PARENTING TIPS
In case you have a toddler at home, you must be aware of the challenges you go through while dealing with them. It is not easy to deal with a toddler as they are still in their initial phase of grasping things. They are extremely curious and obstinate, and it is this obstinance that most often than not becomes the biggest challenge accepted and dealt with by any parent who has a toddler.
This is the age at which our toddlers begin to exercise their agency of freedom and they do not like any intrusion while they are at ( even it is by their parents). It is extremely important to understand what is it that causes this behavior in order to find solutions to it. These years may seem very light and unimportant but they are highly crucial in terms of your child finding the base to their personality and most importantly, their character .
So today let us find out what is it that we must do as parents to bring a constructive change in our toddlers’ behaviors and make them balanced human beings as they grow older
1. Learn to take ‘No’ as an answer!
Toddlers as we said in the beginning can be outright obstinate sometimes . This means they won’t hesitate saying a No to our request no matter how polite it is. But then this is where the trick of the situation lies and we must catch it before it’ s too late. Our toddlers sometimes want to assert their independence onto the adults around them and it is completely normal to hear a No in that process.
Accept this aspect of their behavior and don’t overreact when they don’t listen to you. Calmly repeat your request and ensure a friendly and co-operative tone while you’re at it.
2. Encourage your toddler to express themselves.
There are times when the kids may seem over aggressive or even upset about something though we may not know the triggering factor. In such situation, it is advisable to calm them down first and then initiate a friendly conversation, trying to find out this inevident triggering factor.
No situation can ever have an ideal solution to it unless there is clear communication between the toddlers and their parents . Ensure to initiate a conversation that makes the child comfortable enough to share their feelings with you.
3. Have a balance of both punishment and reward
While a toddler awaits appreciation from their parents, they also must be in sync with the flip-side of it- punishment . Now the term punishment here does not connote aggression or even violence in any remote manner. The term punishment here only signifies logical consequences of a child’s actions that they must notably aware of but also be nervous about. The nervousness is healthy and helps them be disciplined in their choice, knowing something negative might await their way if they misbehave.
It could be a mild conversation about mot repeating a particular mistake, or even taking away their favorite toys; basically anything that instills a healthy nervousness in the child.
4. Encourage the child to make their own decisions.
Contrary to popular opinion that children are dependent on their parents for everything, they actually have some very stark choices in life be it in terms of colors, shapes, songs or even movies.
Hence one sure shot way to keep a child happy in life is to understand their choices through clear communication and implement this understanding by letting them pick their daily essentials themselves. This not only encourages them to be confident about their choices in life but also gives them and their identity a feeling of acceptance by the world.
5. Give a time-out!
It is very important for a child to understand their limits, though this understanding has to be inculcated politely. The moment we feel our toddlers are not listening to us, we must switch to a stern face and ensure they understand the message clearly by an indicative time-out.
This time-out though must not exceed its limits and be within a decorum of positivity.
6. Give two options with the same outcome.
This is one of the simplest tips for parenting through difficult toddler behavior. Giving two options with the same outcome makes a toddler feel in control. Meanwhile you get them to agree to doing what you would like done. For example , ” Do you want to put on your shoes or have mom put them on ?” or ” Would you like to clean up now or in two minutes?” Same result – different answers.
7. Make your child a systematic time table
A toddler feels most comfortable in a routine that they’re used to following with diligence and consistency. Changes in their daily tasks such as sleep pattern or meal times can irritate them and cause their behavior to change drastically.
So ensure to have a systematic time table for your child in order to provide them a comfort zone for a calmer behavior.
8. Stay clam.
And the last and most important tip of the day is to stay calm and practice a healthy friendship with your toddler. They will only listen to you if they trust you enough to get what they want from you. So stay calm, and be the friend your toddler needs at home to feel safe, and feel happy.
SHIJINA RIJESH