Child Behaviour Problems

By Gail Woods

For a parent, toddler behavior can be quite traumatic. It can also be a lot of fun.

From the moment your toddler takes his first steps and utters his first words, it would appear as if a catastrophe in human form has been unleashed.

Undaunted he will drag heavy chairs around and climb them to get at those high cupboards where the poisons are stored. Holes will be plugged with little fingers. If an object can be shoved into his mouth to be tasted and chewed, then in it goes. Drawers and cupboards will be emptied and refilled over and over again. Food will be squished and spread everywhere with great delight.

Try stopping him from investigating his little world and he will scream blue murder. When his food or juice is not ready at just the moment he decides he is hungry or thirsty then he will whine until you are ready to throw him out with the rubbish.

Forget trying to get him to share a toy (or anything else for that matter) with another child or sibling. As far as he is concerned it is just not going to happen.

Sounds awful doesn’t it? Actually, it needn’t be all that bad. Try looking at the problem from your toddlers perspective.

There he is and there are all those wonderful and exciting things everywhere around him. He needs to discover. He needs to experiment. But, he can’t speak adequately so he can’t ask. He is unable to understand you properly when you talk to him. He is however a great mimic. Good and bad toddler behavior depends a lot on you. If he sees you doing something, or hears you say something, then sooner or later he will try to do or say it as well.

You plug in the vacuum cleaner, or take tablets, or smear cream on your face or use a swear word – so why can’t he?

You need to constantly divert his attention away from what you are doing – so that he does not try to do it as well.

When you are cooking, how about giving him a little bowl of bread mixed with water or milk to stir with a spoon or squish with his fingers. Sure he will gleefully make a mess, but he won’t be trying to drag that boiling pot off the stove to see what is in it.

Need to clean windows? Wonderful! A small bucket of soapy water with a little bit of vinegar plus a pair of cotton socks (one sock on each hand) and he can wash the bottom of the windows while you work down from the top. At the same time chat or sing to him.

He will be having so much fun, that he is unlikely to wander off and get into mischief and you can get that much needed job done in record time.

How do you cope with his sudden decision that he wants to eat or drink – right now! Try putting a low plastic table in a corner somewhere that is just for him. Make sure there is always a bottle or sippy cup of juice or water available for him to take whenever he wants or needs it. You might even add a small plate of healthy finger foods from time to time.

Come dinner time tonight, dish up an extra plate of food in a plastic plate, cover and freeze for future use – so that if you are caught short and his food is not ready in time then you can whip out one of the frozen meals and warm it up in just a few minutes. He doesn’t have long to wait and you don’t have to put up with a half hour of screaming and whining.

Of course he is going to yell NO! When he doesn’t want to do something, (besides he no doubt hears you use the word often enough) but consider this … he is also learning to say no to his peers in years to come when they try to persuade him to do something that SHOULDN’T be done.

Try to avoid using the word “no” whenever possible. Find an alternative and explanatory word such as “danger” when he is about to stick his finger in the electrical socket, or you catch him with a sharp object. He will soon cotton on.

When toddler behavior threatens to drive you to madness, all you need to do is find interesting ways to divert his attention and allow him to investigate, explore and experience his world.

To learn more about dealing with temper tantrums, teaching your toddler to share and even teaching him how to do chores willingly, as well as dealing with other behavior problems in children click on the link below.

http://toddlerbehavior.parentingupdate.com/wordpress/

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