It Can Be Tough To Reel In A Two-Year-Old, And Here Are Some Ways To Deal With Your Toddler’s Misbehavior
When a child turns two, that can be a tumultuous time for parents. Figuring out how to effectively discipline a two-year-old is no walk in the park. Of course, it can be a challenge to dole out discipline to kids of all ages, but parenting a toddler is its own unique kind of task.
Toddlers can be troublemakers that test your boundaries. At that age, they’re learning new skills every day and are eager to use them. It’s important to teach them what actions are acceptable to prevent them from engaging in dangerous or inappropriate behaviors, such as running into the street, hitting others, and throwing food.
In the past, many parents resorted to spanking their children as a means of teaching them a lesson. However, parents today are interested in gentler, more positive methods of child discipline.
According to the American Psychological Association, positive discipline strategies that are developmentally appropriate can be very beneficial to both kids and parents. They can help with emotional regulation, communication, and self-esteem.
It can be tough to reel a two-year-old in, but it can be done. Here are a few tips on how to deal with your toddler’s misbehavior.
Choose Your Battles
Sometimes, it isn’t worth the effort to fight with your kid about every little thing. Is it really so bad if your daughter wants to wear her princess costume to the grocery store? It doesn’t harm anyone or get in the way of anything. Save your energy for the issues that do matter, like your toddler brushing their teeth.
There’s a difference between letting something slide and giving in to your toddler’s demands, though. Determine what your priorities are, set limits, and establish consequences.
Be Consistent
EVERST – stock.adobe.com- illustrative purposes only, not the actual child
When disciplining a two-year-old, make sure to be consistent and stick to the same approaches. For example, if you let your child push random buttons on the TV’s remote control one day and the next you don’t, you’re giving them mixed signals.
If your reaction to a situation keeps changing, your toddler won’t understand the impact of their behavior and will be more likely to continue engaging in bad habits.
Plan Ahead To Prevent Tantrums
Prevention is key to avoiding tantrums from occurring. You will come to know what triggers will cause your child to act out. Tiredness and hunger are often at the root of meltdowns.
So, if your toddler tends to get tired and grumpy in the afternoons, try not to go to the supermarket or schedule doctor’s appointments during that time.
We know working around your toddler’s mood is not always possible. To make things as smooth as possible, keep snacks on hand to curb hunger and prepare them for new experiences before they happen so they know what to expect.
Stay Calm
Staying calm is easier said than done when your toddler punches their sibling in the face, but yelling will only escalate the situation. The increase in the volume of your voice may also excite your child, leading them to continue to perform the action.
When parents scream in anger, kids tend to focus on the tone of voice, not what their parents are actually saying, so the message often gets lost in translation.
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Deal with issues in a calm and collected manner to reduce opportunities for you both to get frustrated. Take a deep breath, count to three, get down to your child’s eye level, and firmly explain why you need them to stop or participate in a certain behavior.
Pretty much every parent struggles with how to discipline their toddler, so don’t feel bad if you don’t have it all figured out!
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