My husband and I are blessed with 3 beautiful little girls…Annora 7.5 years, Delise 5 years, and Tawny 22 months. We have been through many stages in life and parenting is by far our FAVORITE! Our oldest is the sweetest girl with an infectious personality. She makes friends easily and has always been an “easy” child. Our second daughter has a heart of pure gold and cries when others cry. She is quirky and I love everything about her. Where our oldest loves as many friends as possible, our middle child is happy with her one BBF (best buddy forever). Our third daughter’s personality is larger than life and lights up a room. She knows what she wants and lets you know what that is. She can be loud and, at times, demanding. In fact, we are going through a stage right now where everything she wants better be delivered or there is a tantrum lurking around the corner. If she would have been my first, this whole parenting gig would have been a bit intimidating. And that, my friends, is why I write this blog. This is for the first-time parents who have that strong-willed child and have NO CLUE what to do.
A wise woman/ older family friend once said to me, “When a child is a toddler, you don’t pick your battles, you win them all.” By this she meant that toddlers act out and demand because they want what they want. It is up to us, their parents, to teach them how to properly “demand.” It is important for us to stand our ground and let them know that when Mommy and Daddy say, “No,” that is final. It is also important to make sure healthy boundaries are set so that your child is aware of acceptable vs. unacceptable behavior. My husband and I always sit down and discuss the behaviors that are unfavorable, how we plan to conquer them, and what that behavior looks like when it is acceptable. It is amazing how, when you take the behavior away and discuss it in detail, the real situation reveals itself and you are able to “see” how to resolve the situation. Staying calm in the midst of the tantrum to “see” what is actually happening in that moment is key to a resolution the will not only stop the behavior but also teach your child the right way to behave when a similar situation arises.
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