How to Foster Independence with Less Waste

• pouring can lead overfilling the glass and water all over the ground.
  
  
• self-serving food can result in your child putting way too much food on their plate.
  
  
• self-care (washing their body in the tub or brushing teeth) can lead to your child wasting toothpaste or body wash.

But there's one trick that can change that - offering small portions - especially at first.

1. Rather than offering the full jug of milk or water, pour a small amount into a pitcher, like any of these.  Ideally you don't offer more liquid than will fit into the container they're pouring into, i.e. don't put more water in the pitcher than will fill their glass.
2. Rather than offering a full bottle of shampoo or body wash, add a small amount to a travel size container. That way, even if they use it all, it's not wasteful.  Small bottles of hand soap and dish soap are great for children too.
3. Rather than offering the full bottle of ketchup, put a small amount into a squeeze container. My children are currently loving this set. You can also portion the food/snacks into smaller servings before putting out.

As your child gets stronger and more experienced, they can begin to use the full size containers.

But in the short term, we can set them up for success, build their confidence, AND limit our stress, through portion control.