As kids grow and change, so does their behaviour. The best way to understand your children’s behaviour is to understand what they’re going through developmentally . This knowledge will help parents with disciplining children without resorting to yelling, threatening or having a meltdown.
Discipline is about guiding and teaching our children and it’s not about punishment or anger. It is simply a way of helping kids learn right from wrong, and keeping them safe.” Here are some strategies to keep your toddlers on track during their course of development.
Understand that your little kid or toddler is not whining, fussing or having temper tantrums to manipulate you or make you angry, mostly toddlers misbehave because they can’t express or control their emotions. They also tend to be very demonstrative. So when they’re happy, they’re very happy. And when they’re upset, they are very upset.” Your tot is naturally inquisitive, so it’s only normal for him/her to get into everything. His/her job is to test the new sense of independence but as a parent, yours is to set limits.
Tantrums
These emotional blow-ups are usually the result of your child’s anger and frustration at not being able to say, do or get what he/she wants.
*Discipline tips worth trying with toddlers
Offer choices*
Toddlers are all about independence and control, so you can avoid a lot of problems by giving them a little more say in their lives. Two choices are enough for this age group, for example, “What do you want to do first: brush your teeth or put on your clothes ?”
Keep your cool
Toddlers thrive on attention — positive or negative — so if you overreact when your child intentionally dumps his/her cereal or has a meltdown in the grocery store, you can bet she’s going to do it again. Calmly let her know that we don’t pour our food on the floor or scream when we can’t have another cookie. Keep it short and simple (no lectures, please) or you’ll just confuse them.
Take a time out
By the time your child is two, time-outs can be an effective discipline tool. For example, If your tot angrily whacks his/her playmate over the head, take him/her to a designated time-out area where the toddler can calm down and get control of him/herself. Explain to the toddler what he/she has done wrong, using simple words like “no hitting.” Time outs should only last for one minute per year of age, to a maximum of five minutes.
5 golden rules of discipline
1. Stand firm.
We all hate conflict, but if you don’t stick to the rules and consequences you set up, your kids aren’t likely to either.
2. Pick your battles
Give the small things small attention and the big things big attention, and you’ll be happier and calmer and your children will be happier, calmer and better behaved too.
3. Praise, don’t punish.
Try to practise “good feeling” discipline most of the time, “Simply put, your tone of voice, your behaviour, and the words you’re using, should all feel good to your child 80 per cent of the time. If you can do that, you can do no wrong.”
4. Set clear rules and expectations
A carefully selected bunch of age-appropriate rules can make family life a whole lot smoother and easier. For example, the “no cookies before dinner” rule prevents regular arguments about snacking before supper. The “no computer after 10 p.m.” rule stops a nightly dispute about shutting down the PC.
5. Provide unconditional love
Yes, it’s a no-brainer, but children need to know you love them, every day, even when they’ve done something bad.
Discipline is hard, and difficult at times, but as a parent when you are empathetic and understand a child’s developmental demands, it is more fun and enjoyable.
