus, relax, and feel better. Stroll the sidewalk, the driveway, or the backyard just to change up the scenery and the mood of both parent and child. I used to always feel slightly ridiculous just pacing back and forth on the sidewalk with my son, but the results were usually worth it.
3. Television: Yes, yes. Boo, hiss, television. Television is not recommended at all for children under the age of two, but I have to say that 15-20 minutes of TiVo-ed Sesame Street goes a long way in helping a frantic parent rest for a moment and a fussy child calm down while still watching something that is ultimately instructional and kid-friendly. When I weigh the advantages and disadvantages from a few minutes of Cookie Monster against the need for sanity and a chance to eat a few bites of food, let me tell you, Cookie Monster often wins.
4. Floor Play: Kids love to see their parents at a different eye level, especially their own. Laying down on the floor to wrestle, hug, or just hang out with your kid helps to literally change their perspective on whatever is upsetting them.
5. Change Rooms: There are a couple rooms in my home that can’t be completely babyproofed, so we generally keep them gated off. As a result, they don’t see a lot of traffic from little feet. However, that also makes them ace cards I can play during difficult times like teething. My son loves being allowed to go into a room or a part of a room (like a guest bed) that is usually off limits. While I do have to be extra vigilant and on my toes while we are there, the distraction of a new space and a special place often helps take his mind off those pesky teeth.
6. Sing: I cannot sing at all, but being a parent has quickly rid me of any shame I once had over this inability. Pay attention to what songs your child likes, and in difficult moments, don’t be afraid to sing away, even in public. I have sung “Cows” in more public restrooms than I care to recall, but I know that the other patrons certainly preferred hearing about those remarkable bovines to wincing through my son’s screams and screeches.
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