Taming the terrible two's!

[playthedayaway]

I love my dd very much but she is horrible! She hasn't long turned two and I'd like to know what on earth I can do to make this age easier. Is she too young for a sticker/reward chart and if I do use one what is the best way to do it? Should I use set targets or just give her a sticker everytime she does something good?

We also use a time out mat but I don't feel it has much impact should I persevere?

You wouldn't believe I have a 7 year old but he was no where near as difficult as this! He throw a paddy once and I just walked away and he never did it again.

My dd is always hitting my ds but she always says sorry to him after and goes to him for a cuddle. Should I use the mat as soon as she does it and should she have a sticker for saying sorry.

And anyone got any bedtime tips as she has recently stopped going to sleep by herself. As soon as we leave the room she gets really hysterical. I only have to sit on the end of the bed and she's o.k but she never used to do this. Is it because I let her nap on the sofa during the day now when I didn't before? I've started giving her a more set bedtime routine but it doesn't seem to help!

Any advice greatly welcomed, know you probably get this alot!

Buy Toddler Taming by Christopher Green.

Yes, she's too young for sticker chart.

Decide which behaviours you really cannot tolerate (eg hitting) and come down really hard on them. You have to watch carefully for a while so you can be straight onto her if she hits, then remove her from the situation, say "no hitting"- pick her up and put her in a different room from your DS and then once she's calmed down enough get her to say sorry and repeat "no hitting". Then move on and forget about it.

Ignore any annoying behaviour that is annoying rather than very bad and praise the good. Give her 1 to 1 attention, really good attention some of the time so she isn't playing up to get attention.

Re bedtime, we're lucky, DD (2) is still in cot and isn't objecting to bedtime. Leave advice to someone else for that!

Toddler taming is good, but do what works for you. Be firm and consistent and she should get it. Also it's quite normal. DD screams a lot at the moment (!) She is delightful in company just does battle with me and her older brother (4) at home and can get very noisy! I'm trying to take it in my stride. Not doing the naughty step this time round as didn't like it, but a firm withdrawal of attention/removal from situation seems to work.

Good luck!

As an ex nanny, C.M. mum of 3 and now G.m. IME 2 yr olds LOVE pretend games " oh poor teddie's crying 'cos you've hit yr bro."etc. It is normal they're still babies F.F.S.

Thank you, I think sometimes it just gets so frustrating and you wonder if it's normal because nothing you do works!