How to discipline infants and toddlers
At heart, discipline refers to being able to teach, train and instruct. This however, varies depending on the child’s stage. Infants and toddlers have developing brains. This means their ability to grasp instructions is minimal to non-existent. As a result, it is crucial to train them from a very young age. How to discipline infants and toddlers depends largely on age. This is because what will work in older children is less likely to work on an infant or toddler. For example shouting instructions at an infant is useless. This is because they are yet to develop language skills. Below are some ways to go about disciplining infants and toddlers.
Develop a close relationship
Being part of your baby’s life is very important. This should start as soon as the baby is born. Developing a close relationship with the baby is however very important within the first 3 months. It is recommended that the parent take an active role in the baby’s day-to-day routine. For example if the baby is hungry, cold, wet or uncomfortable – try to be the one that tends to them. By doing this, you create a bond with the child. As a result of the relationship you build the child inadvertently heeds your instructions. He or she is also less likely to fuss.
Distraction
A baby’s cognitive and motor skills often sprout within 4 months to 12 months. During this period, the baby will seek to figure out what exactly they can do with their hands and feet. It is also healthy for the baby to do so as it betters their motor skills. They however still don’t understand the concept of danger and can easily get hurt. Therefore, it is important to have control over the environment your baby interacts with. This could include baby proofing the house. You can get tips on how to baby proof your house here. However since the baby doesn’t only interact with baby proofed areas – distraction is important. One of the ways on how to discipline infants in this way is to create an illusion. This involves making the child believe that what you are offering them is much better than what they want. This distracts the child and means you can control how they interact with the setting they are in
