Independence

Help me to do it by myself.

Independence is the ability to do things for ourselves and think for ourselves. Your child becomes independent through his own activity. What should you let your child do? By being included in simple daily activities, he begins to understand routines, his role in the family, and his own abilities. When you offer choices at the right times and only lend a hand when he needs help, you are saying to him, "I know you can do this by yourself." He gains skills, confidence, and an "I can do it" attitude, which he will take with him throughout his life.

Your child will be on the path to independence when you follow these three key principles:

Create an accessible environment.

Show your child how to do daily activities that lead to independence.

Make time.

Dressing

Getting your toddler dressed in the morning need not be stressful as long as you acknowledge that they actually want to do this for themselves.

Click on the links to find out more about you can help your child enjoy dressing himself.

Eating

Did you know that there is a very simple way to help children establish healthy and happy eating habits?

Click on the links for some simple tips to help make mealtimes more pleasant and satisfying for both you and your child.

Sleeping

Do you find it difficult to get your child to settle and go to bed by herself at a reasonable time every evening?

Click on the links for more information on stress free bed-time routines.

Toileting

The key to successful potty training is to make a start on preparing your child much earlier than most people think.

Click on the links to find out how to make the transition from nappy to pants easy for both you and your child.