Children must be free to do everything they can do independently. Here are some tips and tricks to make them independent also within the walls of your home
The environment evolves as the child grows. The organization of spaces, objects, routines and activities must follow childhood development and is functional to give space to the freedom, desire for the discovery and action of the child. The life environment of mom and dad is, for the child, extremely fascinating: their activities are interesting and the child wants to participate and collaborate with his parents with all himself. How can we encourage the development of the autonomy of the child During meals and personal care? Certainly following his needs and interests immediately.
It is good that the child be free to do everything he can do, independently: our thoughts should be “my baby has to eat” and I do not “have to feed him”, as “he has to wash and change” and “I have to wash and change it”.
“I want to do it alone” is, for example, The motto of children during personal care: diaper, teeth, pee, face-brown washing and feet. It is a right to be protected, not an absurd claim. The parent can equip the bathroom with precautions that allow the child to take care of your personal hygiene as much as possible.
The double spoon
When the child starts to eat, always offering him the double spoon, one for mom (or dad) and one for the baby. In this way he can start experimenting the action of bringing food to the mouth by observing our gestures. When we notice, with the passage of time, that his ability to get it improves, let him do it and replace ourselves only when requested or when the child is frustrated by the failure of his gestures.
The jug on the table
Often on the tables there are bottles and jugs suitable for the great hands of adults, but inadequate to the skills of the child. Close to its glass, We can place a small jug (better in glass so that it can see the contained water), so that The child is able to independently pour the water as needed. Mum and dad thus roll up the jug from time to time, with enough water to fill the glass.
Apron
The rituals are fascinating and reassuring for children and adults. Often children love to be involved in the preparation of dinner and the table. To give importance to these activities, in the kitchen space we can prepare a hook to the wall (at child height), where to hang the apron for the preparation of the meal.
Wear the apron before starting to cook with mom and dad or setting, connotes that moment as precious and important. Even food education, curiosity for the discovery of food, love for foods are born from the possibility of knowing them and getting confidence through experimentation: touching them, washing, cutting them, cooking them, taste them …
Step
A practical step available in the kitchen space It can allow the child to independently reach some kitchen spaceswhere mom and dad will have stored reachable objects … If the child takes confidence with the spaces, it will be possible to allow him to set the table independently, offering him exclusively verbal stimuli:
- “Take the tablecloth”
- “Now I give you one dish at a time and you arrange it on the table”
- “Take the forks”
- “I pass you the glasses”
- “Take the napkins”
and so on.
Pots on the table
The child, like us adults, likes to feel useful and do just as important things. A child who is attributed trust and responsibility will show himself grateful, attentive and prudent. Children can serve food to all diners on the table.
Try to translate the pasta (or rice or any other dish) from the pot in a bowl or in a bowl (so that the container does not burn too much), bring it to the table e offer the child a ladle so that the food he wants can use And so that it can do the same with the other guests of the table.
It is a very precious exercise for it development of concentration, of Oculo-manual coordination and of the Treatment of relationships. It is an excellent strategy also to make the stay at the table more pleasant during meals, which sometimes, for the child, is a difficult time to manage.
Basket of dirty clothes
The basket of dirty clothes is often unattainable for the child. Place a small basket next to the large onewhere the child can place his laundry to wash can be a help to encourage his autonomy and reorganization.
Wall towel
Those who are lucky enough to have two bathrooms, in the early years of their child’s life could assign one of the two bidets the role of Child -made sink. So the baby could have soap at hand, towel hanging on the wall, glass with toothbrush and toothpaste, mirror hanging next to the bidet to control the progress of cleaning. Otherwise a step to reach the sink may be enough.
The best way to make the child autonomous in self -care practices is to wash his teeth while he wash them, wash his hands and feet together, undress and dress in his presence. Performing the actions with calm and clear gestures.
Travel hairdryer
The travel hairdryer, small and light, can be a good help for the child to dry your hair independently: Equipped with rubber slippers, far from the water, it can be dedicated to drying in complete freedom. Often impatience of children in personal hygiene operations It is to be found in the lack of their active participation in actions.
Diaper change
Since the child is standing (even if only by supporting his hands), at about 11-12 months, the change of the diaper can be made on his feet, allowing them dthe be the protagonist of all the actions within its reach: Risastation, opening of the diaper, closing of the dry diaper hooks, dressing. We deepened the top theme in several articles, and we also talked about the choice to do without diapers …
Routine for preparation for bedtime
Before the bed we have to:
- Wash hands and feet
- wash your teeth
- pajamas
To help the child in the orientation to this procedure, we can place the images in the bathroom that reproduce the sequence of the actions to be carried out. This tool acts as a reminder for the fulfillment of the various steps, without the need for continuous supervision Or a ribbish recall by mom and dad.
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