A Small Sample Of Things My Toddler Thinks He Can Do By Himself!

The following is written in a real mom’s own words. This is an outlet for parents who would like to share their stories, in the hope that others will connect and find support. If you have a story you’d like to share, please message us on Facebook or email us at bianca@momof11kids.com.

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My toddler thinks he’s ten. At least.

It’s adorable, but super frustrating, because he won’t let me help him with anything.

So, today’s post: A Small Sample Of Things My Toddler Thinks He Can Do By Himself!

#1: Change his own diaper. But actually. If I allowed him, my 18 month-old son would remove his dirty diaper, skip wiping (because really, who needs that step?), and just hold a clean diaper in place indefinitely. It is a battle to change that kid’s diaper.

#2: Vacuum and sweep. The second the broom or the vacuum come out, he is there. I need three brooms—one for each of his hands, and one for me. He is pretty good with the vacuum though, so I’m not complaining.

#3: Brush his own teeth. Now, this actually includes the entire process—opening the cabinet, removing the toothbrush, holding it while I put on the toothpaste (I’m still good for something!), wetting it, “brushing”, rinsing the toothbrush and his mouth, putting the toothbrush back in the cabinet, closing the door, and turning off the bathroom light. What if, to save time, I try to help in any non-sanctioned way? FULL. BLOWN. TANTRUM. And the toothbrush gets thrown on the bathroom floor, which is gross.

#4: Stairs. All the stairs, up or down, with no help. Sometimes while holding things. Streets, too. Consequence of helping? See above. Basically, I spend a lot of time trying to maintain my grip on a furious 18 month-old. Please send help.

#5: Pour liquid into cups, and then clean up the mess with a towel. It’s actually super cute, he often pushes the towel around with his toe, just like his mommy!

#6: Do laundry. Which is why my laundry seems to go from basket to floor to basket to floor. Because that is what he thinks doing laundry means, and I am no match for his laundry skills.

There are more, but I’m getting stressed thinking about how much laundry I have to do, so I am going to cut this one short. How does your toddler exert his independence? Let us know in the comments!

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