Positive Discipline for Toddlers
Babies are so cute and cuddly when they are born. You just cannot imagine your bundle of joy ever doing anything that would require discipline or punishment. He gets a little older and his personality starts to shine, everything he does is funny and amusing. He grows from baby to toddler and things begin to change. Toddlers are interesting little people and they are developing skills and testing boundaries. They want to know just how far your are willing to allow them to go. Whether he is biting, hitting or not sitting still in a restaurant or writing on the walls, he wants to know what your limits are. It is very important that you show him what the boundaries are and that your expectations are real. Show him you are serious about consistency and when his behavior crosses the boundary there is a consequence. Expect that he will test you and perhaps throw a few fits until he sees that the boundaries are here to stay. Children respond to discipline differently so getting to know your child is vital. Here are some tips to positive discipline.
- Redirection – When your toddler is making a bad choice distract him. Quickly turn his attention to another activity that is more productive.
- Encourage child’s cooperation – Your child is more likely to respond to an easy, soft request rather than a demand. Just like adults, toddlers respond to words like “please’’ much better than stiff demands.
- Structure – Preplanning provides your child with a positive environment where the “no” almost disappears. Their little world becomes mostly a “yes” environment. This positive environment encourages desirable behavior choices.
- Positive attention – Hug your little one everyday and tell him you love him. Listen to your toddler. You want to be heard, so does your child. Spend time with your child everyday.
- Positive reinforcement – Look for the good choices your little one makes and reward him by telling him you are proud or happy instead of always picking out the bad things your child does.
The toddler stage can be challenging. Simple choices and positive discipline will help make the toddler years a little easier.
This has been a guest post by Robin Greene. Robin is a kindergarten teacher and a mom to two teenagers. Parenting can be a struggle on occasion, but Robin enjoys sharing her stories and advice with you through freelance writing for My Baby Clothes dot com. Fall has arrived and so have their darling baby clothes, baby hats and precious baby headbands.
