“Having children just puts the whole world into perspective. Everything else just disappears" - Kate Winslet
Now that your little person is on the move and transferring from sitting to standing, perhaps walking and even running proficiently, days are busy with constant supervision needed. You will often be keeping them out the way of unsafe situations, using the word ‘no’ regularly and beginning to venture into the hallmarks of your style of gentle discipline and boundary setting.
6.30 am (ish) - Start the day with a feed (breast or bottle)
1¼ to 2 hours later - Be watching for tired signs, settle down for some quiet time
8.00–8.30 am (ish) - Sleep time (sleep time can vary from 1½ to 2 hours)
Preliminary Checklist
Toddlers and preschoolers are still in the early stages of learning to communicate verbally. Add to that the fact that they have little-to-no impulse control and very immature social skills, and you’ve got a recipe for an instinctive physical response (i.e. hitting, kicking, biting, hair pulling, throwing things, etc.) to situations when they are frustrated, angry, excited, scared, or just tired and out-of-sorts.
Being able to wee and poo on the potty is a complex process that can’t be rushed – your child needs to be able to recognise when a wee or poo is coming, to hold on long enough to get to the toilet, to remember where the potty is, and to pull down her pants in time to wee without making a puddle. She will also need to be able to understand simple instructions or she won’t know what is expected of her or how to tell you she wants to go to the toilet.
One of the most common requests I get from parents is, "I've tried everything and my child still won't listen. What can I do?" There are several factors involved in a child's willingness to cooperate. A child not doing what she is told is less about "not listening" and more about how able she feels to do what you want her to do.
Modelling speech to your child is one of the most important elements to remember. So, catch yourself talking to others, your child, yourself most of the day.
Reading, reading and more reading of picture books will capture his interest, allow him to hear the correct sounding of words and is a lovely opportunity to share the enjoyment of a story. Don’t forget to use plenty of exclamation in your voice, discuss the pictures and ask your child lots of questions about the story.
Limits, boundaries and consequences all work together with love and empathy to teach and help our kids perceive and interact with the world in positive ways. In this article I’ll address each concept of limits, boundaries and consequences and some practical ways to understand and utilise them in positive, peaceful ways.
More often than not, family life feels very complicated. We often wonder if we are doing the right things to make our family members feel loved and supported, and whether or not we are spending our time in the right ways. As parents in particular, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to create a beautiful home-life for our children.
