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Take a time out: By the time your child is two, time outs can be an effective discipline tool, say the experts at the Canadian Paediatric Society. If your tot angrily whacks his playmate over the head, take him to a designated time-out area where he can calm down and get control of himself.
This age group is busy figuring out tricky social skills, such as sharing, manners and getting along with friends, says Pantley. Typical trouble spots Whining: Your preschooler is glued to the TV, ignoring your repeated attempts to call him to dinner. Catch them being good: Your preschooler really does want to please you, so make a point of encouraging him when he answers the first time you call him or shares a favourite toy. If your child is a champion whiner, he may just be mimicking how you sound when you ask him to clean up his messy room.
Typical trouble spots General compliance: Discipline tips to use with your tween Take a coach approach: Coaches use questions beginning with what and how to help team members reach their goals, says Carson. Push the rewind button: When possible, give your child a second chance. And thank her when she gets it right, says Carson. If your eight-year-old is late for school because she had trouble getting up in the morning, make bedtime earlier the next few nights rather than revoking her TV privileges.
The best consequences are the ones whereby your child learns something. A seismic power struggle. Typical trouble spots Backtalk: These are prime years for backtalk as tweens gain independence and want to see how you respond if they exert control, says Michele Borba, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions. Explain your position, listen to his, and then compromise where you can. If your year-old wants to bump up his bedtime to 10 p.
Use when and then: Whenever your tween uses a sassy tone or engages in yelling, name-calling, put-downs or insults , call her on it immediately, says Borba. Typical trouble spots Major attitude: Keep setting appropriate limits: Sit down with your teen in late August and hammer out the rules for the upcoming school year. Remember as well to build in more freedom and responsibility as your child grows. If you can do that, you can do no wrong.
Be fast and firm, serious and stern when you deliver the reprimand. Typical trouble spots Whining: For example, if your month-old swats your arm, say, "No, Jake! She'd ask Nathaniel to apologize, as well as give Kenayde a hug and make her laugh to pacify hurt feelings. Offer your two-year-old an apple and she wants a banana. Every day, little by little, they're mastering new skills, and are anxious and excited to use them.
Only issue warnings for things that you can follow through on. Empty threats undermine your authority. And don't forget that kids learn by watching adults, particularly their parents. So make sure your own behavior is role-model material. When asking your child to pick up toys, you'll make a much stronger impression if you've put away your own belongings rather than leaving your stuff all around the room. By now, you've figured out that your toddler wants to explore and investigate the world. Toddlers are naturally curious, so it's wise to eliminate temptations whenever possible.
That means keeping things like TVs, phones, and electronics out of reach. Also beware of choking hazards like jewelry, buttons, and small items that kids can put in their mouths. If your roving toddler does head toward an unacceptable or dangerous play object, calmly say "No" and either remove your child from the area or distract him or her with another activity.
It's important to not spank, hit, or slap your child. At this age, kids are unlikely to be able to make a connection between the behavior and physical punishment.
The message you send when you spank is that it's OK to hit someone when you're angry. Experts say that spanking is no more effective than other forms of discipline, such as timeouts.
If you need to take a harder line with your child, timeouts can be an effective form of discipline. A 2- or 3-year-old who has been hitting, biting, or throwing food, for example, should be told why the behavior is unacceptable and taken to a designated timeout area — a kitchen chair or bottom stair — for a minute or two to calm down. As a general rule, about 1 minute per year of age is a good guide for timeouts.
What exactly does it mean to "discipline" a toddler? a Denver-based psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in family and parent counseling, calls "being a good boss. It was easier to take it out of his way than to fight about it." If your. What's the best way to discipline a toddler? And what do you do when your kid won't listen to you? Here is an age-by-age guide to discipline.
Longer timeouts have no added benefit. And they could undermine your efforts if your child gets up and refuses to return before you signal that the timeout has ended. Be sure that the timeout area is away from distractions such as toys or TV, and that you do not provide your child with any attention talking, eye contact while they're sitting in timeout. Even the most well-behaved toddler can have a tantrum from time to time. Tantrums are common during toddlerhood because kids can understand more than they can express and this often leads to frustration.
Toddlers get frustrated in other ways too, like when they can't dress a doll or keep up with an older sibling. Power struggles can come when your toddler wants more independence and autonomy too soon. The best way to deal with tantrums is to avoid them, whenever possible.
Here are some tips that may help:. If your child does throw a tantrum, keep your cool. Don't complicate the problem with your own frustration.