Discipling your toddler is never a fun subject, but oh what a week it was in our toddler world! This week we’re talking about the lovely world of toddler discipline, how to discipline your toddler and consequences.
Please remember, I am a strong believer in learning from other parents, but how you parent is up to you. You won’t find any judgement from me (just don’t beat your kids!). Successful parenting is failing and succeeding and finding what best works for you.
Discipline and Your Toddler
Knowing how to discipline your toddler can feel like the million dollar question. Just wait until the teenage years come – oh Lord! For now, we just have to worry about the toddler and surviving toddlerism!
Personally I have a hard time discipling our toddler when it comes to several of his actions as truth of the matter is, while he is getting in trouble and doing things he shouldn’t be – he honestly doesn’t know better. Now the biting or punching his brother in the groin – yeah, that is punishable – but the opening of drawers he just doesn’t know wrong from right.
The photo to the right is a great example of do I discipline, warn or teach. I try to use these times as teaching examples – but truth be told I wish I could always think like that! Here Izaiah is helping himself to some pizza. He is large for a 2 year old and is able to just grab pizza off the counter. Everyone else is, so in his little mind, why can’t he?
Time Out
Typically we work with the age equals the number of minutes you are in time out theory. So our 2 year old can spend 2 minutes in time out, our 7 year old – 7 minutes in time out and so on.
Time out in our house is typically spent sitting upon a step with no toys or anything accessible within arms reachs. No talking and no playing, though truth be told, if the toddler will sit there and not run away – I consider that a successful time out!
We started time out at around the 18 month mark. While the doctor didn’t recommend time out until 2 years old – our son was familiar with it from day care and actually does quite well with it.
Clean Up
If a mess is made, we make the toddler clean it up. We show and work with him to get the area cleaned. Amazingly our toddler cleans so much better than our older 2 kids. Oh the lovely world of consequences, they begin at such an early age..
The above photo is compliments of our lovely toddler and a toddler made mess. Yes, that is oatmeal – across 3 rooms – 2 hours before we had an open house. Wee.
The Apology
While I know there is some debate on whether you should make a child apologize – I am in the Pro Apology camp. I want my kids to take responsibility for their actions and apologize when needed.
Teaching our toddler the word sorry is like pulling teeth. He just hates that word. He has a love for all things Yo Gabba Gabba so now instead of saying “sorry” – he sings this song.
This isn’t my kid, but a cute kid none the less singing the Yo Gabba Gabba Sorry Song.
In case you missed those Yo Gabba Gabba Sorry song lyrics
I’m so I’m so sorry
I’m so I’m so sorry
I can fix it – I can make it better
Though my son’s song is sung more along the 1 line song os “i’m so, I’m so awree” and done with a dance.
How Do You Discipline Your Toddler?
We’re talking Toddler Talk – discussing all things raising toddlers.