New Baby On The Way Busy Toddler AdviceAmy There are many schools of thought that a child less than about 2 1-2 - 3 years old will have a difficult time understanding consequences properly. It's discussed all the...
I only have one child, but for 10 days, I cared for 3 kiddos 2.5 years and under (the youngest was 3 months old). The middle one was 14 months at the time. Even the 14 month old understood consequences. If she threw food on the floor, that was the end of mealtime. She got that *very* quickly and didn't throw food on the floor anymore.
Kids are smarter than we give them credit (in general), and they *like* to have boundaries (within reason of course) although they will push them to see where those boundaries are.
In your case, I would work on this now before baby #2 arrives. Does your son like to go to the park? If so, the first time he takes off for the street or plays with garbage cans, you would pick him up (ignore the screaming and fits, don't even say anthing to him about them), say, "Oh, this is so sad that we have to leave the park!", and take him home. If you do this consistently, you will find yourself at the park for longer periods of time in short order, I bet. Also, are you taking him by the hand and helping him into the swing, go down the slide, or are you sitting on a bench, expecting him to play by himself? (I've seen parents do this--not saying you are). My son is very active also, and at that age, I would stick with him very closely (holding his hand) to help keep him on track with playing at the playground. Does the playground have an enclosed area? Some of the ones around here are fenced, so you could turn the kid loose, and not worry about it, just sticking to close to the gate.
If you're interested in more ideas for helping your son understand consequences, I highly recommend the book, "Parenting with Love and Logic." They also have a toddler book that I can't remember the breastle of.
((hugs)) this can't be easy for you, but I think there are solutions and ways you can help him understand that actions have consequences, and I bet he's a smart cookie and will get it very quickly. You just have to be creative, and consistent.
Sharalyn mom to Alexander James (9-21-01)
