Suffice it to say, child rearing is not the easiest task, and learning not only to be patient AND display calmness in front of your children is challenging at best. However, all parents go through the same uncertainties, doubts and fears when it comes to raising our babies. The key to remaining calm during the chaos is to be capable of seeing your kids for what they are – kids!

For example, say your kids are enjoying a nice bubble bath, complete with rubber duckies and water squirters. . . and. . . it’s now time for their bath to end (translation, it’s time to end their fun) and they are NOT having it!

They giggle and protest, and for the most part ignore you. Guess what, they are having fun, as they should be, after all–you gave them the fun toys to play with during their bath, and YOU made the bath all bubbly and inviting . . . so what child wouldn’t love it and what child would want to end the fun?

Not many exist I’m afraid. So this is where you put yourself in their shoes, or in this case in their position, having fun.

If you decide to look at things the way your child does, it becomes easier to discern the proper way to react and the best way to get the result you want from your children. Now let’s rewind the tape…

The kids are in another room playing and you prepare for their bath, with one change. . . everything is the same EXCEPT the expectation you place upon your child prior to the bath. This time you will specifically lay out the expectation. “Johnny and Sam, let’s get ready for your bath. . .” Your kids run into the bathroom, wonderfully excited and then jump in the tub. But before they start playing, you are sure to let them know that they will only be in the tub for no more than 15 minutes, after which they will get out, dry off and go to bed so they can be read their favorite bedtime story.

With this scenario, your child has something equally as exciting to look forward to and will be more than willing to get out of the tub when bath time is over. There you have it – problem solved!

You can use this approach with most anything. Try it and let me know how it works for you 😉

–xoxo’s D. Linn Whorley