8 ways to help children who struggle with basic daily habits like brushing their teeth and getting dressed!

Learning basic life habits like brushing your teeth or getting dressed, or even self-help skills, can be challenging. Children may resist, throwing tantrums for various reasons.

In these situations, some parents may do it for their children, thinking they'll do it eventually. However, if children don't practice these basic habits and become increasingly dependent on others, it can ultimately lead to even greater stress for both parents and children in the long run.

So today, I'd like to share some helpful tips to help you overcome these difficult moments.

Since children may avoid and resist for different reasons, it would be better to use a method that suits your child's developmental level, personality, and situation!

1. Praise and encourage even small successes.

Praise and encouragement : Even if they don't do it perfectly the first time, give immediate and specific praise for even the smallest effort. For example, try saying something like, "Wow, you handed me the clothes! Thank you!"

- Use rewards : Create a reward system your child enjoys to motivate them. This can be as simple as stickers or increasing time spent on a specific activity.

Provide success experiences : Help your child complete tasks appropriate to their abilities, giving them a sense of accomplishment. Small successes build up, encouraging them to take on bigger challenges.

2. Give children choices.

Provide choices : Reduce resistance by letting your child choose the clothes they want (in their favorite shape, color, or material) or the character, size, or color of their toothbrush. For example, if your child is very stubborn about sleeping in clothes, you can start by offering them the option of sleeping in just their underwear and practice that first.

Respect self-initiative : Give your child ample time to try things on their own. It's okay if they make mistakes, and as mentioned in #1, praise them even for small attempts and small successes!

- Individualized goal setting : Your child may need customized goals that are tailored to their current developmental level and interests.

3. Start small and take small steps.

Step-by-step practice : For example, brushing teeth can be divided into 10 steps. Practice them one at a time, breaking them down into smaller steps. For example, if your child can do 4 steps on their own, have them practice 5 steps on their own, and have the adult quickly guide them through the rest! Give them opportunities to do even the smallest steps on their own, and practice consistently every day.

- Difficulty adjustment : Of course, after dividing the levels, start practicing from the easy levels and gradually move on to the more difficult levels!

- Sufficient practice opportunities : Your child may have particular difficulty with certain areas. This could be due to their heightened sensitivity or simply difficulty. Provide your child with sufficient time and opportunities to practice each step.

4. Adapt the environment and equipment to your child.

Consider your child's senses : My daughter, who is entering elementary school, is extremely sensitive to heat and touch, and sometimes insists on not wearing pajamas to bed in the summer. In this case, you can focus on choosing pajamas made of materials your child likes or on making your child's sleeping environment more comfortable.

- Choose the right utensils for your child : When eating, use spoons with thicker handles or buttons that are easy to open and close to reduce difficulties for your child.

5. If you can make it like a game, it will be fun and enjoyable!

- Gamification : If possible, try making the practice into a fun game. For example, if your child hates washing their hands, you could create a lot of bubbles and play a game called "Exploring the Bubble Soap."

- Use of toys : It is good to learn naturally by using dolls or toys of characters that your child likes and engaging in role-playing related activities.

- Use songs or videos : Handwashing, getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc. There are so many fun and great videos these days! Show the video right before the activity your child is resisting and discuss the steps together. If your child has a favorite song, you can sing it while doing the activity!

6. A little bit every day, consistently!

- Routine : Establish a routine that feels like a natural part of daily life. A predictable, regular routine can reduce children's resistance.

- Utilizing time between activities : You can also use the time between your child's favorite activities to practice briefly. For example, practicing using the toilet can be done even in the middle of the day, so it's a good idea to practice a little bit every day.

7. Stay flexible.

- Give yourself time to rest : It's okay to take a break when you need it. You can always try again. This is something you'll have to do every day for the rest of your life!

- Goal adjustment : It is important to flexibly modify goals or approaches based on the child's response.

 

Many children, for a variety of reasons, dislike practicing basic life habits or self-help skills. But they can't avoid them forever.

Please consider how you can make this activity more enjoyable for your child and choose a more customized method that takes into account your child's characteristics and preferences.

This is where patience and consistency are most crucial, so I recommend thinking of it as a long-term endeavor and practicing a little bit every day! Thank you for reading today :)

 

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