Toddlers can make life a lot of fun, but they certainly don't make it easier to get things done. If you have a toddler, chances are that doing things take longer, everything gets stickier and everyday activities make you more tired than you would have believed possible. Try the following challenges and see how your toddler experience weighs up;
- Pee on your own
The challenge – go to the bathroom on your own, lock the door and take your time (you know, like you used to do every time before you became a parent)… no cheating, your toddler must not be restrained somewhere, asleep or at their grandma's. How long can you spend in the bathroom before you hear those little footsteps seeking you out? If you even manage to get into the bathroom alone, ward yourself some merit points.
- Drink a hot drink
Caffeine becomes a lot more important when you have children, a cuppa used to be just a drink; sure, it helped with a hangover and made it easier to get out to work after a late night but it didn't feel quite so essential as it does when you have a toddler. So, this challenge is about drinking a coffee or tea (or herbal concoction if you prefer) when it is still piping hot. Chances are, as soon as you make it, you will realise that your toddler needs a nappy change or has escaped. When you return (after a nappy change that may have turned into a bath, followed by a story, followed by a snack, then the phone rang…) your hot drink is stone cold. You can try again or drink it cold. When you finally do get a hot drink it tastes unrecognisable!
- Remain clean and wrinkle-free
Put a clean outfit on, one that has been laundered, ironed and carefully chosen for a special occasion (if you want an added challenge choose a crisp white shirt) and then spend some time in the same room as a toddler. Even if you don't feed them, hug them or get the finger-paints out, somehow toddler seems to transmit mess, and you won't realise until you are halfway to your destination that you have a strange smear or handprint on you to remind you of them. Mysterious yogurt in your hair, glitter in your eyebrows, melted chocolate on your chin – it isn't just your clothes that suffer. Get in the habit of looking in the mirror before job interviews or weddings… for all other occasions a quick baby-wipe should do the trick.
- Stay awake through kids' movies
No matter how good the animation is, how catchy the soundtrack is or how much you want to share the experience of watching a treasured family film with your toddler, getting through the first scene without falling asleep is tricky. The combination of sitting down, being squashed by a toddler who does their very best to suffocate you and the immense heat they can generate can make you very, very sleepy. Some sensible part of you knows you need to stay awake so you can spend an hour nodding your head, having half-awake dreams about the characters in the film and murmuring things that hopefully answer your toddlers questions, such as "mmmmm" and the ever helpful, "oh very good!"
- Get somewhere on time
Before you go anywhere, pack everything your toddler owns and might need, change their clothes three times, do two nappy changes or attempts at potty training, change your own clothes, find two matching shoes, wash everyone's face, fish the car keys out from the back of the sofa and then battle the twisted straps of the car seat until you are finally in the car. Another quick trip to the toilet, a spilled juice drink and you're off. Turn back to pick up your mobile phone. How many minutes late are you? If you have given up and changed your plans to tomorrow then go back inside and attempt the hot drink challenge, but if you are less than 30 minutes late you are a parenting genius. If you are on time, you either got up way too early or you are lying.
Source : articlesbase.com
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