Potty training is one of the important milestones in parenting and usually starts when the toddler is a year and a half. However, it is essential to bear in mind that the child will not take to the pot immediately. Looking for gestures that indicate that your child needs to use the pot will enable you to coax your child into using the pot. Gradually, children develop control over their bladder and bowel movements and start using the pot on their own when they are ready for it.
With a delay in vocabulary development, a toddler is often unable to communicate his or her feelings or desires in an effective way. This results in a parent not understanding what the child wants and often causes irritation that manifests itself in the form of temper tantrums. To avoid this discontentment, understanding your child and giving him or her, the attention he or she deserves helps to a large extent. Many a time, temper tantrums may also be a result of not getting everything that one desires. On such occasions, ignoring the outbursts is the best remedy.
Once the child realizes that tantrums do not affect you, the tantrums will disappear on their own. Time out is another effective way of dealing with unruly behavior.
When disciplining a toddler, it is essential to bear in mind that a toddler has a limited memory span and needs to be reminded frequently about his or her limits. This, however, should be done in a subtle manner. Expected good behavior portrayed through characters in stories plays a vital role in establishing a clear understanding of boundaries as children associate themselves with such characters. Instead of concentrating on faults, positive reinforcement helps in making the concept of acceptable behavior clearer. Coming down to the level of the child increases the level of understanding and helps in the development of a bond between parent and child which is essential for building trust. Once your toddler trusts you completely, he or she will start accepting boundaries set by you. Strict disciplining often leads to psychological damage and should be avoided.