Tackling Toddlers Problems

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Effective and Wise Parents Incorporate Toddler Discipline

March 6th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Parenting effectively is often the hardest task any person can undertake, and yet many parents are quite oblivious when it comes to how to go about instilling discipline into their children.  There are a vast amount of toddler discipline approaches which abound in our modern times, and many contain very helpful and important information.  It is important to approach your particular child as a unique individual while at the same time laying the ground rules of who is actually “in charge” in the home.  Children learn at a very young age how to manipulate and control their parents in order to get their way in a situation.  Therefore, taking care of toddler discipline while the child is still quite young is a very important step to a child’s future life and well-being.

Toddler Discipline: A Necessary Part of Learning For Parent And Child

Often, parents are hesitant to discipline their toddlers in any way for fear of stifling their “spirit” or because they are under the false assumption that their child will not understand why they are being punished.  While it is true that a very small newborn would not understand, one cannot say the same for an older baby.  Once the child is speaking a word or two coherently, they can understand the word “no” quite well.  Withholding discipline from your child assures that he/she will have a much harder road as a teenager and adult than they would have had you taken the time to teach and train them.  Whining and throwing a tantrum may be funny at age two, but it is anything but a thrill at age 16.

Various discipline approaches abound for toddlers, and each has their own merits and weaknesses.  The “time-out” approach has become popular for some in recent years and seems to work for certain types of children, mainly those who do not like to sit still and be alone.  Yet, training your toddler involves more than just removing him/her from the situation.  It requires explaining and reinforcing principles over and over, time and time again.  Spanking is another form of toddler discipline and can be quite effective when done in the proper manner.  Spanking a child when angry or while screaming at the child is counter-productive to say the least and does not produce the desired results of learning.  A child may be bullied or afraid of you, but he/she certainly will not learn to respect authority in this way.

Approaching toddler discipline with calmness, love and patience is the best way to ensure the proper training for your child.  Whatever method is chosen, the toddler must constantly receive positive reinforcement about their value to you, how much you love them and how special they are.  They need to know that you discipline them because you care for them and want them to know right from wrong.  They will respect the boundaries and limits that you set.  In fact, they desire boundaries as an indication that you care.  Toddler discipline is one fundamental way to say, “I love you” to your child.

Coping with Toddler Biting

February 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

While toddlers are always prone to hurt themselves in their little ventures around the household, many of them use the weapon of their teeth to hurt other children, or even grown ups. Toddler biting is one of the disturbing behaviors that parents or guardians encounter when their children enter the toddling stage. Understanding the causes of this behavior and seeking preventive measures is a primary concern for many parents and caretakers.

Causes of Toddler Biting

First of all, it is important to note that not all toddlers bite. However, the majority of children between one and three years of age engage in some form of biting for various reasons. Developmental psychologists believe that the main reason for toddler biting is the child’s inability to verbally communicate. With language skills still developing, toddlers learn to use their teeth to invoke a response from the people around them.

Frustration can be another reason for toddler biting. If a child is angry, biting may be a way for the child to convey those feelings to another. Toddlers may use their teeth on objects to relieve the irritation of the gums that is caused be teething. Finally, a toddler can use biting as an attention-getting action.

How to Prevent Toddler Biting

Biting among toddlers is important to stop before it becomes a habit that is difficult for your child to break. Toddler biting is also one of the few behaviors that can cause your child and you serious issues in preschool. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to stop toddler biting before it becomes a habit for your child.

Intervention

The primary preventive measure against toddler biting will begin with the parent. Show your disapproval for the behavior by telling your child, “No biting!” in a stern voice and removing him from the situation. Repeat this action as often as necessary, until you begin to see an improvement in your child’s responses. If your efforts do not appear to be effective, recruit the help of your child’s caregivers for additional support and consistency. If your child refuses to stop the behavior, you can consult a behavioral psychologist for other ideas.

Focusing Attention

If you give all your attention, no matter how disapproving, to the offending toddler, you are likely to strengthen the habit of biting. The reason is that your child will quickly learn that biting brings attention. By focusing on the person that your child bites, and showing sympathy to him, you take the attention away from your own child and place it properly on the child who was hurt.

Teaching Language

It is very possible that once your tot learns to communicate through other means, toddler biting will no longer present an issue. Once a child can use language to express his feelings, he will not resort to biting when frustrated or angry.

Toddler Constipation: Should You Worry?

February 22nd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Parents are often overwhelmed when they bring their new baby home from the hospital, and can feel excited and anxious all at the same time.  As the parents just start to get to know their little one and feel like they can anticipate his every move, their child changes.  Toddlers are especially notorious for springing surprises on their parents as they develop and learn new tricks.  They get into things, they learn how to manipulate situations, and they become mischievous faster than imaginable.

With so many things to worry about, one thing that does not usually have to be a concern is toddler constipation.  This small problem may seem like a huge worry to anxious parents, but in reality toddler constipation is seldom anything serious.  The best way to ease your concern is to educate yourself about the signs of toddler constipation, natural remedies, and when it is time to call the doctor.

Signs of Toddler Constipation

Because your toddler probably does not talk much yet, determining toddler constipation may seem to be an impossible task.  Fortunately, there are telltale signs that your child might be having a problem.  If you notice changes in your toddler’s eating habits, such as a decreased appetite or a sudden pickiness in food choices, it may be a warning sign.  Your child may complain of stomach pain or hold his stomach instinctively, and you should consider those actions to be signs of a possible problem as well.  You may also notice a change in your child’s toilet habits, such as an inability to go or straining while sitting on the toilet. If you see any of these signs, you should consider the possibility of constipation in your toddler.

Natural Remedies for Toddler Constipation

There are a number of natural remedies for toddler constipation that offer both prevention and relief.  You can avoid recurrences of constipation in toddlers by keeping the amount of block cheese in their diet to a minimum, since this food is hard to process and is notorious for causing constipation.  You can also avoid constipation by keeping carbohydrate intake to a minimum, and making sure your toddler gets plenty of water to drink.  If your toddler becomes constipated, check with your doctor before giving him prunes or prune juice, foods high in bran such as apples, or water-based vegetables.  These foods, while natural, should be taken with a large amount of water throughout the day, since too much fiber can also cause constipation.

When You Should Worry About Toddler Constipation

While constipation is rarely a problem to be concerned about, occasionally there are serious conditions that should be brought to the attention of a pediatrician immediately.  Stomach distention can be a sign of a serious problem, and should be treated right away.  Stomach distention presents itself as a swollen stomach that appears as though your toddler is sticking his stomach out.  You should also look for signs of bleeding or extreme pain when attempting to make a bowel movement, since this can be a sign of internal tearing and injury.  Extended periods between bowel movements can also be a sign of something more serious.  When in doubt, you should always call your doctor for advice and reassurance.

Toddler Development: Understanding your Child’s Differences

February 22nd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Toddler development is something that every parent is concerned with, whether they are first time parents or veterans. A problem arises when parents become obsessed with toddler development, and begin to analyze their children’s development too closely. Such scrutiny can result in undue concern and anxiety, and the magic of watching their child grow and develop is lost. There are numerous publications designed to help parents track their toddler’s development, but they should be used only as a guide, since everyone develops at a different rate.

An Ambiguous Subject

Toddler development, while different in every child, has general guidelines that a large percentage of children follow. This pattern is found in many parenting resources, but if your child doesn’t follow the guidelines perfectly that doesn’t mean he has a problem. First, the term “toddler” applies to children in a broad age range that have already achieved a number of developmental milestones. Many toddlers by the age of two should be able to walk, run, point out a few objects, recognize many other objects when pointed out to them, talk a few words, and babble frequently in unrecognizable sounds. They should have improved dexterity and be able to put objects in bins or buckets, and some development of fine motor skills should be evident. Again, these are simply guidelines and not hard and fast rules.

Should You Be Concerned?

In some rare cases, the development of a toddler can actually be impeded by a mental or physical disability. These disabilities may be evident from the beginning, or may appear when the child is older. Toddler development issues can range from a simple learning disability such as difficulty with reading or transposing numbers and letters, to something more serious like autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Less severe disabilities can be treated with medication or a modified learning technique. In other cases, parents may have to adjust their lifestyle to accommodate a child with severe disabilities.

Getting Help and Support

There is plenty of information available on the internet and in books and magazines about developmental delays and problems, but the only way to get an accurate diagnosis is to visit your doctor. If your toddler does have developmental issues, you should not feel alone; there are plenty of parents going through similar circumstances. Check in your area to see if there are support groups available where you can share your concerns and frustrations and possibly get some new ideas about how to handle your toddler.

How to Survive the Toddler Years

January 14th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most parents are completely surprised by how much spunk and orneriness a twenty-five pound toddler can pack. It is a widespread fact that the toddler years of children can easily be some of the most trying times for parents. The good news is that with a few tips and tricks under your belt, the toddler years can indeed be survived – and even be enjoyed most of the time by parent and child alike. The key to managing this sometimes challenging phase is to allow your child room to grow and explore while establishing boundaries and rules for him. The balance can be delicate and tricky, but is essential in developing a good relationship with your little one.

Providing a Safe Environment

Besides child-proofing your home to make it safe for your youngster to play and explore, there are other ways to offer safety and security as well. Believe it or not, a toddler feels most secure when he knows what to expect in his day, and that you will be in charge of his life until he is big enough to manage it on his own. This type of security will come from a regular daily routine, so that your little one will be able to anticipate the next activity throughout his day. It is also important for you toddler to understand the behavior that you expect from him. You can communicate this to him through consistent boundaries and a clear enforcement of the rules of the house.

It may seem that your toddler rebels against all of your efforts at routine and boundaries in the house. These years begin the time that your son or daughter will begin to establish independence from you, and part of this process is pushing the limits – and you – as far as possible. While this can make for a rocky relationship between you and your tot at times, rest assured that this is a necessary developmental phase for your child. It also helps to remember that the time spent in battle will usually diminish somewhat by the time your son or daughter enters grade school. If you have succeeded in holding fast to the boundaries of your home, your child will fare better during his school years as well.

Enjoying your Toddler

There is a reason that children are so cute between the ages of two and four. When the daily power-struggles begin to wear you down, those big blue eyes, crooked smile or infectious giggle that characterizes your child just might save your day. Despite the ongoing discipline issues that every parent of a toddler faces, your child is going to be fun to observe exploring his world or learning to relate to his family members. You will fare much better during this life phase if you allow time for you and your child to simply play and be together. Sometimes the world can see much more delightful when it is seen through a toddler’s eyes. Enjoy the ride.

Copyright © 2008 Tackling Toddlers Problems

Credits: Make Money Online | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund