Archive | September 6th, 2012

Tattling – How To Deal With This Behaviour Problem In Children

Tattling is telling or whining about the actions of a person. This behaviour is very common to children. Dealing with tattling can be very frustrating. So how can parents handle this behaviour problem in children? Here are some simple techniques you can try.

Know The Reason

Before you scold your toddler for tattling, find out the reason why he is doing it. Children have a lot of energy and they expend some of that by talking and most often, they tattle not because they mean to harm others but rather, they are confused of the things going on around them.

Teach Your Toddler How To Cope In Other Ways

Teach your toddler how to make decisions and resolve certain problems on his own through reporting. This way, he feels assured that he can handle things by himself. Practice role playing with your little one by giving him examples of tattling and reporting and have him identify the difference between tattling and reporting. Explain to your toddler that if someone is in danger, he should report to an adult. If someone is annoying him, he should talk to the child who is bugging him and if he wants to tattle about something that is not really a problem, it would be best to keep quiet and report it to himself.

Sympathize

Start by saying “I know you are frustrated…” or “It is normal to feel that way…”. Let your tattling toddler fully state his apprehensions and listen carefully so you can figure out the real reason behind his tattling. Understanding from an adult, especially from parents can boost a toddler’s self-control, which makes the child less likely to tattle and try solving the problem in a violent manner.

Ignore It

If your little one tattles for no significant reason, it would be best to ignore him. So the next time your toddler comes running to you informing you how his baby brother stuck his tongue out at him, just tell him that you will talk about it later or make him draw a detailed picture of what happened. Chances are, this will become very tiresome for your toddler and he will soon realize that the time and effort he exerts in giving you a blow-by-blow report is worthless.

Be Firm

Never join an argument as this is your tattling toddler’s way to ask for your help. This will only reinforce the behaviour by helping him achieve what he wants and you also risk disciplining the other toddler unfairly.

Bond With Your Toddler

Sometimes, tattling may be a result of your toddler’s need for attention. Spend a lot of one-on-one time with your little one. You can read him stories, do arts and crafts, play board games, cook together or go to the park.

Tattling is a normal part of development for children. But, by coming up with ways to help redirect this behaviour into something more fruitful, your toddler’s tattling ways will be considerably reduced.

Posted in Parenting, Toddler BehaviourComments (0)

How To Make Exercise For Children Fun

One of the keys to teaching children the importance of health is through exercising. However, when they hear the word exercise, the word punishment also comes to mind. There are several ways to make exercise for children fun. Maybe these tips can help you out.

Turn It Into A Family Activity

They say the more, the merrier. This adage is really spot on when it comes to exercising. What better way to make exercise fun for your toddler than to get the entire family involved. Family involvement can be the best motivator to encourage your toddler to exercise. If the whole family is playing a game, your little one is more likely to join in and enjoy himself. So do not just say “Go outside and play.”. Jog or walk around the neighbourhood together. Play tag or hide and seek. Pick up your soccer ball and head outside.

Play Different Fun Games

Children love games so expect your toddler to be engrossed for hours. Think of various physically demanding games that are appealing and challenging. Badminton, basketball, football, Frisbee and soccer are great games that will surely get your toddler’s blood pumping.

Hold A Field Trip

Field trips are exciting. Discover new and exciting places whether by foot or by bicycle. Take a walk and go a different route than you normally do or go biking on a Saturday afternoon. Uncovering new ground allows your toddler to exercise and explore the beauty of Mother Nature.

Arrange Play Dates

Play dates are an effective way to make toddlers exercise. Invite your neighbour’s kids over to your house and organize games that require teamwork and physical activity (running, jumping, walking and hoping). Here are some fun play date games to try:

  • Obstacle Course
  • Capture The Flag – Divide them into 2 teams. Both teams should have a flag on opposite ends of the field. The first team to capture the others flag and bring it back to their base is the winner.
  • Duck Duck Goose - Let everyone sit in a circle. One person stands up to pat each head and say “duck, duck, duck”. The toddler will touch another child’s head and that toddler should get up and catch the other kids before the “it” toddler can run to the open spot and sit down. If they beat the goose (the “it” toddler), they get to sit while another toddler selects the goose.

Find A Sport Your Toddler Is Interested In

Does your toddler love to waddle in the pool, kick and throw balls or dance? Why not take advantage of your toddler’s interest and sign him up for classes and lessons. He can join a swimming, dancing, soccer, basketball, tennis or football workshop. This is the best way to get your toddler to exercise. Plus, it will hone important skills that will be very beneficial for his development.

Keep in mind that exercise for children is not about lifting weights or running on the treadmill. In order to make toddlers interested, a lot of fun and exciting activities must be incorporated.

Posted in Playtime, Toddler ActivitiesComments (0)

Disciplining Children Who Talk Back

One of the biggest discipline issues parents have to face is back talk. While it is a normal part of child development, tolerating this kind of behaviour can result to major behaviour problems as children grow up. Here are some tips on how to deal with children who talk back.

Keep Your Calm

How you react to your toddler’s retorts can set the tone of your communication. Do not get into a power struggle or overreact to your toddler’s choice of words. Remember, children like pushing their parents’ buttons. So when your little one starts mouthing off, stay calm and do not respond in kind. Instead of saying “Do not use that tone to me you little brat.”, say, “I do not like the way you talk to me. I think there is a better way to say that.”.

Know The Reason Behind The Behaviour

You have to know precisely why your toddler is talking back to you. Is he irritable during lunchtime, in the middle of the afternoon or after playing physically demanding activities? This may be because he is hungry, sleepy or overstimulated. Maybe giving him a light snack before lunchtime, adjusting his naptime or taking some downtime after playtime can eliminate these triggers. Keep track of when back talks happen to prevent the behaviour from worsening.

Another reason why children talk back is because they lack attention. They will do anything to get an adults attention, even if it is negative. So the next time your toddler talks to you about something, do not just say “hmm…”. Stop whatever you are doing and listen to your little one. This way, you assure him that even if you are busy, you do not forget him. Moreover, take a look at what your toddler sees. Is he watching TV shows and commercials displaying a sassy attitude? It would be a good idea to supervise your toddler and screen TV programs.

Set Firm Rules

Make sure your toddler understands what is and is not okay to say. Be sure to stress the message that you will not listen to what he has to say unless he talks to you in a calm and respectful manner.

Give Consequences

If your toddler starts to talk back, give him a warning. You can say, “Honey, if you continue to disrespect me I will have to punish you.”. If he does not stop, grab your toddler’s hand and lead him to his timeout place. Have him sit down in an isolated room (make sure you still keep a close eye on him) for the entire period of the timeout. Withholding privileges (e.g. missing his favorite TV show, no video games and playing on the playground) is another consequence you can give.

Communicate

Talk to your toddler about his behaviour. Let him know that you care about his feelings but you also feel hurt each time he talks back. Acknowledge his emotions – “I understand you are frustrated.” (to show that you empathize with him ) and do not interrupt him while he is talking. This will teach him that you respect his opinion and that he can always talk to you about anything.

Practice What You Preach

Of course, in order to successfully adjust your toddler’s attitude, you have to adjust your attitude as well. If he sees you handle your own emotions in a calm and mature manner, he will follow you.

Give Praise

Each time he speaks to you in a polite tone, tell him how you like it when he talks to you that way. This way, you let your toddler realize that it is not just the negative behaviour you notice, but the positive as well.

Be firm and do not let yourself be affected each time he makes nasty comebacks. The calmer you are, the better you can teach your toddler to express himself in an acceptable way.

Posted in Parenting, Toddler DisciplineComments (0)


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