Mother And Baby India

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Baby steps in toddler self-care skills

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At 24 months, a toddler has picked up gross sensory motor skills and the ability to follow level one instruction. She gleefully and indiscriminately uses her new found physical independence. She explores anything and everything that takes her fancy, while trying to avert the constant supervision from an exasperated mum!

It is possible to give a positive direction to the physical independence of the toddler by guiding her to learn self -care skills, albeit in its rudimentary form.

These skills are important precursors to self independence and self-care at a later stage in life –

What are self-care skills

These skills are a part of daily living activities which promote health, hygiene and a sense of well being in family members.

In toddlerhood, your li’l one can take baby steps to learn self-care skills under your supervision. If you let your toddler pick up the initial skills, they can be honed as you go along. Just remember that your toddler needs to observe, learn and practice these skills again and again till she gets them right. You can add newer behaviours as she shows progress.

Be patient as the learning has to be paced according to her level and may take her days or weeks to master a particular skill.

A child learns best through a multi-sensory approach. So you can verbalise important actions as the child performs each task. Do remember to use level one instruction, for example you may say “Please put down your tooth brush on the table.”

Washing hands

Necessary actions:

  • Start by helping your toddler to wipe her hands with a wet tissue before and after meals.
  • In addition you may use water and napkin to clean her mouth and hands if there is leftover food.
  • With time and practice, you may ask your child to wash her hands and rinse her mouth with water. She can also wipe her hands and mouth with a napkin.

Bathing

Necessary actions:

  • Ask your toddler to carry her own towel to the bathroom.
  • Allow her to apply soap gel from a wash cloth or a scrub on some parts of her body.
  • Let her enjoy pouring water on herself using a small mug and wash off some soapsuds.
  • After you bathe her, she can use a small napkin to dry, say her hands or her face, while you finish the rest of the drying.

Brushing teeth

Necessary actions:

  • Use a mirror to let your toddler watch you demonstrate teeth brushing movements with your tooth brush. Later, she can watch herself brush her own teeth.
  • Always ask your toddler to hand over the toothbrush, toothpaste or a napkin as the case maybe.
  • Let her watch you apply the toothpaste on her toothbrush.
  • When you are done with brushing her teeth, seek her help to rinse her mouth and wipe her mouth and hands.

Mealtime

Necessary actions:

  • If possible, allot a high chair at the dining table for your toddler.
  • Guide her to carry her own plate and spoon to the table.
  • Encourage her to wear an adult shirt or an apron over her clothes for obvious reasons.
  • Let her eat with a spoon and use a sipper with a lid so that she can enjoy her meal.
  • Let her eat at her pace but help her to finish the meal if required.
  • Use her help to clear her plate and spoon from the table and take them to the washing area.

Dressing

Necessary actions:

  • As far as possible let your toddler select her own clothes from a tiny pile.
  • Allow her to take off the clothes which she can.
  • Ask her to extend her hands upwards when you put on or take off her shirt as it is easier that way.
  • When your toddler is ready, ask her to put on some of the clothes by herself. Loose fitting garments are easy to handle.

Mums, remember

Your toddler is learning self care skills for the first time as well as laying the foundation of self- care with your help. Every child has a different pace of learning these skills depending on many factors of development and the environment. Let her master these skills at her pace.

When your tot is learning a new skill, it is difficult to for her to focus on learning a second skill at the same time. The key is to just wait and watch till she is ready.

Preparing your baby for the monsoon: A cheat sheet

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While rains arrive to relieve you from the sweltering heat, it also brings along fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and a hoard of pathogens that you’d like to keep away from your child’s nascent body. The transition from the parching heat to the pouring rains have often afflicted adults with bouts and spells of common cold and infections. Hence, it is all the more necessary to ensure your li’l one’s immune system is prepared to wade through it.

Sanitation: An absolute clean sweep

It is a self-evident fact that a clean environment is the safest for babies and toddlers (The difficulty of keeping this is also acknowledged.) The weather changes further demand more attention as the microbes fill the air and may infest and infect your space easily. Ensure that the floor, the play area, and the toys are disinfected and cleaned regularly or frequently during the monsoons to keep pests and fungi at bay.

Make sure your storage system is airtight and monitored by adding dates on labels. Poor storage only adds on to the mess you are constantly trying to avoid. Declutter and ensure that there is good ventilation in the rooms.

In addition to spaces, ensure that you keep your hands clean by washing and moisturizing your hands to prevent skin infections and other contagious infections. Pay attention to the kind of products you use to do so. Harsh chemicals such as parabens in soaps harm your baby’s sensitive skin.

Most importantly, unclog it all. Stagnant water anywhere in the vicinity is a breeding spot for mosquitoes and germs. Hoard baby-friendly mosquito repellent patches, and nets to keep the insects away. Also, recoil from the coil. The smoke and residue do more harm than good for your tot.

Skin care: A soft spot

With the changing weather, the skin is the most sensitive and exposed organ of your child that battles bacteria and infection. Give your baby a warm sponge bath to ensure that the sweat and grime leaves him a little less cranky. Keep a check on the temperature of the water and the room to prevent a common cold or a fever. A good bath also prevents fungal rashes that get prominent during the transition period.

Choose warm but breathable clothes that aren’t too harsh on his skin. Wearing lighter shades also does not invite mosquitoes from hovering above him. Baby talcum powder and moisturizer are also a go-to to prevent moulds and infections. Since the weather is relatively cooler, change diapers more frequently.

Nourish the tummy

With a healthy storage system intact, a healthy meal that is warm and simple would work well with the frenzied digestive system of your baby.

Breastfeeding would take a new turn as he may demand in greater frequency for hydration. Breastmilk is filled with antibodies and immunoglobins that wrestle against the pathogens that are everywhere during the rainy season.

Avoid fresh cut fruit and switch to warm purees to prevent the water-borne infections. The tongue tends to get aversive to bland food. Include a bit of spices such as ginger, garlic and pepper in the broths and porridges as their natural antibiotics and a must for the weather.

Use boiled water for both drinking and cooking. Precaution goes a long way.

When it comes to precaution and preparation for monsoon, you could nip it in the bud by vaccination.

In a nutshell, the only way to wade through the inevitable weather changes is to stay prepared, flexible and trust your baby’s genes to naturally adjust to the environment around, stay hydrated whether come rain or shine.