by Laura Falin posted in Life

Those of us who have parented a preschooler have been there at some point. You're at the playground, it's time to go, you give them the five-minute warning, and when you actually try to leave...there is wailing and crying and gnashing of teeth. They may throw themselves prostrate on the ground. You may end up hauling a child to the car while they alternate between going limp and thrashing violently and you may swear to them that the next time you take them to the park will be when they're 23.
No" Just me"
There's a reason we call preschoolers "threenagers" -- they're going through some of the same stuff at both points in their life. They're trying to figure out how to be independent and do what they want to do...while still needing you to set boundaries and help them. I like to think of it as the "Go away and leave me alone, Mom...wait, where are you going" Come back! I need youuuuu!!" phase.
So. To help you survive without losing your own mind, here are a few tips -- starting, of course, with the playground.
1. How to leave the playground without a meltdown.
I love this suggestion from Mama Instincts for getting your child ready to leave the park (or the library, or the zoo, or anywhere else). Preschoolers don't really have a concept of time. Heck, without my cell phone, I don't either. So instead of giving them a warning based on how much time they have left, give them one based on how many things they ge...