How Do You Discipline A 2 Year Old?

HOW DO YOU DISCIPLINE A 2 YEAR OLD?

If you've established a good, daily routine, how do you discipline a 2 year old won't be much of a problem. Because your child doesn't get overly hungry or tired, he's better natured and less likely to have temper tantrums. When discipline is necessary, be firm. Anger and abruptness don't belong here.
 

It's extremely important that parents see eye to eye on matters of discipline and what the children can and cannot do. Nothing is more frustrating to a child than to have one parent give permission to do something and the other parent forbid it. At this age, a child will turn from the disciplining parent to the other parent for sympathy or approval of what he has done. It's, therefore, essential that the mother be able to turn to the father for reinforcement.
 

Being very inexperienced, your youngster is bound to err at times. Situations are sure to arise in which you'll have to divert him from unacceptable ways of doing things. And the brighter and livelier he is (the way you want him), the bigger handful he's going to be. Keep in mind that what you're after is not to get even for any annoyance he may cause, but to help him learn ways of doing things that are acceptable society.
 

Various ways are acceptable in teaching your child how he should act in a certain situation. Always keep the same constructive attitude. Attempt to make him understand that you require him to do a certain thing because it is the right and proper thing to do—not just because you feel he should do it.

Whenever disciplining a child, approach him with the attitude that you expect him to do what you tell him, If he fails, the best thing is to mete out the consequences according to the greatness of the act and how well he understood what he did. Any consequence should be logical, arising naturally out of the child's own conduct. Administer only a well-thought-out consequence—if it fails to accomplish what you're after, it has lost all merit. If you handle your child in a friendly way, he'll want to do the right thing.

Suppose he refuses to follow your directions? Removal from the family or play group has proved ample punishment in countless cases. If he usually gets along well with you, he'11 feel just as unhappy as you do after he's done something wrong,. Jumping on a child who is already sorry, sometimes reverses his feelings and make him argue.

KIDS AT PLAY

Tidying up after play is part of your youngster's education, too. He should help at 2, even though he puts away only one toy. Gradually he can take care of more and more. If your 3-year-old picks up his toys at the end of a play period and puts each back in its proper place, you can be assured that he's doing well enough for a child this age.
 

Young children get very intent in their play—the beginning of the habit of concentration. This is a desirable trait which should not be broken. Allow your child 5 or 10 minutes in which to conclude whatever he's doing.
 

Taking things apart is as much a part of play to the 2-year-old as putting them together. Tearing down is as much fun as building. Give your youngster plenty of toys that he can take apart, and teach him to respect the others. Keep them in his own play areas, and let your small experimenter carry on such researches as occur to him. (Within limits, of course, of his own personal safety and that of his playmates.)

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