The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

“Today was a great day. You helped water the
flowers … and said ‘Hi!’ to the mailman … then we held
hands and went to Jack’s house.
“And look, you got so many hand checks.
One … two … three! Three checks. Do you remember
what they were for? This one was for using the potty all
by yourself. Oh, and this one was when you carried the
mail for Mommy! And this one was for coming to the bath
superfast when I called you … remember?
“Hey, you know what I also really liked about today?
When you helped Jack put away all the blocks so fast, I
was so amazed, you made my heart zoom up like a big
balloon!
“Tomorrow could be fun too. You know, I wouldn’t be
surprised if Grandma shows you her watering can.… I bet
you’ll show her what a fast picker-upper you are too!”
Pack Loads of Fun into a Little Time: Special Time
Despite the many hours of time we give our kids, they often bug us the
moment we start to make dinner or answer the phone. It’s as if they’re
thinking, Well, what have you done for me lately?
Toddlers don’t mean to be unfair. It’s just that they live in the “now”
and quickly forget the “before.” But there’s an easy, fun way to help
your child remember and appreciate your time together: special time.
What It Is:
Special time is a little gift of five to ten minutes of your

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undivided attention. No phone calls or baby brothers allowed! Special
time feeds your child’s meter with a tasty little helping of the “you-you-
you” he’s so hungry for.
Best Used For:
Toddlers two years old and up.
How to Do It:
• Make special time a routine. Set aside one or two short
periods every day to give your child a bit of fun. If you can, do it
at the same time every day.
• “Promote and advertise.” Kids appreciate special time even
more when you stoke their anticipation and excitement. A few
times a day, announce that special time is coming. “Pretty soon
it’s going to be special time. What fun things should we do
today?” Let your tot overhear you gossiping about special time
to his toys.
• Kids get to choose. Special time is fun because your child gets
to choose the activity. If you need to, give prompts: “Ooh! Do
you think we will paint or have a tea party this time?” You
might read, draw, dance, hunt bugs, or have a “snowball” fight
with crumpled pieces of paper. (If he wants TV, gently say, “You
love TV, but TV isn’t special time. Let’s think of some fun things
we can do together.”)
• Have a clear beginning and end. This nugget of fun-time
works best when you keep it short (about five minutes … set a
timer). Start each session with a peppy little jingle: “It’s Tony’s
special time! Special, special … special time!” And wind it up
with a nice little ritual that you repeat every time. (For instance,
say “Bye-bye, special time. See you later!” Then give a little
special-time hug.)
If your child demands more time, you could give an extra
minute, or you might just say, “Aww … I’m so sorry, honey. You
love … love … love your special time.… It’s really fun. But you
know what? You get another special time later on [or
tomorrow].” Then distract him and busy yourself with something

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else.
Think of your beginning song and ending hug as the gift wrap for this
nugget of extra fun. It marks this time as a really special treat!