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People say that having one child feels like having just one child but having two feels like having five. But does that stop us from wanting more little ones running around the house? Absolutely not! After all, who can say no to sweet pinchable cheeks, toothless grins and the smell of newborns? All of those things that you want to bask in also come with an endless list of responsibilities. But parents who have already gone through the ordeal of raising a newborn think they’ve got a routine down. But they forget to account for all the chaos that comes with having a super active and curious toddler on the loose. Unfortunately, you only have two arms, two legs and there’s only two of you. What do you do when your toddler and your baby’s routines clash and they both need you right away? If you are struggling trying to manage it all, we’ve got a few tips to keep your sanity and household intact. Here are a few tips to help you juggle the newborn and toddler routine with ease!
1. Get Your Baby A Baby Doll
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Preparing your first born to deal with a new baby has to start well before the baby arrives. And if your little one is in their toddler stage the best thing you can do is give them a baby doll regardless of their gender. Let them take care of it by trying to put them in diapers, bottle feeding them, napping with them and pushing them around in a stroller. You can tell your child how amazing it would be to teach the doll everything they know so that when the baby arrives they will apply the same stream of thoughts to the infant as well. You can even teach them how to stay quiet while the baby is sleeping so that they don’t disturb the newborn when you bring him or her home. Giving them a few hints on what they can and cannot or need to be careful doing when the baby is around will help them ease into a role that better accommodates the needs of a newborn.
2. Make Time For The Two Of You
Making time for your toddler is extremely important when you also have a newborn that has all your attention for the majority of the day. You can set aside a specific time to bond with your toddler. Maybe it’s reading them a bedtime story at night or maybe it’s cuddling with them in the mornings. If you can’t seem to drag yourself out of bed when they wake up on weekdays due to your own schedule, then find some time on the weekends. Make sure you plan a short date with them like an ice cream or yogurt run. This will get you out of the house and help you give your toddler all your attention for 15 glorious minutes. All your toddler wants is to know that you still care and prioritize them so a little effort will go a long way.
3. Invest In An Alarm
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Having a newborn means spending a lot of time nursing them or bottle feeding them, changing their diapers and taking naps whenever they go down. This can be hard to do when you’ve also got a toddler that loves to run about. The best thing you can do is invest in a good home alarm system or a monitor to keep an eye on your active little minion. This way even if you drift off for a couple of minutes, you know your child is safe and accounted for. This also means you don’t have to keep moving about and disturbing the baby which is a big win.
4. Put Your Toddler In The Tub
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If your little one has got the zoomies and you no longer know how to calm them down and carry your baby around all you need to do is put your toddler in the bath. Make sure you fill the tub up with warm water and add bath toys, bath bombs and bubbles. The kind you add to the water and the kind they can blow. Anything to keep them busy and entertained without creating too much of a mess. You can even give them a popsicle to enjoy while you’re at it. A bathtub is the best place for your child to play and splash about as you and your baby keep watch from a distance or from the bedroom. As long as you can look at the two of them, you’re good.
Taking care of a toddler and a baby is not for the faint of heart. And at some times it can feel like you’re not getting anything right. But with a few adjustments you’ll be able to spend ample amounts of time with both or all your kids without overexerting yourself!
