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

How to Do It:
• Pick three behaviors to focus on. Pick two your child already
does (like washing his hands or brushing his teeth) and one he’s
not doing (like eating some broccoli or picking up his toys).
Choose goals that are very specific. For example, telling him to
say thank you is much clearer than saying “Be polite.” And “No
fighting at school” is clearer than “Be nice to the other children.”
• Explain your plan. During a calm moment, sit your child down
and discuss some things that he’s done well lately; then mention
your plan for helping him do even better: “Honey, I love lots of
things you do, but I want to help you do some other things.” Tell
him the three things you want him to do each day. Let him know
that every time he does one, he’ll get a star.
• Prepare for success. Draw a two-week calendar on a large
piece of paper. Let your child help decorate it with his drawings
or pictures from a magazine. Then take him shopping and let
him choose his favorite stars or stickers. Involving your child in
the project will get him excited about succeeding … and it
makes it his star chart.
When your child meets a goal, let him put a star on the chart. Boost the
effect of the chart by gossiping about your tot’s success.
Give bonus stars for special cooperation, and ask your child what his
special little reward should be for every ten stars he earns (funny
stickers, poker chip, cookie, etc.).
Kids are proud of their charts. Display yours where your child (and

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everyone else) can see it. He’ll get a dose of “visual praise” every time he
walks by and sees his success.
Redo the chart every two weeks and add new behaviors to be
rewarded as your child does better and better with the old goals.
Praise for Different Ages and Stages
Let your praise style “grow” as your child grows:
• Early toddlers (12 to 18 months): Be generous with praise.
Use lots of smiles and a little applause and a few happy words
(repeated over and over).
Example: Cheer, “Yea! You came so fast … so fast! Yea! Sooooo
fast!”
• Middle toddlers (18 to 36 months): Scale back the over-the-
top praise. Occasional applause is fine, but mostly you’ll smile,
nod your head, and toss out bits of modest praise.
Example: “Hmmm … you built a tall tower.”
Gossip, hand checks, and stickers are like gold and jewels to
middle toddlers.
• Older toddlers (36 to 48 months): Older toddlers are more
self-conscious. They may feel mocked or patronized if you make
too big a fuss. Keep it understated and boost the effect with
gossip, hand checks, poker chips, and star charts.
A special type of praise older toddlers love is comparing them to
something smart or powerful. For example: “Thanks for getting
the keys. You did it fast as a tiger!”
Time-Ins: Play