Making it Through the Terrible Twos

Back

Making it Through
the Terrible Twos

So, now your cute little bundle of joy has grown into a mobile and unpredictable demolition unit that has mastered the word “no!”

What to do, what to do…

1. First and foremost remember to: redirect, redirect, redirect. This is an age of curiosity without understanding for consequences. While curiosity is a good thing, many times the choices a two year old makes are not. Redirecting them is a much more positive approach than constantly just saying “no”.

2. Chose your battles, then never give in when you’ve drawn the line. You’re setting the precedent right here for their future behavior. If you give in because you can’t handle the tantrum, you’re teaching your child that if they scream loud enough and behave badly enough they can have their way. When you say “no,” it means no, period, end of story. Consistency and boundaries are what make a child feel safe and secure.

3. Offer simple choices… “Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt?” vs "What shirt would you like to wear?" or “Would you like an apple or a banana?” vs "What do you want to eat?" and then naming 20 different things. This way, they have the sense of empowerment and control they’re craving at this age, without the option of refusal. Too many choices make it easy for your child to respond negatively.

4. Be direct and to the point with corrections. Two year olds are not old enough to comprehend a complicated explanation, so your point must be quick and concise… “No, don’t touch, it’s hot” works much better than, “The oven is at 500 degrees and you can burn yourself.” Lengthy explanations leave room for misunderstandings and distract from what they really need to learn at that very moment. (It's always a good idea to add in #1: redirect, redirect, redirect.)

5. Never let your guard down. It only takes a second for a child of this age to do the unexpected. Here’s a prime example… My house was child-proofed, so all my cleaning supplies were well out of reach… but one day, I was cleaning the bathroom and had a can of comet sitting on the toilet seat… I turned to get a sponge and in that millisecond I reached away from the can, my two year old had picked it up and was starting to lick the top of it! Of course, since I was right there, I was quickly able to wash the tiny bit she had gotten on her tongue right off, but had I not been paying attention or left the room, it could have been a potential poisoning. The moral is: assume nothing with a two year old… even a comet can could look appetizing!

6. Make sure they get enough sleep! Two year olds don't have control over their emotions. They fluctuate to the extremes… tantrum one moment, laughing the next. A two year old will not verbalize feeling tired. Sleep deprivation will show itself as bad behavior. In fact, overly fatigued children tend to go into a hyperactive mode instead of a lethargic one… even as they get older.

7. Begin introducing expectations prior to activities and outings. Letting a child know what behavior you expect from them in advanced will help curb the embarrassing public “meltdowns.” Simple things like, “We’re going shopping, so you’re going to need to hold mommy’s hand,” helps to remind them what they're supposed to do. If there’s a specific issue to address, say for instance a problem sharing toys, then before playing with another child, a simple “Sara's coming over to play, so we’ll need to share our toys,” can help diffuse a situation before it happens. Advanced notice will help emphasize the positive behavior.

This is such a special age with your child and with a few simple parenting tips, the "terrible twos" don't have to be so terrible.

by Lorelei McCollough

CustomWebsiteDesignServices.com