When a child says “help me please,” how can you resist? It feels so good to be able to give your child what he or she needs! But parents and caregivers should be aware that self-help skills are incredibly important for young children. Sometimes, adults don’t realize how capable children are. Toddlers can help put clean socks in a drawer. Tw
o year olds can help clean up a spill and help put on and take off clothing. Three years olds can thrown away their garbage and put on their own shoes (once you’ve loosened them). Here’s a great trick I’ve been using for years to help children recognize which shoe goes on which foot. They’re called “kissing dots!”
To make kissing dots, simply take a permanent marker and draw small dots on the inside sole of each shoe. When the shoes are placed on the floor next to each other, the dots should 
appear to be “kissing!” (Wow, it’s much harder to describe this than I anticipated.). Explain this idea to your child. If he lays his shoes on the floor and the dots are not kissing, they will not be on the right feet. Once your child has the shoes on, ask him “Are the dots kissing?“ With time, your child will be able to “check” on his or her own.
Stay tuned for more tips! As always, if you have questions, please get in touch.