Walk the walk.
When you do something hard, talk your way through it. This jar is really hard to open. I bet if I keep trying, I’ll get it open! Aha, I did it! Even if your child isn’t watching closely, they’re listening and learning from your confidence.
Follow their lead.
If your child isn’t having fun, they’re less likely to participate in an activity. (that’s true for most adults, too!) Think about what your little one likes to do, follow their interests, and encourage them to stick with the activity even when it gets hard.
Start small.
When you ask your child to do things on their own, offer them simple tasks you know they can accomplish. If the task is too vague, they’re unlikely to see it through. Instead of asking your child to clean their room, try something more straightforward. Clothes in the laundry, please.
Cheer them on.
When you see your child getting frustrated, give them lots of praise and encouragement. Provide help but in small doses. Hold the tower steady as they stack it higher, or turn the sock inside out so they can put it on.
Let them pitch in.
Your little one may not be ready for chores quite yet, but they can still pitch in. By helping feed a pet or picking up something that dropped, your child will feel proud of finishing a task and making others happy.
And remember, no one’s perfect – including you! As parents, we try to be the very best we can be for our little ones – but of course, there are days when everything goes wrong. As frustrating as that is, it’s okay (and actually helpful) for your little one to see you struggle sometimes. Research shows they learn a lot from watching you persevere, so just take a deep breath and keep going!
