Tidy Up Time

One of the skills that seems to be the hardest to teach your children is to tidy up. When they are very young putting a few blocks or toys in a bucket with Mummy or Daddy seems very grown up however the novelty soon runs out. What's the alternative though? A lifelong battle which stretches into their teens and beyond or some clever early training which will *hopefully* turn the tidying tides in your favour? 

Make it Fun 

Organising and tidying is at the end of the day a chore however when you incorporate fun-looking as well as practical storage solutions into the mix children are more likely to want to help out. Use buckets, boxes and even wall-hanging storage which will keep toys and books tidy while adding to the cool or cute look of the room.  

These fabulous Tidy Books book storage solutions both look fabulously fun and offer a substantial amount of storage. Many parents especially like the fact that children may so easy view the front of the books rather than just the spines as they would on a traditional bookcase.

Reward Charts 

Showing your children in a very visual way that they have achieved something or suceeded at a goal is a great way both congratulate them and motivate them further. Reward stickers and charts work wonders when it comes to building good habits, showing progress and saying well done. Whether there is a treat at the end of a complete row of stickers or not is up to each individual parent obviously. Reward charts are used in a wide number of settings from at home to schools and with great success.

Ready, Steady Go 

Anyone who has watched a child painstakingly put one toy away after another in a very deliberate and very slow way will appreciate the need for speeding things up (many swear savvy little ones do this so that us grown up will get impatient and take over!). Use a clock, an egg timer or simply start a tidying up "race" to get things moving!

Nurture a Sense of Pride in Their Space 

Even little ones appreciate good interior design, be it based around their favourite theme or character or because their room is now "grown up". Let your kids choose their theme where appropriate and take some part in making their room special. This gives them a sense of ownership and pride in their space and further encourages them to want to keep it it looking nice.

While some would say that children should tidy up because they are told to, not because they receive a sticker or praise we believe that making tidying up and being organised fun and a good habit early on can only be a good thing longer term.  

Potty Training Hints and Tips

Potty training is one of those skills that children will learn when they are good and ready, working to their own schedule and that's just fine. These top tips, hints and ideas for smoothing the transition between nappies and the big boy or girl toilet will hopefully give you some inspiration if you are nearing this fun stage of development! 

Wait Until the Time is Right 

By all means introduce your little one to the idea of a potty or a toilet as early as you like however actually using it should wait until they are ready. Many children don't learn control of their wee or their bowels until they are between 18months and 2 years old. Some learn earlier and some later. There is no set age so you have to take your cue from your little one.   

Talk the Talk 

Teach your little one the right vocabulary for wee wee or poo (whatever you choose to use in your home) so that explaining the process and what you want them to do is easier for them to understand. 

Have a Potty or Toilet Seat Ready Have a potty around and in plain sight so that your little one gets used to have it around before you start encouraging them to use it. Some children are happy with a potty, some want to use a seat on the grown up toilet, it doesn't matter which as long as they are confident and happy. 

Reward Successes and Don't Worry about Accidents Toilet training is always going to get a little soggy and quite possibly messy. Instead of telling your little one off for accidents tell them and show them what they should have done. When it comes to doing a wee or a poo in the potty (victory at last!) celebrate these successes in style. 

Incentives Don't try and bribe your little one into using the potty as if they simply aren't ready and are denied their treat it won't go down well. Reward charts and stickers are a great way for these big girls and boys to see how well they are doing and how clever they are. Big boy and girl pants and knickers or pull-ups also do a great job of showing them how grown up they are now. 

Be Prepared For Mess Sometime there is mess and sometimes there isn't. It might be worthwhile making sure that you have an empty washing basket, extra wipes and extra absorbent kitchen roll or similar for quick and efficient clean ups when you do get started. 

Toilet Training Away From the Home If you can start the process at home on a week when you have little or no reason to go anywhere this is ideal. This isn't always possible however so make sure that you are prepared. Always carry extra clothing and underpants, bags for putting any messing items in and if you are out and about a travel potty will be a lifesaver for those "Mummy, Daddy I need to go NOW" moments. 

Above all remember that children are all very different. While one child might have daytime toilet training sorted within a week it might take weeks or months for another. Sometimes you have to accept that they simply aren't ready and it could be best to leave the potty in sight but revisit the idea in a few more weeks or months when you and your little one are more ready. 

Do you have any fabulous toilet training tips (or stories!) to share? If so we'd love to hear them!