This post is written for inclusion in the Carnival of Gentle Discipline hosted by Paige @ Baby Dust Diaries. All week, April 26-30, we will be featuring essays about non-punitive discipline. See the bottom of this post for more information.
Today I would like to welcome Dionna, who has written a guest post on gentle parenting strategies for parents of toddlers. Dionna is a lawyer turned work at home mama of an amazing son, and is one of those crunchy liberals her parents warned her about. You can normally find Dionna over at Code Name: Mama where she shares information, resources, and her thoughts on natural parenting and life with a toddler.
Pronunciation:\’ter-uh-bul\’t¸z\
Function: noun
1. An annoying alliteration used to describe the emotional breakdowns that occur (in both toddlers and parents) when parents spend more time attempting to control behavior and engage forced cooperation than they do in nurturing their toddlers’ natural growth, independence, and curiosity;
2. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
Ok, maybe that isn’t the dictionary definition of the “terrible twos,” but it is pretty close to reality. Toddlerhood is challenging, no doubt. But spending the toddler years in a relentless power struggle is bound to result in frustration for both parents and children.
Here is a better definition of the Terrible Twos:
1. Spanking;
2. Yelling.
These terrible two disciplinary measures have detrimental effects on a child’s self-esteem (they devalue the child and lower his self-image), they teach children that violence or anger (physical and/or emotional) is an acceptable way to solve problems, and they promote anger in children and parents. (1) Spanking and yelling never leave either party feeling good about themselves or each other. Following are two ideas for more gentle parenting strategies that are based on respect and cooperation between parents and children instead of control and compliance.
1. Love Your Toddler Through a “Tantrum”
Temper tantrums are usually viewed as something to be avoided (or at least ended) as quickly as possible. We are uncomfortable with and often embarrassed by strong emotional outbursts. Our toddlers, however, are just learning how to express themselves. “Children express themselves not only to maintain their own emotional well-being, but also for their intellectual and social development. Stopping a child from fully expressing his feelings does not stop the feelings, it only stops their expression.” (2)
Allowing your toddler to fully express his feelings has both short and long-term benefits. In the short-term, he will recover more quickly from emotional and physical hurts if he feels that he has been heard and acknowledged. In the long-term, allowing your toddler to experience his full range of emotions will help him “become emotionally resilient and capable of facing and resolving difficulties. [Children] must experience living with emotional storms if [they are] to master them.” (3)
Showing your child love, even in the aftermath of behavior that you find undesirable, is not rewarding “bad” behavior. Your toddler’s behavior is his cry for love or help for an unmet need. Toddlers have no control over their big feelings and how they show them – they do not want to be aggressive or whiny. (4) When you love your toddler despite undesirable behavior, he will feel relieved, not rewarded.
To love a child through a tantrum, make yourself available physically and emotionally. Do not pressure your child to stop expressing himself. Practice Aldort’s SALVE:
(S)eparate yourself from your child’s behavior. Don’t say the first thing that pops into your mind. Focus on being gentle and loving.
(A)ttention on your child. Shift the attention from your own reactions to what is going on with your child. Be present for her.
(L)isten to your child without judgment. Really listen to what she is saying. Make eye contact and ask questions if appropriate.
(V)alidate his feelings without dramatizing or inserting your own. (“You are upset because you wanted that toy.” or “You are frustrated because you could not open the door by yourself.”)
(E)mpower your child to resolve the problem. Don’t rush to fix everything. (5)
2. Love Your Toddler at Her Current Developmental Stage
Expecting more than your toddler can give developmentally sets her up for failure, shame, and self-doubt. Resist the urge to constantly teach and push your child to reach new milestones. Enjoy where she is today, stay in the present with her. Loving a child should be simple: love her for what she is right now. Love should not be a reward for your evaluation of the child, nor should love be based on achievements or behavior.
Loving our toddlers at their current developmental stage can be summed up in one word: relax.
Did your toddler ignore your request to help pick up the toys? Relax. Toddlers don’t understand or appreciate our need for order. Model it, tell her you need order. Let her happily flit around you as you show her how to clean up the toys. But don’t shame her into helping.
When your toddler splashes water all over the kitchen floor, relax. Observe instead of critiquing: There is water on the floor, if someone slipped on it they could fall and get hurt. Let’s clean it up. If your toddler helps, that’s great. If not, she is learning anyway. Would you rather have a content toddler who learned (by watching) that water needed to be cleaned up, or an anxious and upset toddler who was forced to clean by an angry parent?
“When reprimanded, young children are often too scared by a parent’s intense emotions and judgment to be able to even grasp the nature of what is being communicated.” When our toddlers feel safe in our gentle attention and love, however, they “become aware of the many habits and needs of” others and are able to learn social graces. (6)
Our Terrific Toddlers
Moving away from a discipline mindset involves a mental shift: instead of control, focus on compassion. Instead of “molding” or “shaping” your toddler, realize that children are designed to blossom – it is our privilege and responsibility to nurture them along the way. Yes, toddlerhood can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. When you feel the urge to yell or discipline, take a breath and relax. Imagine how you want the scene to end: with a scared toddler and a regretful parent? Or with a parent-child team that feels safe in a nurturing and loving relationship? (7)
For more ideas on how to transform the parent-child relationship from reaction and struggle to freedom, power and joy, I highly recommend Aldort’s “Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves.” It applies to all ages, not just toddlers.
What has been the most challenging part of parenting your toddler?
Do you try to parent peacefully? What benefits have you seen with your child(ren) from parenting peacefully/gently?
____________________________________
1. Ten Reasons Not to Hit Your Child, http://www.askdrsears.com/html/6/T062100.asp#T062101
2. Aldort, Naomi, “Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves” at 99. For more on how parents sometimes deal with uncomfortable emotions, see Riders on the (Tantrum) Storm.
3. Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves at 105
4. See Neville, Helen, “Is This a Phase? Child Development & Parent Strategies, Birth Through 6 Years” at 157 (available in part on Google Books)
5. Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves at 7-10
6. Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves at 20-22
7. Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves at xvi
Photo credit: trexor14
Welcome to the Carnival of Gentle Discipline
Please join us all week, April 26-30, as we explore alternatives to punitive discipline. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month in the USA and April 30th is Spank Out Day USA. In honor of this we have collected a wonderful array of articles and essays about the negative effects of punitive discipline methods, like spanking, and a myriad of effective alternatives.
Are you a Gentle Parent? Put the Badge on your blog or website to spread the word that gentle love works!
Links will become available on the specified day of the Carnival.
Day 1 – What Is Gentle Discipline
- Gentle Discipline 101 at The Parent Vortex

- The Power of Praise (hint: it’s not what you think) at Mighty Marce

- Golden Rule Parenting at Novel Mama

Day 2 – False Expectations, Positive Intentions, and Choosing Joy (coming Tuesday, April 27)
- Choosing Joy at Raising My Boychick
- Making It Fun – The Power of Play at Schmoopy Baby
- Assuming the Best Intentions at Hobo Mama

Day 3 – Choosing Not To Spank (coming Wednesday, April 28)
- 50′s Childhood – Guest Poster, Connie at Baby Dust Diaries
- I Have The Urge To Spank But I Choose Not To at Breastfeeding Moms Unite
- Mistakes at Breastfeeding Momma
- Undermining General Beliefs about Corporal Punishment at Authentic Parenting
- Choosing Gentle Discipline at Hybrid Life
Day 4 – Creating a “Yes” Environment (coming Thursday, April 29)
- A Tiny Word With a Powerful Impact at Little Green Blog

- Parenting a Toddler With Loving Guidance at Little Snowflakes

Day 5 – Terrific Toddlers; Tantrums and All (coming Friday, April 30)
- A Positive View on Tantrums at Edenwild
- The Terrible Two (and Two Parenting Strategies to Replace Them) a guest post by Code Name: Mama
on Good Goog - Gentle Parenting During Toddler Tantrums at Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense

- Gentle Parenting Ideas from a Toddler’s Perspective at Code Name: Mama

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