crunchy parenting

h3=. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh85R-S-dh8

Ah, bathtime. It’s the end of the day, and often a tired, cranky scramble for parents and small ones alike. Here are some small tips to get the littles ones down as peacefully peacefully as possible.

* _No sweets after dinner._ Keep dinner as nutritious as possible, but eliminate candy-like desserts. This means no chocolate, ice cream or sugars. Our standard dessert right after dinner is a little bit of fruit, anything from bananas or watermelon to strawberries. (After our kid’s in bed, my husband and I might indulge in a little ice cream or such, but the fruit helps curb our “bad dessert” habits a little.) This is easier if you never give your older baby or toddler candy, ice cream, or chocolate, but you can start this anytime and their taste buds will adapt eventually. Aside from the obvious health reasons, less sugar with dinner means a less sugar-highs and therefore, a less cranky kid through bathtime and bedtime.
* _Get as much possible ready beforehand._ For me, this means sneaking off during dessert and getting the bathroom and bedroom ready. I straighten out the crib blankets and toys so everything looks neat and inviting (30 seconds). I lay out on the bed pyjamas, sleeper, socks, and a clean diaper ready-to-go (30 seconds). A quick check in the bathroom to make sure there’s a soap, toys, washcloths and a clean towel within easy reach of the tub (30 seconds). Note that this isn’t cleaning up! It’s just getting the important stuff ready.
* _Sing a song on the way to the bath_. We sing one I made up and am actually rather proud of. The “Rubber Ducky Song” from Sesame Street also works if you can’t think up one. But the trick is to make singing the song on the way to the bath a daily ritual. Now our little girl will often start humming the song herself towards the end of dinner. Not always, though. Sometimes she shakes her head ‘no’ when we start singing it, in which case we have to get inventive as to how to get her to the bath.
* _Trade bathtime duties with a partner_, if possible. Since I have our daughter most of the day while my husband is at the office, he does bathtime most nights. This gives him some time to spend with our daughter in the evening, while I unwind for a little bit and read my Twitter feed.
* _Get a few toys, nothing special and not too many._ Washcloths, sponge cars, cups for pouring. I stay away from electronic toys or things that make loud noises for night-time baths; you don’t want your kids getting riled up at bedtime. Toddlers need few toys to be entertained and you also don’t want them so entertained that they don’t want to leave the bath.
* _Make a game of washing fickle parts_, like “yuckies” behind the ears or “sugar bugs” from teeth. As adults, we tend to think these games “get old” after a few times, but toddlers actually thrive on repetition and routine. It can take months for a toddler to become bored with something and by then you can change it up just a little to make it into something entirely new.
* _Give them a clear sense of what’s going to happen next._ This can be done by starting to sing a reserved bedtime song while on the way out of the bath. (Ours is “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.) You can also verbally walk your child through the rest of the evening’s schedule in three steps or less: “We’re going to get dressed for bedtime, then look out the window and say “good night, everybody”, then cuddle in bed and go to sleep.”

The key is to keep it simple, and repeat it the same way as much as possible so that they learn the routine. Eventually, it becomes ingrained as simply “what they do next” and less of something to fight or cry about. Setting clear rituals for your children is a great way to set boundaries and guidelines with them in a gentle, loving way.