The formative years with a toddler can be frustrating for both the parents and the child. Especially with a first child, the experience is new for everyone involved, and there will be many growing pains and a lot of learning on both sides.
Toddlers are experiencing perhaps the fastest pace of learning and most stimulus overload they will ever have in their lives, and it can often be frustrating. The toddler, who is eager to learn, communicate, and become independent will become cranky when new tasks, activities, or games aren’t easy enough, commonly leading to tantrums. Parents often don’t know how best to deal with these situations and poor choices in how to discipline and teach the toddler can sometimes cause future behavior problems. If a parent sees early signs of either positive or negative behaviors in their toddler, then it is a good time to engage in formative actions by either encouraging or discouraging such behavior.
Establish routines for your toddler, and stick with these routines. By setting a regular daily schedule for your toddler, you are in fact training them for future life, which is full of structured routines. If napping, eating, playing, and bed times are the same every day, your child will begin to anticipate each event, taking some of the chaos and frustration out of the daily experience. If your toddler anticipates an event, it will be easier for you to divert your toddler’s attention from some other activity, and into the planned activity. The trained anticipation will reduce the chances of a tantrum.
The toddler years are critical in shaping the rest of the child’s life. You must keep in mind that for the toddler, every activity can be a challenge. Tantrums will be normal for any toddler, and by helping your child through such difficult times, you will show your support and confidence in them. Through diligence, love, and wise choices regarding reinforcement strategies, you will play a critical role in the positive development of your toddler’s behavior.