Are you in the throes of the “terrible twos”, or did you just find out that really it’s the threes that will test your mettle as a parent?

Your sweet child has started to have a mind of his or her own. And you’ve read the advice on what to do when the tantrum starts--redirect, ignore, offer a time out to calm down. With anything, the best medicine is prevention. How can you tame the tantrums before they start?

The Time Timer ®  PLUS can help you create, and keep, a routine that works.

Parenting preschoolers means occasionally (or often)  letting go of some of our own expectations of what we can do on a given day: shower, exercise, vacuuming. Since we’re adults, we can adapt (That’s why they call it #adulting). But our kids still need routine to help them know what to expect and when to expect it, before they lose their cool.

Establishing a routine that works

From naptimes to mealtimes, creating a routine can help your child cope and prevent unnecessary tantrums as she comes to expect activities at regular intervals. Use the Time Timer to help stay on track with her schedule and yours.  That way you know it’s time to put down the Pigeon book before she’s too hungry, or when to close Instagram and do laundry before she wakes up!

Easing the transitions

Keeping a routine is easier when your child knows what to expect and when. A visual timer helps him see how much time is remaining before Daniel the Tiger is over and he needs to eat lunch, or before he needs to put the Lego bricks away so you can get brother off the bus.  The PLUS’s rugged carrying case allows you to take it to wherever you go. Little ones can help you carry it, too!

Reminding him of the time remaining and referring to the visual timer will not only help him ease into the next activity, but also begin to learn the concept of elapsed time.