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

Monica was preparing a snack for little Suzette—a smiley
face made out of grapes, cheese cubes, and crackers.
One day, as a surprise, Monica got even more creative
than usual. Instead of whole crackers for the body, she
broke them into strips to make arms and legs. But when
her 20-month-old saw the broken crackers, she went
ballistic.
Monica was so stunned she forgot the FFR and rushed
right into trying to make it better, saying, “It’s okay, it’s
okay … it’s okay!” But Suzette screamed even louder.
With snack time skidding into chaos, Monica found
herself repeating, “It’s okay, it’s okay” in an increasingly
frustrated and angry voice. In response Suzette just kept
shrieking, as if to say, “No, Mom! It’s NOT okay! It’s NOT
okay!”
Please, save your reassurance for after you respectfully reflect your
child’s feelings (FFR) and she starts calming down. Saying “It’s okay”
only makes sense once the child really is starting to feel okay.

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Of course, you should immediately help your little one if she’s in pain
or terrified. But toddlers are not delicate flowers who need to be
protected from all frustration. Challenging situations strengthen a child’s
character and resilience. As Wendy Mogel says in her book The Blessing
of a Skinned Knee, a child’s struggles have a valuable silver lining—they
boost her ability to handle life’s inevitable frustrations.
Don’t misunderstand me: Distraction and reassurance are great—but
only when it becomes your turn. Farmers have to plow before they can
plant, and parents need to reflect their child’s feelings (and wait for
them to start settling) before taking a turn.