Understanding the 2 year old

[aly1979]

Hi all

I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment, not sure how to respond when my 2 year old seems to be challenging me e.g throwing food at the wall etc etc.

I know I have brought this on myself by getting cranky and frustrated so now DD is doing a lot of things deliberately and looks expectantly for my reaction.

I'd love any advice or suggestions on books/articles that my help me understand what I can expect from a 2 year old.

[KristinC]

Hi Aly
It's hard to know where to start with your question.. I could talk about this topic all day!
Firstly.. books that I found useful were your child's emotional needs by Dr Vicky Florey, and little angels by Dr William Sears.
Other things I found really useful..
* Realising that you can't change another person's behaviour, you can only change your own reaction to that behaviour.
* Ditching strategies that weren't working
* Don't expect mindless obedience. You're raising a child, not training a dog
* Reacting with kindness and understanding to his behavioural "mistakes" - just like you would gently correct a child who is learning to write, because learning how to relate to other people is just like learning any other skill
* Connection underpins any discipline strategies that you choose, so focus on keeping the connection strong, plenty of cuddles and snuggles, the trust between you will be worth it in the long run.
There's plenty of threads under gentle guidance in this forum that might give you some ideas. Good luck, and enjoy your perfectly normal and exuberant toddler!