Are you exhausted by the constant arguing with your toddler just to be able to get out the front door?  You’re not alone. Toddlers are stubborn by nature as they’re learning to test their limits and build their personality.

Believe it or not being stubborn is a good thing as it means that they are learning boundaries.  Unfortunately for parents and caretakers, teaching them to smooth out their boundaries can be a frustrating period.  Here are some of the best tricks for surviving the terrible twos and beyond.

Getting Around Outside

Most toddlers start to resist a stroller at some point.  Their desire to be independent and do everything by themselves is strong.  Unfortunately, it’s not always an option to let them walk around freely when there are cars and other hazards all over the place which could lead to serious injury.

Therefore, try to find a middle ground with them by making it a game.  They must hold your hand and walk at your same pace, or they lose the game.  If they break the rules of the game at any point, they must go directly in the stroller. Be sure to reward them with praise for following the rules.

Getting Out The Door

Many frustrated parents know the torture of trying desperately to get their little ones out the door only to be faced with some breakdown in the process.  A task which should take seconds can often take as much as half an hour because of their refusal to cooperate.

To speed up the process, give them the chance to help you lock the door from the outside once they’re dressed and ready to go.  You can give them your keys and help them learn how to put the key in and turn it.  It gives them the motivation to move faster and teaches them a useful skill at the same time.

Helping With Chores

When it comes to convincing toddlers to clean,  it’s like herding cats. This is where the magic of song comes into play.  Singing a song which accompanies whatever action you want them to do really works!

You can have a “clean up” song for putting their toys away.  Bringing their finished plates to the sink can have its own song about “clearing the table.”  

By making it a fun activity which comes across as celebratory and fun rather than obligatory and boring, you’ll get them to participate.

Getting Dressed

Getting dressed can often be one of the most frustrating activities with a toddler.  They want to wear their sleeveless princess dress and dress up heels outside in 25-degree weather and refuse to have it any other way.

You can convince them to put on whatever you choose them to wear by making it, you guessed it, a game.  Whether it’s “racing” to see who can put on their clothes first, or hiding the clothes and them having to find them, there are all sorts of ways that you can make getting dressed fun rather than oppressing their fine taste for fashion.