Tips For Encouraging Good Behavior In Your Toddler

Are you one of those parents that feels like a slave to your two year olds temper tantrums? Do you dread going to the grocery store for fear of drowning in the sea of toddler whining? Many parents of toddlers feel your pain. Toddlers can be a handful for parents-there is a reason we call it the terrible twos. Navigating the toddler years can be stressful, but it doesn\’t have to be if you understand both their behavior and how you can shape it in the right direction.

Toddlers are learning that they have a will of their own and a choice. They are discovering the world and are naturally curious about it. Since they do not yet have the maturity to control their impulses and reactions when things don\’t go their way, they often break down in sobs, screams, or whines when they are told no. This is normal and should not be alarming to parents. However, as parents it is your job to provide a safe, disciplined structure that will help them to develop into mature adults. Let\’s discuss a few ways you can manage your toddler\’s behavior and simultaneously set them on the path to healthy adulthood.

Giving your toddler options is a good way of keeping your toddler\’s behavior in check. When toddlers have small choices, it helps them feel that they have some control over their environment. Let your toddler make small choices about the clothes they want to wear or the toys they want to play with. However, don\’t let him or her make choices that will lead to picky habits, such as choosing food or bedtimes. If your toddler doesn\’t like the choices presented to him or her, then you make the final decision, which will show you toddler that making choices in life is a good thing but you can\’t always get exactly what you want.

Another good strategy for working with your toddler\’s behavior is to avoid rewarding it when it is bad. Don\’t indulge your toddler in their fits of anger or tears in public by bribing her with candy or presents or TV. Don\’t allow your toddler to hit your or others or continue to misbehave when they have already been told to stop. When you tell your toddler no and it upsets them, calmly explain your decision one time and then let your toddler cry it out. The more you pay attention to something, the more power it has-playing the part of the calm adult will actually soothe your toddler and give them an example of how to behave, so don\’t let yourself get worked up into screaming fits of rage-that is counter-productive and abusive.

Changing activities is difficult for toddlers and it can lead to misbehavior if it makes them angry. One way of avoiding the misbehavior that can accompany activity transitions is distraction. Distract your toddler during a transition by asking him or her questions or starting a conversation about a new topic. Maybe give him or her a book or ask him or her what kind of toys they like to play with. Making change a positive experience will help your toddler realize over time that change is a natural and healthy part of life.

Don\’t shame your toddler. No matter how upset your toddler is making you, you should never shame them or use verbally abusive language. Shaming leads to low-self esteem and low-self worth as an adult-it impedes healthy development. Make sure that your discipline or scolding are always done in love, or that you reinforce how much you love your toddler to them.

Watch what you are doing. Toddlers are sponges that soak up the behavior and influences around them. If you don\’t want your toddler to hit, curse, or engage in other nasty behavior, then don\’t do it yourself either. Monitor the way you act to help your toddler grow up in a positive environment.

The toddler years can be trying for parents, but if you have a good attitude and a well-thought out approach, then you don\’t have to fall under the control of your toddler bad behavior. Above all, toddlers need a safe, consistent, loving environment to mature into healthy adults, so make positivity and caring a hallmark of your home environment. This doesn\’t mean that you have to be a push-over-love means showing others just as much respect as you show yourself, so a loving environment is also an environment with discipline and boundaries if you construct your home in this way, you will ultimately find that your toddler\’s behavior is manageable.

Don\’t fall into the my toddler is driving me crazy trap, look for strategies instead. Get information about what you and your family need to do when your newborn has a cold.