8 Tips On How To Discipline A Toddler (When They Need It)
Have an unruly toddler giving you grief? Here’s how to discipline a toddler when they need to be disciplined.
Let’s chat about how to discipline a toddler.
As a parent, there’s no question that you love your child more than anything else in the world, but even the most well- behaved children have their moments.
They don’t call it the terrible twos or temper-tantrumming threes for no reason! (p.s. Don’t look up that last phrase – I just coined it now myself).
Rest assured, the toddler years often remind moms and dads that parenting is a 24/7 job.
Does your toddler constantly make you pull out your hair?
If so, have no fear. We have some tips to help keep you sane.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
Try these 8 tips for how to discipline a toddler and dealing with toddler misbehavior:
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
1 – Understand why children misbehave.
Remember what they used to say about newborns crying. Babies often cry when they’re hungry or tired and the same thing can be said for toddlers misbehaving.
If you ensure your toddler has enough to eat and take naps regularly, you’ll potentially have fewer tantrums to contend with (here’s hoping – fingers crossed!).
Children also misbehave when they’re feeling angry or frustrated, especially if they’re told no. Does that mean you should automatically say yes to everything they want? NOPE!
Avoid giving your child everything they want, whenever they want it.
Toddler tantrums sometimes happen when kids are over-indulged so just keep in mind that some children throw tantrums when they don’t get their way.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
2 – Give your children the attention they deserve.
Often times, children also misbehave because they’re seeking attention.
Since they don’t know the difference between positive and negative attention, they’ll act out when they want you to notice them.
This is something you definitely don’t want to encourage!
By giving children positive attention, you’ll reduce the tendency for them to act out. Spend as much time as possible with your children to provide plenty of positive attention.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
3 – Stick to a daily routine.
As a much older person than a toddler, even I appreciate the value of a regular routine.
I like going to bed and waking up around the same time each day.
I like to eat my meals around the same time too, when I am typically hungry.
The same thing applies to toddlers.
When circumstances are out of the ordinary, children will sometimes act differently.
They are too young to understand that flexibility is required some days, especially if they have adapted to a routine that works well for them.
By sticking to a consistent daily routine, you’ll reduce the chances of toddler tantrums occurring due to that shift in routine.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
4 – Set clear boundaries and ensure your child understands the rules.
Don’t scoff at the idea of setting rules in your home!
Rules at home and laws in society are what keep this world running smoothly.
Be clear on the rules that are important and non-negotiable to you (no hitting or breaking things perhaps) and ensure that your child follows them at home.
It’s much easier to discipline a child at home when you can take your time and be patient.
HINT: If you can get your child to be well-behaved at home, you’ll have an easier time getting them to do the same in outside situations.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
5 – Change a child’s behavior by suggesting an alternate activity.
If your child is doing something you don’t want them to do and you can already foresee that this will lead to a temper tantrum or disciplinary action I recommend suggesting an activity that’s more acceptable.
If the child agrees with your suggestion, give yourself a big pat on your back.
You have corrected the behavior without anyone getting upset.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
6 – Give your child choices.
Here’s a little secret.
If you let your toddler choose between two or three different activities, they’re likely to be more cooperative.
Not only does it increase their feeling of independence but providing several options increases the chances of you suggesting something that they would want to do.
Remember the question isn’t: do you want to do this or not? It’s which would you prefer: this or that option? Allow them to pick!
Letting your kids make the decision, rather than just being told what to do, gives them a sense of power.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
7 – Avoid making empty threats.
This is where a lot of parents go wrong and I’m going to put my hand up here to say I’ve been part of this Empty Threat Club in the past.
If you dare to threaten a punishment to your toddler, you really need to be prepared to follow through with it.
If you fail to follow through with this threat, your child will just learn how to take control of the situation.
Mom or dad don’t really mean what they say.
They change their minds about things.
They aren’t serious.
They’ll eventually learn to patiently wait for you to cave in (if you always do), so they can get what they want in the end.
When you follow through with your punishments, your child will learn that there are consequences for failing to follow the rules.
Whenever possible, be sure the consequences happen immediately.
Avoid waiting until you get home, two hours later, to give a toddler a timeout.
They’ll be thinking they got away with bad behavior earlier, and they won’t understand why they’re being punished later.
Ensure that your consequences are also age appropriate.
A general rule of thumb is to give a toddler a timeout that lasts for 1 minute for each year of their age.
For example, a three-year-old can handle a 3 minute timeout and a five-year-old can handle one that lasts 5 minutes.
I apparently can last a lot longer than that and would be sitting in the corner for way too long lol.
HOW TO DISCIPLINE A TODDLER
8 – Praise positive behavior.
When parents have unruly children they often focus on punishments and consequences.
But don’t forget to focus on the good things your kids do too!
By praising or rewarding good behavior, you’ll be giving your child the attention they desire while also reinforcing good behavior.
So next time your toddler starts to get out of control, stay calm and remember these tips.
A word of warning: Getting frustrated or angry will only make things worse for both you and your child.
On the other hand, staying calm and using these strategies will most likely result in your child learning to behave and cooperate with you (win, win for both mom and child).
In the end, everyone will be happier and in parenting a happy parent and child is sometimes the most you can ask for! I wish you the best of luck with this endeavor!
-
Before You Go…
– See my EVERYTHING PAGE and grab a free gift > HERE
– Get instant access to EVERY COURSE I’ve ever created > HERE
– Listen to my INSPIRING LIFE PODCAST on Spotify or via Apple Podcasts.
– Or for biz owners, listen to LIFE COACH FOR BIZ MOMS Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.