This might be one of the simplest (and most overlooked) parenting tricks in the book. But it packs a real punch, for sure! If you're not already doing it, give it a try and see what happens. What am I talking about?

A routine and schedule. Yep. Kids thrive on it, especially when they are little. They like to know what to expect and when to expect it. Routines give them a sense of safety and security. Think about it. If you were a little person, not yet able to meet your own needs and just learning how to communicate effectively, wouldn't it put your mind at ease to know that your needs will always be met consistently? If you get a snack right after your nap, at 2:30, on some days and then have to wait longer on other days, you might become a little irritable or even go into full meltdown mode...you are hungry and don't know when, or even if, your food is coming!

Parents have most of the control when kids are little. Parents decide when to eat. Parents decide when to nap. They decide when to take a bath and when to go to bed. If there is a routine, though, kids feel less like they are being controlled (and that becomes SO important for many toddlers). The "argue with mom/fight with dad" circuits are bypassed because the routine creates an autopilot for the child's brain. You might even find that your child is reminding YOU that it's time to pick up toys before bed if that's part of the routine.