Be Nice!
Don’t you like it when people are nice to you? I do! And guess what? Babies like it when you are nice to them too!
Babies respond in particular to pleasant soothing tones. That’s why baby talk is so effective! A pleasant, high-pitched sing-songy voice will captivate and capture a baby’s attention like no other!
Baby talk doesn’t mean you are talking like a baby to your baby; baby talk means you are talking and responding to your baby in a melodic manner with clearly articulated speech!
So, you know what I’m going to say now…
Get baby-talking!
Good Job!
How many times as parent do you catch yourself saying to your toddler, “Good Job!” If you are like me, probably a lot!
Certainly there is nothing wrong with praising your toddler for a job well done, but the more effective way to praise your little one is being specific with them about what they did that you liked.
Maybe your toddler, after countless times of being reminded, is finally remembering to be gentle with his or her little brother. Instead of just saying good job, specifically tell them what you liked. For example, “Joey, I like the way you gently hugged Johnny!”
Kids responds to praise, but even more so to specific praise!
So parents, don’t forget: Be specific and get baby-talking!
Catch Them Doing Good!
Let’s continue our discussion regarding communication and behavior. Good speech and language skills in a toddler can help decrease tantrums. If a toddler is adequately able to communicate his or her wants or needs, the less likey they are to have tantrums due to being misunderstood.
But remember though…even toddlers with great speech and language skills can have tantrums because, well, let’s face it…toddlers want things when they want it!
Let’s take some time to look at another facet of behavior in toddlers. It’s very, very important to catch your toddler doing good. Please note that I said ‘doing’ good versus ‘being’ good. Your toddler is good, worthy of love, valuable no matter how they behave. We need to communicate this to them right from the beginning. We love them no matter what; they are our children!
By stressing or emphasizing to our toddlers that they are being good could, unfortunately and unintentionally, lead to a performance mentality in them. And they could start basing their worth or value on ‘how they behave’ versus simply the fact that they are precious human beings worthy of our love!
Do you see the difference? It may seem nit-picky or a semantic issue, but our children process things on many different levels; and the smart and astute parent is willing to delve deeper into their parenting style and make changes when necessary for the benefit of their little one. After all, parenting is about our children, not us, right? Yikes…I’m preaching to myself today!
So, how do we catch them doing good? Simple! Be on the look-out for when they are doing what you have instructed them to do. For example, maybe your toddler has had a problem sharing their toys with the neighbor next door.. No big shock here! When you see them actually sharing their toys without being reminded to do so, tell them! “Hey Joey, great job sharing your hot wheels with Mike!”
Stay tuned for smart ways to praise your toddler!
Don’t forget: Get baby-talking!
The Link Between Behavior And Communication
Boy, I got to tell you, these toddlers years are exciting! It’s amazing to watch your little one blossom into a unique personality that’s all their own! Hopefully, it’s a happy hybrid of you and your partner’s best traits…
One of the challenges we face as parents of toddlers is how to handle discipline. As toddlers learn that they are separate entities from their parents, they endeavor to assert themselves more and more. In other words, they can have tantrums, melt-downs, etc., whatever you want to call it!
Did you know that strong speech and language skills in a toddler will help decrease the amount of tantrums they are experiencing? Often times, tantrums arise because of the toddler’s inability to clearly communicate his or her wants or needs.
This is not always the case. Sometimes, toddlers clearly communicate what they want and it’ not something they are going to get at the time, and consequently, a tantrum may show up!
Stay tuned tomorrow for more information and tips regarding the link between behavior and communication in toddlers!
Don’t forget: Get baby-talking!