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Toddler Tornadoes
Making a Mess or Exploring and Learning? By Dawn Colclasure
Accommodating the mess-causing impulses of toddlers is a key point in dealing with the messes. Parents should try to keep their valuables such as glass objects and fragile heirlooms up high and away where a toddler won't be able to reach them. They can also try to keep their home scantily furnished, with only a few items that toddlers are prone to fiddle with and only a few unbreakable objects placed on low shelves.
Also, try working constructively with your toddler when he starts to make a mess. "You can pick one or two messes that are not acceptable like pulling books off shelves and when your child begins to do this, say 'no,' and steer him to something else," Spencer says. "You have to catch them doing it, though, or they won't necessarily associate the books on the ground an hour later with their own actions."
And don't forget patience is a must. "Just because you tell a toddler once not to do something, they won't remember," Spencer says. "They learn through repetition."
Another option, suggests Spencer, is to clean as you go. "Try doing periodic sweeps, such as before you make the transition to lunch and at the end of the day," she says. "Make a game of it."
In the end, Spencer reminds all parents that, though this may be a trying stage, it is one that helps a toddler learn and grow. "In the big scheme of things, it's exasperating but not a real problem," she says. "Don't be hard on your child for doing something that is in fact wonderful exploring, being curious and learning.