One of my least favourite activities these days is changing my toddler’s diapers. I look back on the gooey, runny poohies of my once-an-infact with nostalgic fondness. There’s nothing I hate more than a poopie toddler squirming her way to get out of being horizontal, while digging her toes straight into the goo.
For the benefit of my nerves, I’ve tested out many an activity (aka distraction) to get my toddler to lie still, some to my amazement have actually worked. My top 3 winners are:
FAMILY BOARD : Create a place where your little one can look at (and most importantly, play with) pictures of people in her family. Take a bulletin board (best to use the ones with ribbons so you don’t have to deal with the dangers of pushpins) and place it just above where you change your toddler. Cut out photos of each of her family members and attach a sticker with their name & title (i.e. Aunt, Cousin) on it. When you go to change a diaper, have her select which member(s) she would like to hold/play with today (be patient, my toddler usually takes 5 mins to find the one she wants) while you get the job done. Not only does this help her associate names/words with her family, but in a day when everyone seems to have most of their relatives in different states or countries, it helps to remind them that they are loved by many, even people far away. If the lying down position is still a struggle, have her stand while you attend to the task and select the relatives herself.
HAT RACK: Install a small hatrack or shelf just above where you change diapers. When you lie your child down for a changing, put on a hat and make a silly face. Change up the hats and play peek-a-boo with them. Try adding glasses, maybe a scarf… Have her take them off you and play with them. I pretend to be characters each with a different voice that each hat represents. Go crazy with it until you elicit a giggle!
LET THE WIND BLOW: Place a small table fan in arms reach of where you change your toddler (preferably on a shelf just above them). Just after you lie them down, turn on the fan, letting it blow a gentle wind on their face. This will usually startle them enough to put a stop to the tantrum for a moment, so you can then hand them a toy, sing them a song or play “Where’s my nose?”. Turn the fan off when you are undressing them, so as to not let them get cold. After clothes are back on, I usually turn it on once more as she’s waiting to see it again and feel the wind.
Good luck!
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