Two and three-year-olds have just reached their rebel stage. If you tell them, “don’t bang on the table”, they’ll only hear “bang on the table.”
Your toddler is starting to get a better sense of the world. His newfound speech and movement can sometimes result in temper tantrums. When your child turns two, prepare yourself to tackle challenging behaviours and set boundaries. Be careful of how you act around your toddler, as this is an age where you will be a role model to them.
This is an age where you will have to find ways to encourage them to cooperate with you by fulfilling their need to do everything by themselves.
Here are 5 positive parenting tips for raising your 2-3-year-old.
1 . Ignore unwanted behaviours
Two-year-olds have just reached their pre-operational stage of cognitive development. This is the stage where they learn by repeating behaviour and words over and over again.
Make sure you do not cuss in front of them, as they will definitely pick it up. Although when they repeat the bad words, they have picked up, make sure not to give it attention. Act like it’s no big deal since they’ll definitely repeat it again if it results in strong reactions from you.
2 . Give them jobs
Give them jobs to harness their newfound sense of proving themselves useful and worthy. Have them be a part of small chores around the house, and this could be arranging groceries in the kitchen or finding items in the supermarket. Ask your toddler to help heap clothes into the hamper or help fold clothes. Nurture their need to volunteer instead of stifling it. This will build their confidence and competence.
3 . Acknowledge their emotions
Two and three-year-olds are just beginning to learn what emotions are and are expressing them in primal ways rather than socially accepted ways. The first step is to help them name their emotions and tell them that their feelings are meant to be felt and valid. By telling them it’s okay to feel how they feel, they learn to empathize and build pro-social behaviours. You will also be building a safe space for your toddler to express in the process, and it will also help you to understand if your toddler can do chores on their own.
4 . Set clear limits and boundaries
Have a family meeting and discuss the family rules in your home. Every family is different, and it is important to have boundaries in the house. Rules should be fair and easy to follow. They should also be enforced in a positive manner. For example: wash your hands after every meal, stay close to dad during the trip to the supermarket, and keep your toys back in the toy basket. Avoid raising your voice and speak to your toddler in a pleasant store.
5 . Know your child’s triggers
Although some misbehavior is preventable, as long as you have a game plan in advance on how to tackle it, you can successfully remove tangible temptations. For example, if your child finds unfurling toilet paper fun while leaving the entire house messy for you, you need to address this problematic temptation in the right way. The first few times, scold and observe if there is scope for repetition. If your toddler repeats it, you can move the toilet paper to a higher shelf so that he can’t reach it, and this ought to send a message.
Raising Superstars by Raghav Himatsingka helps parents navigate their parenting skills and helps make parenting easier. The programmes and guides are curated by experts and educators who have been through it all. Visit the website now to get your hands on specialized programmes designed for kids of different ages.