Ask any parent to comment on the toughest task of parenting. There may not be a different opinion. For most parents, disciplining their child seems to be a challenging job. If you have a toddler, you also might have experienced tough times with your child’s rough behavior. It is a very common phenomenon. But, you can be smart enough to develop strategies to stop your kid from aggressive and inappropriate behavior.
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1.Pick Your Battles
This is a simple rule of thumb. Focus on things that really matter to you. Do not try to find fault with everything. Prioritize your rules. Decide issues which are worth fighting for. Sometimes, your kid’s behavior may be normal for the age. Ignore it, even though it irritates you. If ‘no’ becomes your favorite word, then your little one will catch onto the word. Next time when your toddler says a firm no, blame yourself.
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2.Avoid Triggers
How do you behave when you are hungry or tired? You will not be on your best behavior. You tend to lose your temper. Then, how do you expect your child to do things right when frustrated or overtired. Sometimes, tantrums can be traced back to these triggers. Understand them. Try to avoid such preventable circumstances.
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3.Divert Attention
Try this age-old technique used by parents all over the world. Whenever your kid starts indulging in an unacceptable activity, distract them with another activity. Of course, you should redirect the attention to something that interests your child. This will quickly end an unwanted behavior.
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4.Be Consistent
Set house rules and be firm on that. Your toddler may not get the message in one go. You may have to say it again and again. Eventually, the kid understands what is right and wrong. When you have a good day at your office or when you are happy for no reason, do not go easy on rules. At times, the cute smile of your little one is too tempting to change the rules. Do not let that happen. If you give in, then you will have to see a little monster when you say no in future.
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5.Give A Time Out
This is considered as an effective discipline tool. Before giving your kid a timeout, explain why the behavior is unacceptable. For a toddler, shorter timeouts are effective. It should be long enough for your child to get control of himself.
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6.Stay Calm
Well, this is a discipline tip for you. Behave like a sensible adult and stay calm. It is not easy to watch when your child throws a tantrum. If you do not intend to escalate the situation, resist the urge to lose temper. You may tend to spank your kid when you are angry. This may send a wrong message that physical punishment is acceptable.
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7.Appreciate Good Behavior
As we all know, positive reinforcement is very powerful and effective. Praise your kid’s good behavior whenever you get a chance. Let your child know that you are pleased. Your words of appreciation are the greatest encouragement for your toddler.
Discipline is not a form of punishment. Always remember that you are dealing with a toddler, not an adult. Your toddler does not think or act the way you do. So, patience and compassion are required when you groom your little one.
