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Toddler and Preschool Behavior: Tantrums, Hitting and Limits
Behavior guides for toddlers and preschoolers: tantrums, hitting and biting, saying no, whining, lying and calm, consistent limits that work.
Baby 1
Toddler 23
- Say What to Do, Not What Not to Do Positive directions toddlers can follow: swap "don't" for what to do instead, with examples for hitting, running, climbing and more.
- Tantrums Are a Skill Gap, Not Defiance Why toddler tantrums are a skill gap, not defiance: staying calm, naming the feeling, steady routines and what to skip mid-tantrum.
- Toddler Meltdowns: OK the Feeling, Hold the Boundary, Shift to Yes A three-step plan for toddler meltdowns: OK the feeling, hold the boundary, shift to the yes, with words to try and why order matters.
- Quick Calm-Down Skills for Toddlers and Preschoolers Quick calm-down skills for toddlers and preschoolers: playful breathing, naming feelings, moving and drawing it out, and practicing when calm.
- Co-Regulation: How Your Calm Helps Your Child Calm Down Co-regulation: why a calm adult helps a child calm down, from Dr. Aliza Pressman and Dr. Becky Kennedy.
- The Whole-Brain Child: Connect First, Then Redirect The Whole-Brain Child: connect first, then redirect, from Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
- Why Your Child Acts Out: Behavior Is a Signal, Not Defiance Good Inside: behavior is a signal of a need or a skill gap, from Dr. Becky Kennedy.
- How to Set Sturdy Boundaries with Your Toddler Sturdy leadership: boundaries are what the parent will do, from Dr. Becky Kennedy.
- Whining, Not Listening, Lying and 'I Hate You': What Your Child Means Whining, not listening, lying and 'I hate you', read as signals, from Dr. Becky Kennedy.
- How to Build Frustration Tolerance and Resilience in Your Child Building frustration tolerance and resilience instead of rescuing, from Dr. Becky Kennedy.
- Calm, Confident Limits for a Toddler Who Keeps Testing Calm, confident limits for a toddler who is testing, from Janet Lansbury.
- Discipline Without Shame: What to Do Instead of Punishment Discipline without shame: what to do instead of punishment, from Janet Lansbury.
- Sharing, Grabbing and Toy Conflicts: Why Not to Force Sharing Why not to force sharing, and how to handle toy fights, from Janet Lansbury.
- Evidence-Based Discipline Without Physical Punishment Discipline that works without spanking or physical punishment: natural and logical consequences, connection first and consistent limits.
- Boundaries with Kids: Letting Reasonable Consequences Teach Boundaries with Kids: letting reasonable consequences teach, with empathy, from Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
- How to Talk So Kids Will Listen: Words for Feelings and Cooperation How to Talk So Kids Will Listen: words for feelings and cooperation, from Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
- Separation Anxiety and Starting Childcare Why clinginess peaks around 10 to 18 months, goodbyes that help, and starting daycare.
- Helping Your Toddler Through Big Changes: Moves, Preschool, Pacifier How to prepare a toddler for a move, new caregiver, preschool or giving up the pacifier, and why regression is normal.
- Toddler Biting, Hitting and Pushing: What to Do and Say Why toddlers bite, hit and push, how to block it calmly, what to say, and how to work with daycare.
- How to Teach Toddlers to Name Their Feelings Emotion coaching basics: validating feelings, building a feelings vocabulary by age, and games and books that help.
- Toddler Head Banging, Rocking and Other Comfort Habits Why toddlers bang their heads, rock or twirl hair, how to keep them safe, and when it's worth a mention.
- Stalling and Dawdling: Slow Mornings, Bedtime Delays and Transitions Why toddlers and preschoolers stall, and calm ways to speed up mornings, bedtime and leaving the house.
- Toddler Says No to Everything: Defiance and Power Struggles Why toddlers say no, how to get cooperation with choices and play, and how to hold limits calmly.
Preschool 7
- Teaching Young Kids Body Safety, Privacy and Consent Correct names for body parts, private-parts rules, surprises vs secrets, no forced hugs, trusted adults and responding to disclosure.
- Preschooler Fears: The Dark, Monsters, Dogs and Worries Normal fears by age, how to validate and use small brave steps, bedtime fears, and when worries are too much.
- Helping Preschoolers Make Friends and Get Along How play grows from parallel to cooperative, sharing and turn-taking at 3 to 5, exclusion, shy kids and playdates.
- Calm-Down Corner and Coping Tools for Preschoolers Body clues, a feelings thermometer, a calm-down corner and a simple feelings plan for 3 to 5 year olds.
- Why Is My Preschooler Lying? Tall Tales and Honesty at 3 to 5 Why preschoolers lie or tell tall tales, how to respond without traps or shame, and how honesty grows.
- Sore Loser? Teaching Preschoolers to Share, Win and Lose How to teach turn-taking, losing gracefully and kind winning through games and play at 3 to 5.
- How to Stop Whining and Endless Negotiating in Preschoolers Why whining and bargaining peak at 3 to 5, and how to teach a strong voice, offer choices and hold limits.
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