Top toddler tips.

[whyno]

Can anyone give me their best tips for toddlers. My DS is 18 months and veering between angelic and monstrous and I'm not sure how I should be treating the monstrous! It seems too soon to discipline. Wondered what top tips people have for life with a young toddler?

Pick your battles! It's easy to get to a point where everything is a battle but just focus on the important things.

Top tip 1: 18 months is most definitely NOT too old to discipline (imo).

Firm 'no' for the monstrous, big smiles and praise for the angelic. And agree with choosing your battles, because you really have to stick to your decisions.

DS is 2 and we have been using a very mild naughty spot for nearly a year. Just removing him from the situation and putting him in the same spot til he calms down.

It doesn't mean he's angelic all the time but it helps. He now says sorry. Which I v cute.

Feed them often. Use distraction when a melt-down is imminent. Get out of the house as much as possible.

1. Pick your battles.
2. Distract them if they're carrying on, tantrumming or misbehaving ('Look, DS - a digger!').
3. Praise good behaviour.
4. If you have to tell them off, crouch down to their level, hold their shoulders, look into their eyes and speak firmly.

Toddler Taming is a good book - really helped me.

There is a great book called 'What every parent should know', all about brain development. It explains why toddlers behave the way they do, so you can respond much more effectively.

I found it very helpful:)

Echoing others here.

From 18mo we've found a Time Out spot is v effective. Hardly actually used now (at 21mo) as usually a discussion of it's implementation is sufficient to avert whatever insanity is about to happen.

But mainly keeping him well fed & rested ensures a lovely angelic boy!

Agree with choosing your battles and in order to avoid done, i'm finding that pull-ups are good for speedy stand-up changes (avoiding having to wrestle DD to the ground), and that giving choices can defuse some situations e.g. If getting dressed threatens to turn into melt-down ask her if she wants to wear this or that, even offering a choice of vapours seems to work for changes. Not always, mind.

Some good tips here I'll be nicking.

What children want most of all is your attention. If they can't get positive attention then negative will do. I don't really agree with sanctions at that age, withdrawing your attention is sometimes enough, eg. if child is having a tantrum at home then leave them to it (I found it too embarrasing to do that when out and about) but if needed time out being held on your lap for one or two minutes could help. Distraction tactics worked well for me when DD was that age.
Trying to keep yourself calm is also good (can't say I always succeeded with that one) Be specific with what you say ie. not "that's naughty" but "I don't like it when you pull my hair" Also try to put a positive spin on things eg. Not "Don't hit the cat" but "Stroke the cat gently like this"
Good luck! There are always behaviour challenges whatever the age!

Damn iphone auto correct - Nappies not vapours!
Gone not done...

'Time out' for an 18 month old is not appropriate IMO. They're not being badly behaved at that age, they are inquisitive and wanting to find out how things work, what happens when they do certain things. The outcome of certain behaviour can look 'naughty' it is not therefore appropriate to punish an 18 month old with 'time out'.

Distraction is useful for most toddler scenarios, until the understanding of bad behaviour is obviously known. Equally, showing and telling them what you want them to do.