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At this stage, kids tend to have tremendous emotional changes. These emotional changes can then translate into little behavioural problems since these little kids are put through the sudden and very intense pressure of feeling things that are beyond their capacity and may misbehaviour. As much as it may seem normal, some tantrums should not be ignored and should be stopped immediately.
Showing Some Attitude
When our toddlers show attitude sometimes, it will seem funny and hilarious, but this should not stop you from setting boundaries and showing them that it is not polite to do so to others. If it is accepted at home, they might continue doing so outside. Informal learning i.e., learning from direct adults like parents, grandparents etc. is needed for toddlers as they spend most of their time with these people. If they continue this behaviour, they may have difficulties when they enter school life. Approach them nicely and calm them down first before talking to them about what is wrong with their behaviour. If the attitude is not in the correct mind space to try to listen to you, the conversation is not going to go anywhere and you are going to end up with a full-blown tantrum, which is not what you need. Practice proper groundings techniques like breathing in and out and so on when distressed with your toddler so that they can develop a better coping mechanism as they grow.
Rough Playing
Toddlers can participate in rough play without their awareness. When overly excited, the excitement can turn into rough play and hence result in some unwanted consequences like getting someone hurt or getting themselves hurt. When playing with your toddlers, and you notice that there are some tendencies for your toddler to act rough, teach them gently that their rough behaviour can be harmful by using cartoons or animations or even stuffed toys. Visualise the situation out for the kids and make use of descriptive words and sounds that are easily understood by them. If not fixed right away, toddlers can bring this behaviour out to the playgrounds and childcare etc where their behaviour will not be tolerated.
Not Wanting To Share
Teach them the importance of sharing from their toddler stage. Once this trait is instilled in your child, it will be difficult to get rid of. Likewise, if the problem of your toddler not wanting to share may lead to them not being able to communicate effectively with their toddler friends and enjoy playtime at childcare. As simple as it sounds, sharing is caring. Try to instil the habit of sharing at the dinner table. Try to hint to your toddler that you would like to have a bite of their favourite item on their plate. If this is too hard to get on with right away, try with something easier. Maybe during playtime, try to get them to offer you their toy which they usually do not play with, then slowly move on to their beloved toys. You can also bring in the idea of donating and so on by bringing them to donation drives etc so that they can feel it firsthand. Do not underestimate their age, toddlers can feel things far more than most of us adults can.
Fake Crying To Get What They Want
This… As cute as they would look with their teary puppy eyes, their little “please…” or you just simply do not wish to entertain their ear-piercing yells, please, I urge you not to give in. I know you are tougher than this. By giving in to their little fake cries, you will be entering their actions and giving them the impression that will get them anything they want. By the time they begin school life, they will be hit with the hard truth that this is not how it is like everywhere. By then, there is no time for you to regret it if people call your child spoilt. Avoid doing this and be firm with your decisions. Show them the repercussions of faking it and give them an alternative. For example, “If you clean up your toys, I will give it to you” or divert their attention to something else.
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Nurture Infant House (Tampines)
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Blk 433, Tampines Street 43, #01-61 (S) 520433
Tel: +65 9666 4141