How a Timer Can Help Your Kids

When I was in primary school, I realized how important a timer could prove to be for classrooms. It wasn't too long after I became a mother that I saw how beneficial it could be to have a timer within the classroom. It was a visual timer which a kindergarten teacher employed for her students. It took me a while to find the correct one. Amazon helped me get it just 6 months ago. This helped me save my life.

I also gave an item to my sister to use with her three-year old son. It's a fantastic product that they enjoy as much as us. I'm just trying to showcase a product I believe that every parent (or caregiver) of a child in the early years can truly be benefited from.

While any timer can be employed in the classroom and at home in various ways, I really like this particular one timer live. It shows little ones the amount of time left because they don't have a concept of time. It shows more red if there's too much time left. If it is only an insignificant amount of time, it shows less red. Genius!

It has a loud beep that shuts down automatically when it has sounded at least. You can also turn off the audio off if you prefer. This timer comes with "feet" allowing the user to place it on its feet on any flat surface. (We shift it from room to place around the house , based on the needs.) It is also possible to place it on the wall. It only requires one AA battery which appears to last for a long time. It is so easy to use, I usually let my three year old daughter operate it. Find out more here: https://timer.live/

Here are a few ways this timer helps me get through my day.

Nap time

My 3 year old daughter is having a hard time sleeping recently, but if I tell her to set the alarm for 45 minutes, and she must stay in bed until the timer goes off, she's ok to do that since she knows that it's only temporary and has an expiration time. I ensure she switches off the alarm and she goes to sleep within a matter of minutes when the timer is over. If she doesn't sleep, at least she got 45 minutes of rest time.

Play time

My daughter Pooky is my only child. She is begging me to spend as many hours with her as possible. Although I enjoy spending time with Pooky however, I must take care of other things as well. It was helpful to realize that Pooky is willing to accept that time is up after playing for 15 minutes.

Rest time:

Mommy and daughter often need to rest So we set the alarm and take a quiet moment until it goes off.

Make sure you clean after every use.

My daughter spends a lot of time picking up toys without a timer. The timer somehow helps her concentrate more on the task at hand, and it transforms into an effort to beat the clock. If I think she's not going to finish on time, I might include timer countdown time or assist her finish before the buzzer goes off.

TV/Device time:

Pooky like many children likes playing using apps and watching videos. To make sure she doesn't spend too much time on this it is set to a timer. She ceases to argue when it's over. I try to keep it as short as possible (about 25 minutes).

The time off from work is for vacation.

If I have a deadline and my daughter insists on playing with me, I set the timer to 30 minutes. I inform my daughter that she can play on her own and I'll work until the timer goes off. It is working! I get uninterrupted time, and since I know the clock is running I stay focused on my work.

Potty time:

When we were potty training, my daughter went through a phase of wanting to get off the potty when I placed her in it. I began using the timer to inform her that she needed to stay on the potty for at a minimum of a few minutes.

Time to sleep:

This is yet another period of our lives which would cause us a lot of trouble. With this timer, our evenings run more smoothly. Once it's getting close to the time when we begin our bedtime routine, the timer will be set for approximately 15 minutes. Then she is free to listen to whatever music she wants until the time runs out. She may be depressed about going to sleep, but she won't dispute the buzzer. Watching the red disk disappear on the clock face will help her anticipate the next thing that's to come.

Adventure time:

If my daughter is aware that we're headed to an exciting place and asks repeatedly when it's the right time to leave yet I set the timer so she knows the remaining time before we will leave the house. This only works for an hour prior to leaving and it allows us to have peace. She'll be entertained and will not nag me about leaving. She will check the timer frequently.