Welcome to the world of parenting! A simple ‘NO’ may not help you to reap multiple benefits. Firstly, you need to understand that the toddler has just entered the world and does not know the language. It takes time to adapt to the environment, and also the people around them.
There are times when your toddler yells or screams in the middle of the road. They might throw tantrums in a party where you are the star of the show. This can be embarrassing, but hitting your toddler or yelling does not help. You must know that you are not the only parent that is going through a hard time. Here is a post that talks about parenting tips for toddlers’ discipline.
Toddler-hood is the time when children consider themselves as individuals. However, there is a language barrier between parents and toddlers. The thought process of the toddlers goes like this –
”I can throw a tantrum by rolling on the floor and mommy will offer me a candy!”
Your toddler is not a rational thinker and has not learned the art of self-control. They are curious about everything and end up troubling you without having the intent of bothering you.
Disciplining a toddler is a daunting task, but it is not impossible. It requires patience and the will to make it happen. You need to be consistent with your efforts. Do not give up just because DAY ONE turned out to be harsh. It might even take a month, but be consistent and follow the different ways to discipline your child.
How to discipline the toddler?
- Sleep training techniques:
- Sleep training techniques:
When does the toddler act difficult? The first thing you need to take care of is their sleeping schedule. The child sleeps through the day and wakes up at night. It is possible that they will cry through the night and the neighbors will start complaining.
In this situation, you can do two things. After the baby has reached their 4th or 5th month, start the sleep training procedure. Put them down in the crib every day at 7 PM. Create a routine for them so that they get used to it. Put them to sleep early so that they do not get overtired by night.
The second thing you can do is try the Ferber Method. DR. Richard Ferber talked about a technique that involves letting the child cry out loud. There is a lot of misleading information on the internet, and we would like to break the common misconception. Ferber method is not about letting your child howl and shutting the door and leaving them alone.
Your child needs comfort and it takes time for them to get used to sleeping alone. Dr. Ferber never said that you should let the child be miserable. Check on the baby and be around them. Understand that the baby is too little and requires training to self-soothe.
You can set a routine and sleep train the toddler through the following ways:
- Keep the toddler active throughout the day. Play with them and read interesting storybooks. If they are active throughout the day, they will sleep through the night.
- Follow the same schedule each day. Put them down to sleep at 7 PM and follow the same routine.
- The baby should be well-fed.
2. Prevention is always the best way to avoid accidents:
By keeping an expensive vase in the living room or placing a delicate showpiece on the low-table, you are inviting trouble. The kids do not have social skills or rational thinking. They tend to pick expensive objects and it might fall from their hands.
It is best to keep these expensive objects far away from the kids. Place it on a higher area and keep it away from kids. This way there are fewer accidents in the house and your kid learns to appreciate the beauty of these objects. Saying NO 30 times could make it less effective. It is best to opt for preventive measures.
3. Avoiding Stressful Situations:
You are going for a meeting and taking the toddler along. The child may get bored in this situation. You can pick a meeting place where there is a playing spot for kids. Make sure the child is well-fed so that they do not throw tantrums outside. If you are going to a restaurant, then make a reservation beforehand so that you do not have to wait for the table.
Avoiding stressful situations can help!
4. Keeping it short and sweet:
Toddlers are not used to hearing long sentences. They will understand your short and sweet commands. Rather than lecturing them why it is not correct, you should simply say “Hannah, this is not right!” If your toddler is turning into a bully, just put your foot down, and use a stern but calm voice.
That’s all it takes to convey your message. Lecturing is not okay, and the child may never understand what you try to mean.
Never yell on the child. This behavior may confuse your child. The best way to discipline a toddler is to be consistent and calm.
5. Keep them busy:
You may have heard of the saying – ‘An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.”
Provide some crayons and paints to the toddler. Keep them busy while you are on a call. If you leave them alone without giving them a fun-filled activity, it is possible they might get into trouble. They could eat dog food, mud or even jump from the balcony. Kids should have plenty of things to do while you get busy.
6. It’s bad behavior, not a bad child:
Never tell your toddler that they are bad. It is the behavior that is putting you off. Sit down with your toddler and tell them they are the nicest kid in the neighborhood, but their behavior is not plausible.
Complaining and nagging is never the right way to handle the toddler’s bad behavior. You must tell them that you love them dearly, but the way they behave is not right.
7. Praising your child:
You need to praise your child every single time they try or showcase good behavior. If you never praise your child and go after them for the smallest mistakes, then it is possible that they will drift away from you. When you praise the toddler, they start understanding that this is ‘good behavior’ and I will be rewarded for it.
We hope the parenting tips for toddlers discipline helped you in some way or the other. Disciplining a toddler is not the easiest thing to do, but it takes time and patience.
Your toddler is in the observing stage. You should never spank the child because then there is no difference between you and them. When your child hits or kicks you, do not spank them or do the same. This tells the child that it is alright to use force. Step back and do not pay attention to the child. Avoid the toddler for a minute and they will know that they committed a mistake.
Using force or yelling is NOT the best way to discipline your child. Be patient and understand that you are the adult and such situations can be handled with patience and love.