Heard something about multitasking? Women who do a bunch of homework, work and raise children every day are well aware of what it is all about. They plan their own businesses, find time for self-development and hobbies; however, educating and developing a toddler is the most important thing for them. Olena Krivosheeva, mother of little Mark, works at Zhytomyr Cardboard Plant LLC as a manager of foreign economic activity. Here are her lifehacks for those who want to raise a healthy child

Tip 1 A Baby will repeat what he or she sees at home

The child will repeat what she saw at home. When one thinks that a little one will go to school or kindergarten and learn everything there is good and bad, then this is only a partial truth. Yes, she does take something from outside of everywhere, but the baby will still return to the example at home before his eyes. In my childhood sister and I had an example of an older brother who played sports, went to triathlon, and we are already after him on a roll. We did not particularly choose: we started swimming for health. And although great achievements, career advancements or sports peaks, no one initially expected, but later everything turned into professional pursuits. My son loves to swim, but he also loves to play ball, so we plan to play football in the spring. At first we came to the Spartacus stadium, walked, watched the guys play, he watched, and now he says, «I want that too.»

Tip 2 Create your own stories

I practice yoga. Mark also loves to do this with me: he pulls out a mat, repeats it for me, turns on the video tutorial, asks if he is doing the right thing. We even pick a rug at each other – this is our morning story. Only a personal example can teach a child to a healthy lifestyle. There are so many different techniques available now, but if you do the opposite, then the child has no need to speak. Work out common habits, morning or evening, to spend time together.

Tip 3 Handmade flavors are useful and delicious

I’m not forcing my son to eat. I understand that he should eat the conditional daily rate of macro-micro elements, but I know that he has a «biological intuition»: if he doesn’t want to eat, he doesn’t have to. I myself will not forcefully stuff myself with food unless I want to. For what? So at the moment I don’t need it – there is enough energy. The son is allergic, and after consulting with a dermatologist, has chosen ways to heal without medication. The first is a clear algorithm for eating behavior: to eliminate as much as possible imported and processed products, including fruits. We are trying to consume only what is growing in our area. I always have something to crunch on the table – carrots, apples, dried apricots to taste. The second is hardening. Micro-stresses for the body are useful: boost immunity and take the gene under control. Whatever the predisposition to disease, the cultivation of immunity promotes healing in general. Although I love heat very much, I like the same microstress. Let’s be honest: if I don’t do it myself, how can I teach a child? I pour his feet with cool water, and I take a cold shower. At home I also try to maintain low temperatures and optimal humidity. My son doesn’t know what fast food is, he almost never consumes chocolate, he doesn’t have access to candy. Instead, handmade delicacies are useful and delicious. I make marmalade myself – the same Gummy Bears, only natural.The recipe is very simple: one or two teaspoons of water, a jar of baby puree for the first feed and a little gelatin are mixed and exposed to the cold. No sugar added, by the way. There will be no problem even if it is not very frozen: you can eat with a spoon.

Tip 4 The child does not have to deal with «adult» problem

I work in full time mode. When I come home from work, I want to have a little rest, and preferably in silence. However, I understand that all day I have not seen a son who wants communication, my attention, he wants to play with me. Playing with your baby is always about fantasy, about «coming up with something». And no matter how tired I am, I remember that all the unpleasantness, which in my life is actually considered simply an nuisance, is now a great event in his childhood. And my baby’s childhood is one. I am sure that when the mother is resourceful, the quality of communication with the child is different than when everything under the slogan «I have, I want to have it to.» When I realize that I am very tired, I begin to work on my child to «adult» problems has no relation. – not my option. I’m not just not letting my son do something – I’m trying to explain why I’m doing this, I’m building a cause and effect chain for a child: «If you do this, it will be this way, and it is bad, because … let’s think about how to do better.» We, the adults, understand why something cannot be done, and a child can often not understand communication simply because of lack of experience. For example, when I saw a son tear off a page in a book I read when I was a kid, I was very angry. But I explained to him, part of my childhood, my memory. Forbid the child without explaining what this book is – he will understand that books cannot be torn at all. I explained, and then we agreed on how we would treat the books further.Yes, it’s not easy to do it, but I’m trying. It is always necessary to explain the expediency. «Learn English,» parents say. And why? Especially when the parents themselves do not teach her or set an example … Need to explain. And in 90% of cases, we treat our children the same way we did when we were in our childhood. So I try to change this pattern and let the baby do what I was never allowed to do.

Tip 5 Give freedom of choice

I do not accept the phrase « want or no, but you have to». One day I caught myself saying that I started talking to my baby. Now I’m trying to find the words. I also do not support theories that say that the child should be forced to do something, for example, to teach a bunch of poems by heart or numbers and letters for three years. I was interested in the work of child psychologists, whom I trust, and realized that I would not be able to teach a child for six years. He wants and will be interested – we have everything we need for this.
We have to watch where the baby goes, his fantasies. Mark composed the song himself, then meditates on something important out loud, and these childish reflections, wise and interesting, enable me to realize serious things about myself, to learn patience, unconditional acceptance. Right now, I don’t really understand who he wants to become when he grows up. How to give the child basic values, me, the main vector of development and the widest possible range of options for choosing their own path.