Many new parents are fearful of rapidly approaching toddler years. Many times toddlers seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to reputation and representation – just think of the commonly tossed around title of “terrible twos.” Yes, toddlers are demanding; we’re not saying they aren’t. What we are saying is that as child care providers we’ve come to know and understand that this time frame can also be some of the most rewarding years for parents. One of the best things you can do as a parent to alleviate some of the pressure you may be feeling is to seek to understand toddler behavior a bit better so that you know what to expect. First things first we want to clarify that toddlers are simply out to wreck your house or test your patience. All toddlers are seeking to achieve is a better understanding of the very large world that they were placed in through the means they currently have of doing so: exploration paired with trial and error. A Child’s Academy offers Alachua county the best preschool Gainesville services available. If you’re in Gainesville Florida or surrounding areas and in search of a preschool near me – ACA is your best bet. Not only are we committed to providing a high-quality curriculum and dedicated care, our team is also in continually researching the latest practices in childhood development to give the children we care for a head start in today’s hyper-competitive world.
Understanding Toddler Habits/Behavior
Understanding why toddlers behave the way they do is a very powerful piece of information for helping you maintain your composure, but it’s only one of the tools you have available as a parent. A Child’s Academy has extensive experience working with children of vastly different personality types and helping them move through the preschool experience with much success. A healthy balance of fun and learning is vital to keeping your child engaged and on track for progressing through stages of development.
Proactively Prevent Tantrums – Top Preschool Near Me
Even though some days it can feel like your toddler is running the show, you need to keep in mind that children are always looking to parents and caregivers for leadership. Rather than simply reacting to your child’s specific behavior it’s much more proactive for you to identify any problem areas and coming up with several solutions to try to implement. Toddlers have very little agency in regards to controlling their lives; this often can lead to feelings of frustration causing your child to act out. Toddlers yearn for both freedom and protection. While these needs are understandable they often conflict with one another which will regularly result in tantrums and misconduct. If you’ve noticed your child is struggling with this, there’s good news: there’s a simple remedy to these episodes. Keeping a fairly regular/predictable schedule will feel make your child feel more “in the loop” in regards to what they’ll be doing or can expect for the day. On the same note, giving your child a head’s up before having to make a change in activities can help smoothen out the transition process a great deal. An example of giving your child some notice before a transition would be “we’re going grocery shopping after lunch” or “we’re cleaning up the toys in ten minutes.” These simple phrases can make your child feel a bit more in control of their daily lives, reduce anxiety, and help prevent tantrums.
Offer Alternatives When Possible
Try to avoid directly saying “no” whenever possible. Instead seek out ways to provide your child with a set of choices that would be satisfactory for whatever it is you are trying to achieve: “would you like carrots or broccoli with your lunch?” Your toddler’s longing for independence and attempts to achieve it are signs of positive development.
Offer Directions Correctly
If you are making a request don’t holler across the room if you don’t have to. It’s much more effective to approach your child, kneel at their side, and then proceed to give directions at eye level.
Preschool Near Me – Program Options
If you are in Gainesville FL or surrounding areas and in search of a quality preschool near me we’re here to help. A Child’s Academy has been Gainesville’s number one provider of professional child care services for nearly four decades. We are the go-to provider of preschool Gainesville programs including:
- Infant Programs
- Toddler Programs
- Two-Year-Old Programs
- Three-Year-Old Programs
- Four-Year-Old Programs
- VPK Programs
For more articles like this visit our Learning Center’s Child Care Tips Category @ www.achildsacademy.com/category/child-care-tips
Contact our team with any questions regarding our child care services, preschool Gainesville curriculum, or policies & plans and we’ll help clarify your inquiries as best as possible.
