How do I teach my kids to be more assertive??

[BoysRusxxx]

I have two boys aged 1.5 and 2.5. They are very assertive with people they are comfortable with. If they are playing together and ds1 takes ds2s toy or visa versa they will try pull it back etc. but they never stick up for themselves with other people.

We were at a playgroup last week. I was watching Ds1 from afar. He was climbing up the slide when another little boy came over and pushed ahead of him, pushing him off the ladder and said 'no its my turn'. Ds1 ran over to me and told me the boy pushed him so i told him to go back over and tell the boy it was your turn now. He was so cute he ran over with his hands on his hips and said 'it is my turn now!' so he went up the slide again and the boy ran over and ds just jumped off the slide in terror to let the little boy skip him again!

Eventually his mum intervened and let ds go ahead of him. How do i teach him to be more assertive? I dont want to make a big issue out of it.

I think what you did sounds good. You taught him to be assertive by talking - not pushing. Now he has to wait for the other children to catch up with him in non-aggressive assertive behaviour. I think you're on the right track...

I agree with piccadilly. He was assertive but also recognized his limitations when the other child didn't concede. You don't want to push it too much or they could be overly assertive and get themselves into trouble.

Thanks, yeah i suppose he was :)

He is very good as in he would never hit another child (except his brother when were at home) but sometimes i see kids run over and take his toys and he doesnt say anything, he kind of looks upset and then moves onto another toy. Ds2 is the same.