The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

party.
My son is timid and cries around
strangers.
I’m soft-spoken.
My daughter is opinionated,
defiant, and wild.

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defiant, and wild.
We usually have the easiest time getting along with children who are
similar to us. But not always. For example, stubborn parents with
stubborn kids can be an explosive mix.
What’s Your Fit?
Check out the list of temperament traits on
this
page
. See how you rate on qualities like intensity, mood, and so forth.
How do you compare with your toddler? Where do you complement
each other and where do you collide? Half the challenge in parenting
(and all close personal relationships) is being able to manage your
personality differences.
Are You Your Toddler’s Boss or
Buddy?
During infancy, we happily give our babies everything they want: milk, a
clean diaper, cozy cuddling. We bend over backward and savor the
sweet reward of their laughter and hugs.
Then, around the first birthday, something changes. Our child starts
crawling, walking, and screaming out her strong opinions (“Gimme!!!”).
We will still try to be “reasonable” and give 90 percent of what she
wants, but 10 percent of the time we just can’t or don’t want to bend to
our child’s request. And guess what? She’s not going to like that.
We lovingly acknowledge her feelings. She throws a fit!

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We use reason. She throws a fit!
We distract … we explain … we warn. She throws a fit!
Pretty soon we’re having a fit too. And the two of us are going at it like
a couple of pro wrestlers.
So what are you supposed to do?
At my lectures, bewildered parents often ask what to do to get their
kids to behave: “Should I be more lenient? More tough? Am I breaking
her spirit? Giving in too much?” They’re confused about teaching
obedience because they don’t have a lot of personal experience and
they’re bombarded with contradictory advice: Be giving! Be strict! Be a
friend! Be the boss!
Most of us want to respond to our children’s demands with kindness
and generosity, hoping that they will follow our lead and learn to be

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kind in return. But unfortunately, trying to be a “buddy” and repeatedly
giving in to your primitive little friend’s demands may end up teaching
her that whining works and turn her into a spoiled brat.
On the other hand, all parents are warned to back up their rules with
swift, predictable consequences if they want to raise an obedient child
and keep order in their home. But if that really worked, parenting would
be a snap. You’d just command your child to stop … and she would.
Unfortunately, parents who try to be their child’s “boss” rely too much
on threats and often end up inflaming confrontations rather than
reducing them (especially with strong-willed, tenacious tots).
So what’s a parent supposed to do?