The terrible twos may be something that you’ve heard about, but you never truly understand what it is until you have a screaming two- year old at home. The famous (or infamous) terrible twos may start before your child reaches the two- year old mark, and could last until he’s three years old. Frustrating as it may seem, we need to understand that our child is not being rebellious because he wants to. This stage is when the toddler starts embracing his new- found independence but doesn’t have the language skills yet to tell you what he wants. The screaming, biting and crying is all because of frustration. Knowing how to handle the terrible twos will save parents from a lot of frustration and stress, which is why I’m going to give you top tips on how to handle your two- year old child.

TIP #1 OFFER LIMITED CHOICES

Two- year olds like making decisions. Encouraging this develops their self- independence, but make sure that you’re not giving him unacceptable alternatives. For example, ask him whether he likes to have an apple or an orange instead of asking him if he would like any fruit. That way, he can’t say “no” which is a famous answer for kids this age.

TIP #2 SET LIMITS AND STAND BY IT

Toddlers going through the terrible twos like testing the water. They like to know how much they can get away with, and are highly likely to do it again. When you tell your child to go to bed, mean it and never waver. Don’t be surprised if they’re going to try to test your patience, like pretending not to hear you or going through a tantrum. As a parent, I find that this is sometimes difficult but being firm is important if we want to discipline our kids.

TIP #3 USE PROPER DISCIPLINE TECHNIQUES

Spanking and screaming at your child may not be a very good idea. Remember that kids this age follow the monkey- see- monkey- do principle, and they tend to mirror what you’re doing. When they get difficult, use time- out or take away privileges instead. They may scream and cry, but remember not to give in to tantrums. Two- year olds may not understand what time- outs mean right away, but doing it every time they did something wrong will make them realize what it’s all about. Just remember to sincerely talk to your child what they did wrong every time you punish them so they won’t take it against you.

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