Toddler Behavior
Toddler Discipline
One of the situations that seen to worry new parents the most is dealing with toddler behavior.
Sometimes our lovely little angel comes to a stage in their development where our parenting skills are put to the test.
Our once calm and happy little one can turn into a toddler who fights everything and tests family patience.
What we need to remember is this is a healthy part of your baby growing up and gaining some independence.
Toddler temper tantrums seem to figure as one of
the biggest toddler behavior issues. I would think that most of us have had some experience of a toddler in the throes of a tantrum.
They often can appear out of control, throwing themselves on the floor, head butting, screaming and holding their breath until
they are blue in the face. Check out our pages on
tips for managing temper tantrums here
A toddler biting is also difficult behavior, often because your child may bite another child at playtots or nursery and it can become embarrassing.
There are various reasons that toddlers bite, one often being frustration in being understood. It may also be because they get a response that amuses them.
Usually this biting stage does not last for too long if it happens at all. Check out our article on toddler biting here.
Fear can be a reason for toddler behavior problems. Fear can figure a lot in a young child's life because so many things are new to them.
This is often around the time that your baby may develop seperation anxiety after initially being happy to go to anyone.
You can read about seperation anxiety here.
This can be quite a difficult one for us parents to handle. The cries of a young child with a seperation anxiety issue can be heat rending.
But again if we deal with this behavior calmly and with patience our little ones will work through it.
Night terrors can be something that plague young children.
If you have experienced it you will know how heart chokingly difficult this is for us parents or carers.
However one good thing about these is that children rarely seem to remember what has happened the following morning.
As a family that have experienced this we empathise with you if this is happening in your home. Read our night terrors page.
Food can often be an area of tension in the home. Toddlers can learn that by not eating that they can gain a lot of attention.
You will need to check with your doctor that there is no health issue causing your youngster to refuse food.
After that though it is an issue of remaining calm and firm with food and mealtimes.
Check out our toddler food page for tips on feeding little ones, and tips for managing eating behavior.
Bathtimes can also be difficult for young children as they can sometimes be afraid.
Again there are things that you can do to encourage your little one to overcome this fear. Read our bathtime page for more tips.
Take a look at these tips for toddler discipline
Reduce the need for discipline by creating clear structure and routine so that your little one feels secure and loved.
The prime thing to remember with all of this is that your toddler is special a gift from God.
There safety is of prime importance as they work through these difficulties.
You may find that your youngster does not have many of these toddler behavior issues,
however if they do remember that it is a normal developmental area, and they will grow out of it.
As with all stresses in life they are better overcome with support and sleep.
Your young child will often get in cycles of behavior in a worse way when they are very tired.
This is a vicious circle as often they are also experiencing sleeping difficulties.
Some toddler behavior tips for you:
- Try to remain calm and remember words matter.
- You need to stay in control as things will worsen if you don't.
- Try to get support from family and friends.
- Get as much rest as you can, yes I know this may be difficult!
- Take a break if you can, even if your hubby can take over just for an hour.
- Book a treat just for yourself, coffee with a friend for instance.
- Talk to your health visitor if you are at all worried about your toddlers health.
Other pages you may like:
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