Question:
2 1/2 year old discipline ideas?
1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
2 1/2 year old discipline ideas?
Eight answers:
2011-10-01 19:00:50 UTC
Make a chart, call it "(your child's name)'s good girl chart)! Get some star stickers and make it all pretty so she will get excited about it! Make sections of the day like bath, getting dressed, brushing teeth, helping clean,ect. Just include daily things! And each time she has done one of those and behaved put a sticker on the chart! Once she can get so many stars she'll get a surprise, decide weather it's a toy, going some place fun, ect. Make sure she knows the rules and make it fun for her. This worked for my little cousins who were the biggest brats, it worked because they were excited to go bowling(their 50 star prize)! But they also had little prizes like if they had a week of perfect table manors they got pigout Friday witch means they could eat with their hands and be messy and sing at the table and have fun! Make sure you stick to it so she knows your serious! Also don't let her run you, make sure she knows YOUR incharge! Kids will take full advantage once you break! Stay strong! Pick a punishment for bad behavior and stick to it so she gets use to stability! Don't make her fear you but let her know your serious and it's time to listen. Be firm! Goodluck, hope I helped!(:
Zuzu
2011-10-01 21:12:52 UTC
I read through all the previous suggestions and as I'm thinking "THAT would never have worked with MY daughter" it made me realize that likely you're the best person to answer your own question. What you know is that what you've tried hasn't worked... so stop doing what you've been doing and just start experimenting with some new strategies. Every child is different. That said, I'll share with you how we approached what other people call the "terrible twos"... we had terrific twos... it was a really fun time. And our threes have been equally good..



I think two year olds need to argue with mom and dad, need to see what happens when they fight with you and/or throw a tantrum, cry or scream. They're experimenting with the power of language and all kinds of non-verbal communication. They NEED conflict and they need to be taught how to resolve conflict AND they need to be taught how to get what they want and need - how to "negotiate the system" as it were. That said, you can choose to live and teach all those lessons out in the form of "real" conflict or you can create a little conflict when you're not trying to get her dressed in the morning.



If my daughter started getting uppity with me, I'd ask her if she felt like she needed to have an argument with me. She'd usually say yes and then I'd ask her what she'd like to argue about. She would say something like, "I say I want to go to the playground and you say I can't go to the playground." So we'd have a little mock argument about going to the playground and I'd teach her how to compromise and/or otherwise reach resolution when we disagreed. It was SO much easier appeasing her need to argue when it was invented and not about something I was trying to get her to do.



At two and a half, reverse psychology worked GREAT on my girl if it was about practical stuff we were trying to get done. (I NEVER asked questions that could be answered by a "yes" or "no" - you're just asking for a "no" unless the question is "do you want ice cream?" If you want to practice "yes" only ask questions like THAT ;) For example, I could say, "I'd appreciate it if you waited to get dressed until AFTER I put on my shoes, so whatever you do, don't put on that dress." She'd stop what she was doing and run and toss the dress on. I could always pause and say, "Oh you stinker!" She needed to exercise her will and desires and if her desire was to oppose us, how better to do it than using the potty chair or getting dressed?



The first time my girl said, "no" we bought her a very sweet little pull toy that we named "No No." IF she said it after that, we'd just say... "oh yeah, good idea, why don't you go get No No." We totally disempowered the word by making it into an actual toy. I was very careful to only use the word "no" firmly and harshly very, very sparingly (meaning less than once a week and ONLY when her safety was at issue.) There are lots of way to say "no" that don't involve that word.. (later she got a toy called "maybe" and later still came "yes, Ma'am")



Spend more time teaching her the behaviors you want and praising and rewarded good and expected behaviors and less time focusing on unwanted behavior.



In terms of tantrums, my daughter has had fewer of those than I can count on one hand and she's nearly four. From the time she could really comprehend I would say, "no one gets anything in our house by whining or crying. If you're frustrated and you need to cry, I'm happy to hold you, but you're not getting anything by whining or crying." When the whining and or crying would subside, I might teach her how to better communicate or talk about her frustration/anger. Don't make crying wrong, just don't reward it.



My girl gave up naps when she was two and that eliminated any bedtime drama. We made the bedtime ritual sweet and fun, because, frankly, I wouldn't stand for a fight every night for the next 18 years. Screaming and crying NIGHTLY has to be doing damage to your relationship. My girl is in bed having three stores read to her (which she loves picking out) by 7 pm. After the story is over I hop into bed with her, turn out the lights and we cuddle until she falls asleep (usually within ten minutes.) You can turn the night time ritual around, just experiment with ways to make it sweet and loving and a cherry on a day, even on the worst day. It'll be so good for both of you to have days end better - but ONLY you can change the equation and you need to experiment.



I know.. long answer... hope something in there helps. Don't buy that this has to be the terrible twos... choose your battles and remember it's about teaching, not disciplining.. and if she's not learning, you need to switch up your teaching style..
OpulentStylist
2011-10-01 20:17:03 UTC
i am SOOO glad you asked this question. My daughter is 2 and is the same way. She does the same things!!! Although she's pretty good for everyone else by ME! I just bought the "take out - time out" mat. Its portable because they say consistency is best. I have not tried it yet since whenever i gave a time out previously she would kick and scream and i would have to hold her down. I am curious to see what other parents are doing to fix these behavior issues! It's so frustrating!!!
B J Bee
2011-10-01 18:59:30 UTC
Give her a 3-5 minute warning before announcing what she will be doing nest. After the time tell her it's time to _____. (Do NOT ask. It is not a question.)

If she doesn't come, get her and make her do it or do it for her. If she kicks and screams or pulls hair, take away snack or story time, or if it is getting dressed time, give a time out. If it is nap or bed time, put her to bed. Let her scream and cry. It will not hurt her.

If she cooperates, praise her.

Be very consistent for a long, long time.
Mommy of 2
2011-10-01 19:36:28 UTC
try time out for only two minutes at a time and then talking about the behavior
K
2011-10-01 19:35:38 UTC
Tylar Pettit, yo, you want to post over in "Sociology" so people can scratch their heads over the child-rearing abuses of the lower classes -- but don't offer that crap up as "advice" that other people might reasonably be expected to use on their children. Damn, that's sad how abuse gets sent down through the generations...



Anyway, all your answers and more are here:



"Something Better Than Punishment"

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0687/



"Building a Positive Relationship with Your Child"

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0684/



"Am I Spoiling My Child?"

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0718/



"Helping Young Children Behave"

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0719/
2011-10-01 18:56:59 UTC
my aunt had the same problem with me and my cousin when we were younger! She had us stand with our noses to the wall, holding 3 phonebooks (for a 2 year old i would suggest just one phonebook). the starting time was always 1 minute for every year of our age. Its not a comfortable postition and your arms gets tired from holding the phonebook, your daughter shouldnt want to have to do it again. GOOD LUCK! sorry i dont have anything else, when my daughter is bad i give her a good whack on the butt and she stops!
Mr. Klankarampalopagantoplap
2011-10-01 18:47:33 UTC
Put her up for adoption.


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