Fostering Independence

My guest blogger this time is Ms. Kelsey Meyers from Austin Texas

Four ways to make your bathroom a place kids want to be

By Ty Schmidt

There’s only so much you can learn from the Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood jingles about brushing your teeth and stopping to go potty right away. Sure, the mind of a toddler is hard-wired to pick up concepts more efficiently when they are attached to a catchy tune, but that’s just the first step toward making positive behaviors stick. The second can’t be taught by a television or a tablet. It needs to be practiced and reinforced in the home.

While a good song may lay a solid foundation for parents to draw upon, putting those well-intentioned lyrics into action requires more than a good singing voice. It requires patience, planning and commitment from parents. One way to make things easier is to find methods of fostering independence doing everyday tasks by working with the space at hand to make it one that encourages understanding as well as cognitive growth and development.

A good place to start is the bathroom, where there is a lot you can do to help your tot learn to tend to and care for the simplest and simultaneously some of the most important components of personal hygiene.

Many parents know there is a fine line between indulging too much and not enough in the life of a small child. (Temper tantrums anyone?) But there are ways (big and small) to integrate kid-friendly design elements into any bathroom to make it a more comfortable space for the little ones. Here are a few of our favorites:

First things first. One of the most important developmental milestones for children and parents to overcome is potty training. Making that process as pain free as possible is easier for some families than others, which is to be expected and completely normal. But there are things, like a proper potty step stool, that can make the process a bit more bearable.

Wash your hands. Being able to reach the sink may pose another challenge for younger children, which makes having a stool (which can be the same as the one you use for getting to the toilet, but doesn’t have to be) accessible invaluable to the cleanly-minded child. Beyond that, there are accessories you can purchase for your faucet that extend the water to a kid-friendly distance, as well as creative ways to make your own at home.

Go bold. Assuming you don’t already have an unspoken connection to the subtle spa-like hues in your bathroom, make it a space your children are likely to feel connected to instead. Think bright and vibrant primary colors on the walls, as well as complimentary accents throughout. This is the place to embrace your inner child. Always wanted a Minnie Mouse-themed bathroom? Now is your chance!

                                          Via Furni Kidz

Take it down. Frustration is one of the most common spark plugs for a tantrum, and therefore is something to be avoided at all costs in the bathroom. Help make it a bit more toddler-ific by bringing necessities, like towels and washcloths, down to their level. Be careful with things like soaps and scrubs, though, at least while the kids are younger.

                                          Via Pop Sugar

Life’s little reminders. There can never be too many. Remember, the bathroom is a place you want your child to feel collected and comfortable, but that doesn’t mean letting things go. Integrating little reminders into the décor can help little minds recall the next step in their bathroom process (like washing their hands, for example).

Ty writes about all things home décor for Modernize.com.  Modernize is where you come to get inspired, see what's possible, and connect with a professional who will make your dream home a reality.