If we give you the option to pick a fight between your partner and your toddler, odds are you’ll choose the partner. Now, logic would suggest that the little child would be a better option to win over.
But as a mum, you know too well that logic does not work with toddlers. At least with your partner, you can reason with them, fight with them, use profanities if need be, and eventually sway the argument in your favour.
However, almost every trick in the book may not work if your little one chooses to go out of line.
While toddlers normally outgrow this behaviour, there are days when it can get frustrating when your child just won’t behave himself. Mums can find it difficult to use the right discipline technique for the toddler without losing their cool.
Toddlers are too small for a harsh punishment while a mild one just turns out too ineffective. This is also the concern for a mum on Reddit recently.
The mum shared her ordeal where her three-year-old just won’t listen to her. After a number of strategies that failed, the mum took to the internet in search of new toddler discipline techniques.
Toddler Has Bathroom Training All Mixed Up
She wrote, ”Gonna keep this short because I’m breastfeeding (4w old) and giving a bath to my almost 3yo.
Almost 3M (three months) has been potty trained for 3 months in preparation for 4 week old (M). 3M doesn’t listen to me or my husband, a lot. I know he’s a toddler so it’s bound to happen but he is way too smart to not listen to us as much as he does.
He’s been peeing on the floor and in his underwear a few times a week when he hasn’t had accidents before. We’re trying to divide our attention between him and the 4 week old, doing family activities and playing together, even doing 1 on 1 time with just 3M.
Time outs don’t work (I just wait until he stops crying and explain to him why he’s in time out and what needs to happen next time) and I don’t like spanking.
How do you discipline your toddlers or get them to listen a little better? I’m at a loss and transitioning from 1 baby to 2 is still fresh and I just don’t know what to do. I keep getting frustrated with 3M and I don’t want to. It sucks. Any advice?”
What Do The Netizens Say About Toddler Discipline Techniques?
It’s rare to see Reddit users unanimously agreeing on things. And this was one of those times when they all agreed that handling a toddler took more limbs and brains than it should.
One user wrote, “Ahh…the 3-year-old! It’s own species!! You could spend all day trying to get them to listen to you. “Pick your battles” or you’ll spend all day frustrated and saying “no” and it will have less impact every time. When you really need to get through? You kneel down to their level. Get him to look straight at you. Tell him a firm “stop and look at me Billy” and then give VERY simple directive in short sharp language. Nothing complicated. It’s tough. It passes. With a newborn as well….bit of a nightmare. Good luck.”
Another user hatched a “mumevil” (when mum think of evil things) plan of her own to help the Reddit user. She wrote, “You need to develop a mini egg timer in your brain.
Tick tick tick tick DING “Go pee, right now.” Fifteen minutes later. Tick tick tick tick DING “Go pee, right now.”
They can’t pee on the floor in anger or tantrums if they have no pee left!! Muhaha!
Sibling Jealousy Triggering The Toddler’s Behaviour?
Another user reasoned that this was a passing phase and there was sibling jealousy in play.
She wrote, “He’s regressing because of his new sibling. It’s normal. Imagine how you would feel if you were your families sole purpose and now someone else is taking that attention and love?”
And finally, it was back to doing timeouts with one user suggesting, “The only thing that really worked for my daughter was a count down. We explained that when we started from 5 and end at 1 she should be doing what we ask. If she gets to 1 and still not listen then she goes in time out. She is 14 and I still count down and she won’t get pass 3.”
Top 3 Toddler Discipline Techniques
Image courtesy: Shutterstock
There will be times when parents would be triggered by their child’s temper tantrum too. But remember to never take it personally and use some good-old toddler discipline techniques.
- If you anticipate a tantrum coming, be quick in distracting them or engaging your child in a different activity.
- In case the tantrum is for a toy or food, it might be okay to give in to the demand on a few occasions, albeit within reason.
- Sometimes, you may want the child to have that outburst and let that frustration out.
However, frequent episodes of temper tantrums may require the intervention of a psychiatrist or a psychologist. Early treatment will help your child deal with anger and frustration more constructively, which is extremely essential for their mental wellbeing when growing up.
As a parent too, you need the process of raising children to be less exhausting, and sometimes seeking professional help is the way to go.
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