Here are a few things parents can do to reduce their stress.

Stress Busters for Parents:

• Make sure your children are rested and well fed before leaving the house. Children tend to misbehave more when they are hungry and tired.
• Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning. This makes morning mishaps less stressful.
• Prepare for the morning the night before.  Set the breakfast table, make lunches, get the diaper bag ready, put out the clothes you plan to wear, have your shower at night before bed rather than in the morning.
• Don’t rely on your memory.  Write down appointment times, when library books are due, etc.
• Be prepared to wait.  Bring books, puzzles or toys for your child to play with. Sing and tell your child rhymes or stories while waiting in lines.
• Don’t procrastinate. It can be stressful leaving things until the last minute.
• Relax your standards. The world won’t end if the grass doesn’t get cut or the floor doesn’t get vacuumed today.
• Choose your battles. Remember a lot of what your child is doing is normal, e.g. being picky when eating, having accidents during toilet learning, etc.
• Create order. Organize your home so you always know where things are.  Purchase storage boxes for your children's toys.
• Teach them to pull out one box, play with the contents and put away those toys before another box is taken out.
• Educate yourself with the latest teachings on child raising.
• Learn to live one day at a time. Worry doesn’t accomplish anything.
• Look after yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself no one else will.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit offers a free 2-hour workshop on Stress Management for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers Information Session. Check the Events section for detail of other parenting workshops offered for parets with toddlers and preschoolers.

Links:

http://www.investinkids.ca