Tips For Discipline For Toddlers
Parents find discipline for toddlers very difficult because they have to show them they love them and still be strict while doing it. It is therefore important to make sure that the rules are structured in a way that the toddler understands them and does not find them too difficult to follow. Toddlers will always test their boundaries and see just how much they can push their parents to get their way.
Parents should be careful here so that they do not cave in to whatever the toddler wants. However, they should be very strict yet loving when doing this and realize that the toddler will fuss when they cannot do what they want. Before implementing any form of disciplinary measure, a parent should know and understand their child. The toddler should trust the parent enough to allow them to set limits to what they can do so that they can feel safe in their presence.
The most common form of discipline is time out because it is not too involving. Toddlers will do whatever it takes not to get another time out because they feel bad when they are made to sit in a corner alone. To calculate how long a toddler should sit alone, take a minute for every year they have in age. Ignoring temper tantrums is also important because it shows a child that they will not gain control of the situation by throwing one. Setting limits and being consistent with them is another good way that parents can use as a form of discipline. Toddlers also like being praised for the good things they do and parents should create an environment where the child hears some positive reinforcement as well.
Discipline should not be conducted in the home but thrown to the winds when out of the home. This means that if a toddler misbehaves when they are outside, they should be punished there and not wait until they get home later. This is because they will be punished and they may not even remember why they are being punished and will not connect it to their actions. Toddlers should also be punished away from their friends or other people so that their self esteem does not get compromised. Discipline for toddlers is very important because it sets the right foundation for a toddler and shapes the characters that the child will take up in future.