What to do with a toddler??

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alydar
Posts: 188
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Location: SE North Carolina

What to do with a toddler??

Post by alydar » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:22 am

My youngest ds (almost 2) is probably my biggest hurdle when it comes to getting through school for the day. He can be quite cooperative if it suits him but most of the time that's not the case. He gets loud, demanding, and very disruptive. I don't think it's fair for the other two to have to try to do their work in the midst of all that.

I've tried various things to distract him or keep him occupied but without fail he would much rather be all up in their business. :? I was wondering what others do who have a similar situation. What do you do with your littlest ones busy so that you can have a peaceful school day? :D :D
Whitney

DS 10.5
DD 8.5

DS 5.5

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psalm 103:1

striving2Bprov31
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by striving2Bprov31 » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:15 am

Our youngest turned two in December, and I agree with you that a young one of that age is often the biggest "hurdle" in the homeschooling day.

Our kids have always been generally "good" even when going through the two's, but even so have had times where they needed extra disciplining.

Sometimes with children (especially toddlers) we tend to make excuses for discipline issues like, "It's just a phase" or "He will grow out of it". I have really learned to have proper expectations, expecting obedience, etc. even at a very young age. The behavior you are describing ( I really had to accept this) is that it is really a discipline/behavior issue. What I started doing when our youngest was 1 is to have an area that he is confined to if he "misbehaves". For a long time I used a pack and play set up away from us but within view. When he would deliberately disobey or act up/not follow clear directions, I would say "no", remind him of what he did wrong, say, "you have to go to the playpen now because you didn't obey mommy", then I would kiss him on the forhead and place him in for 2 or 3 minutes. This worked wonders!! Now he almost always obeys the first time, even during schooltime. I really had to accept that this what not a matter of keeping him entertained or distracted all of the time, but expecting obedience and orderliness in his behavior in a loving way, and instilling a method of discipline accordingly. I really needed this more structured way of dealing with him because of homeschooling, too. It was a lot easier to discipline the other kids at two years old because there were fewer of them and we did not homeschool back then!!

Hope this helps a little!! This is just what the Lord has shown me. :)

When all else fails, I try to remember that their young years fly by so quickly!1 :) Pretty soon our little ones will be looking at us at eye-level, like my 11 year old daughter!! :)

Tansy
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by Tansy » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:10 pm

I wanted to agree with proverbs. At set response for disruptive behavior consistently applied, works wonders. My 8 year old will still disrupt me when I am doing the audio processing therapy with my eldest, for her sister to succeed she needs it quiet. At this point I just have to give her the Mom "look" and she says ooooops and turns around and leaves the room.

Training our children is so tiring but so worth it in the long run .
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holyhart
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by holyhart » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:58 pm

While I do agree with the previous posters, I also believe we need to train them to be able to play quietly for a time by themselves. With such a young one, that probably wont be very long. I have various toys set aside sticktly for school time.

Things like a bag with a few pipe cleaners (one end knotted) and some pony beads to "thread"(a favorite at our house).
A large tray with dry beans and cups, spoons or even some match box cars.
Chunky puzzles.
Finger paints.
Felt pictures.
Water color paints (mine loves this with q-tips!).
Blocks.
Paper and stickers.
Big bowl with water and measuring cups (a little messy but apparently lots of fun. :roll: ).

The idea is to not do any one activity more than once a week if possible. The more "new" and exciting it is the longer they like to play.

I have my little one in a high chair during her "school" and I can usually get a good 45 minutes out of her (she is a little older than your little one). I also have her join in with things if at all possible so she doesn't feel like she is being left out of the family during school. I also take a little break and spend about 5-10 minutes reading to her from one of her board books.

I don't know if any of this helps. There are lots of great ideas online and some good books (Activity bags for Toddlers).
~Kelly~
wife of CB since 10/99
mother to:
~Evelyn Grace 5/03
~Joshua Ryan 11/05
~Lillian Rose 8/08
~Caleb Charles 8/10

KristinBeth

Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by KristinBeth » Mon Apr 04, 2011 3:30 pm

My 2 year old likes to participate in the hands on LHTH activities as much as she can (gluing, coloring, music, etc) and listens to bible storytime. When I work on The Reading Lesson with her older sister, she'll use her Lauri Toddler Tote a little while (peg board and easy puzzles) - she calls it her school. Sometimes I'll ask her to do something specific, like , "Hannah, can you take your shopping cart and go get some groceries?" (out of the pantry) or she'll swiffer for me.. :lol: Sometimes I'll let her sit on the porch with some bowls full of warm and cold water, cups, and her color change cars and play on her own - however, big sister usually wants to go join in too. :) I know I'm only doing LHTH right now, so it doesn't take much time :lol: , while you need more concentrated teaching time with yours, but those are my ideas. There's always a video, or a cup of goldfish crackers! :lol:

my3sons
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Location: South Dakota

Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by my3sons » Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:58 pm

Here are some good past threads on what to do with those busy little ones...

What to do with toddlers while schooling:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=198&p=33557
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4987&p=36744#p36744

In general, it helped me to...
*have 15-20 minutes of time for just my toddler and me to do something (this is why we started LHTH half-speed - it was easiest to do consistently for me :wink: )
*have olders take a turn playing with toddler in a safe place (and train them to do it well)
*have variety in what my toddler was doing (variety in rooms, activities, and people he was with)
*change what he did every 30 minutes
*use snack time to work with other dc

HTH! This too shall pass - and often when it does - we miss those days. Little ones bring joy and stress - before we know it though- they are all grown up. I hope some of these ideas can help! It DOES take careful thought and planning to homeschool with those noisy, busy toddlers around. You are wise to recognize that and plan for it! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Carrie
Site Admin
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by Carrie » Sat Apr 09, 2011 10:31 am

Some great ideas have already been shared, so I'll just link a few more: :D

Link: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7889

Link: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7649

Link: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5326

Blessings,
Carrie

mskogen
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by mskogen » Sat Apr 09, 2011 10:38 am

Mine are not toddlers anymore :cry: but I will share what I have done and still do with my dd4. I have a basket for each day of the week with some of the above mentioned toys, games and activities. She gets the Monday basket on Monday, Tuesday on Tuesday, etc. The only time she gets the baskets is on those days. This keeps the activities fresh. I rotate the activities every so often. I also agree the training is important. I have had to train all of my children when I am doing school these are the rules we follow. Hope this helps.
Blessings,
Michelle

Wife to dh since 2000
ds 15 years old, World History
ds 14 years old, World History
ds 11 years old, RTR
dd 9 years old, Preparing
Enjoyed LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR, Rev2Rev, MTMM, WG, enjoying WH

blessedmom
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by blessedmom » Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:05 pm

I have a 22mo ds. He is so super precious, but I totally understand, he is what can really hold us all back at times.
I have three girls before him, 10, 8, and 5. We have lots of school to get done.
The previous posters have given some great advice.
I encourage you to really ask the Lord. He wants us to do well in our homes. He also knows what will speak to your sweet ds. I have found God is so faithful to lead us when we "call out to Him for the ability to be wise and cry out for understanding" (Prov. 2 -- okay, I just learned that with 8dd the other week :) in BHFHG)
For my ds, he does have to sit in his high chair about 30-45 minutes each day (most days) and gets to play with all those manipulatives my girls use for math and he typically colors.
Those "toys" only come out for school. It took some training time, but I rotate his activities, typically 10 min. each. He doesn't mind seeing the same activities everyday. I do change them out after a while.
Lately, I just changed our morning routine. Now I take my 8dd and 5dd outside to do all of our reading. That way ds gets a chance to play outside where there is so much more good freedom for him. That's where he wants to be anyway. While I read to one dd, the other dd is playing with ds; then they switch. I also make sure I read to ds a super quick Bible story first, so he feels a part. He even likes to take a turn with the phonics book with me. That all makes him feel like he gets to do what everyone else is doing.
Nicole :)

shaffer96
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by shaffer96 » Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:27 pm

Oh, I have so been there..... and I am still there! I think I posted this exact same question back in September. For my little guy I have found that he just wants to feel included! He likes to be at the table and sometimes I strap him in his booster and give him snack. Sometimes he plays with playdough,or does puzzles. He likes to color on a small dry erase board and he likes to stick magnetic letters on our white board. Its hard and sometimes I loose my patience with him, but I try to remember that he just wants to play and have his time with mom too. We take breaks, which really helps! He does enjoy the songs and rhymes that my dd does in LHFHG, and next year he will be joining in on LHTH with my 3 1/2 year old. I also try to remember that this won't last forever, and soon he will be big and doing school along with his siblings. That usually makes me hug him tighter and have a little more patience with him. Not sure if this helps, but just know you are in good company!
DD 8 - BHFHG
DS 5 1/2 - LHFHG
DS 4 - Enjoying preschool toys and workbooks.

mrsrandolph
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by mrsrandolph » Sat Apr 09, 2011 10:59 pm

I have to admit that I have not read the other replies to your question, and I am sure you have gotten some great answers there.

But having 4, I feel I have FINALLY found a system that works for the toddler/preschooler for the homeschool situation, so I will share what we do.

First thing after breakfast and before we start school, I would have time with JUST my 2-3 year old. Spend 30 minutes REALLY filling his/her tank with Mommy time. Do whatever he/she like to do with you. Cuddle and read. Sit at the school table and have "school" with just him or her. But fill that tank.

Then announce that you have had your time with "child's name" now, and now it is time for "child's name" to play by him/herself for a while. If the child is too young to stay alone in their bedroom (say under 2), I would put the child in a pack and play with a favorite snack, drink, and a few toys. Then set a timer for 1 hour. YES!!! The child can play for an hour by him/herself.

When my kids turn 2, I start training them that they must cheerfully stay and play in their rooms until the timer goes off (1 hour). They also get a snack and drink. I usually get down a box of toys just for this time. Nothing I bought...just toys they only see during this time.

Of course, at first, they have to be trained. That means a spanking for disobedience whenever they come out of their room. But VERY soon the child will be happily playing for that hour.

Remember, you have filled their Mommy tank already : )

So, that gives you and hour without your toddler/preschooler.

Then you also have that coveted nap time.

I also have my older children take care of him/play with him when I need to do one on one work with another child sometimes.
***

I also make sure each of my children, regardless of age, has at least an hour a day that they spend in their room pursuing a quiet activity, like reading. I feel it is important for each of them to have alone time. They also must learn to spend this time alone contentedly.

For What It's Worth : )
Shannon Randolph LOVING HOD & Running 4 Guides & DITHOR
Mommy to 4 Precious Blessings
Cassie (15- World Geography),
Will (14- Rev2Rev,
Ellie (12- Res2Ref), and
Jack (10- CTC)

inHistiming
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by inHistiming » Sun Apr 10, 2011 5:41 am

I'm going to be watching this thread closely and going back to the other links here so I can get more ideas. I have a two-year-old as well as an infant, so in a few more months we will have two running around here while we are doing school work. :shock:

I just want to chime in here that I have been doing something called 'blanket time' with my dd. I got the idea from the Duggars' book but I've heard others speak of it, too. Your child sits on a blanket, with just a couple of different activities, and must stay there and play for a prescribed time. I started with 15 minutes at a time and plan to work up from there. We've done this with our playpen in the past, too. I set the timer and she may get up when it sounds. Eventually I hope to have her sit and play long enough to switch activities a time or two, then have something new planned for her to do......outside with sibling, snack, coloring in her high chair, etc. Right now I'm just training her in how it works. We have had a few times where she cried, wanting to get off the blanket, but I encouraged her to play and reminded her that she needed to stay there until her time was up. She's doing well with it overall. I'm happy with our progress and eagerly anticipating how it will help us while schooling. And I agree that it's great for her, too.

Still, I have had to rethink my definition of peace. :wink: She is a good, happy girl most of the time but it's still very busy around here. We find our peace in the midst of the storm, so to speak. :) I do try to keep all of my children from making too much unnecessarily distracting noise, but I am also trying to help them understand that they can learn to focus and tune out the distractions when needed. We all do it in the 'real world' all the time, right? I also have The Toddler's Busy Book and will be taking ideas from there for activities to keep her engaged.

Hope that helps some. I know others will have more suggestions for you, too. :wink:

my3sons
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Re: What to do with a toddler??

Post by my3sons » Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:11 am

Oh, I can't believe I forgot about "blanket time"! Thanks for sharing that inHistiming. :D :D :D We did "blanket time" with each of our boys when they were young toddler too. I think defining a space and an amount of time to play (somewhat) quietly in that space is excellent training for little ones to learn to play independently at least some of the time. To train our little ones in blanket time, we set the time for 15 minutes to begin with, set out the blanket with various toys/books on it, and let ds know that if he stayed on the blanket and played happily until the timer rang, he would then pick up and get his mid-morning snack. Teaching him to play until the timer rang and to pick up his toys has been very helpful. After a week or so of 15 minutes, we increased the time gradually, and now he plays happily for 30+ minutes. I've found using the timer and snacks combination when in the training phase of a new habit to be highly effective and motivational for the little ones. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

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