Surviving the Toddler Years With Your Sanity Intact

Let's face it: Surviving the toddler years isn't always easy. Here are some tips on how to not just survive, but thrive through these challenging years.

It was two against one, and there was no way I was going to win this battle.

They were lighter, faster and it appeared they were working together to make sure that every ounce of energy I had was drained by the day's end.

I should have known then that they were destined to be best friends.

The odds should have been in my favor.

Collectively, they weighed less than 45 pounds.

They were both under two.

Yet, they were still declaring victory on a daily basis against this thirty-something Mama. Because, boy could those two move.

My little weapons of mass destruction knew how to push my buttons, and there were many, many days where I questioned my ability to stay sane.

It is easy to look back and laugh at it all now that my guys are tweens and their toddler years are far behind us.

I can chuckle at The Time That Duct Tape Saved Me, the years of exhaustion, endless streams of laundry, stepping on blocks in the middle of the night and general chaos. I can even laugh at the tension I used to feel anticipating that one of them was about to lose it in public.

I will say that without question, Skye's toddler years were more comfortable for me.

I was older, wiser and had more perspective when things got crazy.

Here are my Top Tips for Surviving the Toddler Years With Your Sanity in Tact

Learn to Laugh

There is one thing I can promise you - that sweet baby that not so long ago wanted you to hold them all day long is going to push every button you have when they turn into a toddler.

Here's the thing: they are also going to feed off of your energy.

To this day, my firstborn is still high strung because I was high strung as a first-time Mom. Learn from my mistake.

This time, this crazy toddler time is going to be gone in a blink. So even when they are drawing on the walls, dumping out sugar and painting their little brother with chocolate syrup, laugh. Maybe not visibility to affirm the behavior, but inside let yourself see the humor in the situation.

With Skye, I would always picture a grown up engaging in the same behavior. (Like you see in videos online.) It helped me realize that it wasn't going to always be like this. Then I would take a deep breath and deal with the situation, sans emotion.

Make it Easy On Yourself

Momming is never easy and never is this truer than the toddler years. Your patience and sanity are being tested.

Every. Single. Day.

This is time to make things easy on yourself.

Don't try to be Mom-of-The-Year and prove to yourself that you can manage a tired toddler on a hunger strike through three hours of errands.

This is the time to limit your errands by stocking up.

At four there are days where Skye still isn't feeling the errands. That is one reason why I love Sam's Club pickup. You can place your order on samclub.com and have everything waiting for you when you arrive at the club. You don't even have to get out of the car - which is perfect for when your little darling has finally fallen asleep.

We used Pampers Cruisers for all three of our kids. They fit better than Huggies and don't sag like ordinary diapers, so baby can move more freely. They are the best fit and dryness for babies on the move. (Plus, the boxes make super-fun toys.)

Savings Alert: If you shop at Sam's Club or samsclub.com before October 31 you will get an instant savings of $8. Plus, get free shipping or Club Pickup (where available) when you buy two packages of Pampers diapers. (No coupon needed, savings are automatically calculated when you check out at the register in-club, on samclub.com or with the Scan & Go app.)

Speaking of the Scan & Go app, that is something every Mom needs. (You can get it on Apple and Android.)

Some days everyone NEED'S to get out, but when baby has had enough, nothing is better being able to skip the checkout tine. With the Scan & Go app, you can scan items on your phone as you shop and check out with the app. The receipt will appear right on your phone. Of course, you can always shop online for Pampers Cruiser sat SamsClub.com.

Rethink Your Home Environment

I had children later than my friends, and one thing a friend told me that stuck with me was that there would be plenty of time to have a perfect home, but only one time to enjoy kids when they were little.

Repeat after me folks. Sharpies and Toddlers are a bad mix. I learned this the hard way, and as much as I love my sharpies, I had to put them up for a few years.

That white couch you have been saving for? Not a good idea. Same for the ceramic vase you got for your wedding. Store it safe in a cabinet where stray balls can do no harm. Because even if you have a no balls in the house rule, one day you are going to go to the grocery store and your husband will be in charge.

The more you can do to create an environment that is not only safe but one that is hard for your little one on the move to mess up, the easier your life will be on a daily basis.

Get Help

I resisted this one for such a long time. I wasn't working when the boys were little and felt like if I had help, I was somehow failing as a mom. It took a major meltdown to make me realize that spending my days with a one and two-year-old with no relief was robbing me of my sanity.

It is amazing what something as simple as having a neighboorhood teen come over for a few hours while you take a shower and curl up with a good book can do to help you recharge.

You don't even HAVE to leave the house.

It took me a while to find someone I felt comfortable with enough to leave both boys with and leave the house (As I said, they were a handful), but once I did the ability to go out by myself for a few hours a week was life-changing.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine.

Surviving the Toddler Years With Your Sanity Intact