Toddler Tips
Listen to what your children have to say. They like to know that they are important to you and that you have an interest in what they have to say.

When your child misbehaves, criticize their behavior and not the child himself or herself. For example, if they are running in the house, you tell the child that running is wrong, as opposed to telling the child that they are being bad.

Be sure to spend time with your children and take an active role with them during this time in their lives. Play with them instead of watching TV or reading while they play. They want your attention, and sometimes misbehavior is a sign that they do not feel they are getting it.

Try to be consistent with your child. Both parents need to have the same set of rules, and they should let others who may be looking after the child (i.e. a baby-sitter or relative) know what those rules are so there is consistency from one person to another.

If your child is misbehaving and you put them in time out, a good rule of thumb is that the time out should last for as many minutes as they are years old. For example, if your child is three years old, the time out is three minutes. If they are four years old, the time out is four minutes. Establish a set place for time out to occur, and do not move this place.

Establish a bedtime routine with your child. Try to stray from it as little as possible so that there are minimal disturbances and disruptions to the schedule. This will help the child realize that it is bedtime and that no matter how much they tell you they want to stay awake and play, the time for this is now over.

When selecting toys for your child, keep in mind that small children like toys that look like real things, such as airplanes that look like airplanes, or dolls that look like babies. Children also are more stimulated by toys with multiple uses, such as blocks, than they are with single-use toys, such as coloring books.

Institute a rotation of toys for your child. Put certain toys out on the shelf for a specific period of time, and then remove them and replace them with other toys. This way your child is less likely to be bored with all of their toys. You may also wish to arrange the toys neatly in a shelf instead of jumbled in a toy box, since this will help a child better be able to decide what to play with.

If you are traveling a long distance with your child, be sure to stop and let your child stretch and play every now and again to let their blood flow and to let them get some fresh air and exercise.

If your small child is fascinated by the kitchen, but is frustrated because you have toddler-proofed it with locks on the cabinet doors, try to set one cabinet aside that can be filled with non-breakable items that the child can play with, such as Tupperware and other plastic containers, that they can get to with easy access.

Talk to your toddler! When you're in the car with your child, turn the radio down and listen to what he or she might have to say. Try to converse with your child. You may be surprised at what they already know and what they want to say to you!

Television is not a baby-sitter! No matter how tempting it may be to set your child down in front of the TV so you can get some work done around the house, it is a better idea to engage your child in play and minimize the role of TV in their lives. When you child does watch television, monitor what they watch and make sure that it is suitable for young children.

Watch what you say around your child! Children like to mimic the sounds they hear around them, regardless as to whether or not they know what they mean. If you curse, odds are your child will curse, too! It may seem amusing at first, but it's not so funny if your child says an inappropriate word in front of a group of people or other children!

If you need to discipline your child and you do not believe in spanking, and time-out is not working, consider removing one of the child's favorite toys for the remainder of the day, or at least for several hours, until they can show you that they can behave and listen to what you say.

When the weather warrants, spend time with your child outside. Children love fresh air and the outdoors, and they will get much better exercise by running and jumping than they will by sitting indoors coloring. Just make sure you have plenty of sunscreen and protective clothing (particularly if your child has fair skin), and that you are always watching the child to make sure they are not getting themselves into a dangerous situation.

Young children thrive on routine. They should know when it is time to get up, time to eat, time to take a nap, and time to go to bed. If you need to change your child's routine at all, try to make the change slowly and on an incrimental basis so that they become better-adjusted to the change, whatever it may be (i.e. end of pacifier use, change to Daylight Savings Time, going to preschool instead of staying home, etc.).