No, A Thousand Times No! Trivia Quiz

Answer: sharing

The "terrible twos" don't actually occur just during a child's second year. They can start much earlier and last well into the child's third or fourth year. Parents should remember, this is a just a temporary learning stage!

During this stage, a child is learning at a prodigious rate, but still may not have the vocabulary to communicate well. Parents should be prepared with several strategies to teach the child appropriate behavior, about their emotions and even how to make things better.

Answer: give in when you can't take the whining

A favorite for some toddlers is the request to stay up later, or maybe the request is to read an additional book at bedtime. They are very inventive and not limited by convention, so a parent must be prepared for just about any request. As a parent, try to be consistent, though they push the edges of your boundaries, it actually makes them feel more secure to have firm limits.

Answer: cooperation

Ah, a grocery store can be a cornucopia of delights for the child. They probably won't recognize what is food and what's not, but they can be very attracted to aisle displays, bright colors, anything hanging, etc. Sometimes it seems that the aisles just aren't wide enough! Distraction is a method often used to get through the grocery store. If the child is attentive then telling them a good story might work, sometimes keys provide enough distraction, or even bringing one of their favorite toys. As a parent you do have to remember that any object used for distraction can also be thrown!

Answer: biting the child

Biting can happen intermittently, or become a bad habit. As a parent, you can provide other items for the child to bite, and/or help the child learn other activities that can channel their frustration. Physical activity can help dissipate the frustration, and could include such things as walking or kneading bread--whether the dough is then cooked or not.

Answer: cooking on a hot stove

Children look to parents as models for appropriate behavior and can have a great time helping out, especially when it's made into a fun time. They will often emulate their parents while playing as well, dressing up, directing dolls, etc.

It's not safe for a toddler to cook on a hot stove, they could easily get burnt by the stove or the dish being cooked. However, there are many food options that they can easily feed themselves while learning to manage a spoon and fork (e.g., cereal, oatmeal, peas, yogurt, etc.). Clean clothes can be divided so that the toddler can fold small items such as their own clothes, wash cloths, etc. And it can be sublime fun for you and your toddler to turn on some great tunes and then dance through the household while dusting.

Answer: give them the utensils to play with

Children at this age are very self contained and don't concern themselves much with others' feelings, so while teaching them about eating out in restaurants a parent would do well to develop several strategies before attempting an outing. Playful planning could include a dress up tea party with "adult" manners. Parents should also pick the restaurant carefully for reasonably fast service, and a family friendly atmosphere. Another strategy might be a stroll through the restaurant, or even around the outside, while waiting for the food to be served.

Answer: time-outs

A regular routine can help to make a child feel more secure, and it can help them to learn how to react to each of the routine times, such as nap time, meal time, cleaning time, etc. This can also be a boon for the parent, allowing them to plan for items that can't be done when the child is active, or even taking a breather for some "me" time.

Children that are tired or hungry may not be able to tell you that, but instead, tend to get more cranky and negative. Again, routine meals and sleeping patterns can help.

Answer: Are you ready for your nap?

Questions with only "yes" and "no" answers will most likely be answered with a "no". The other three options allow the child to make the decision, but because of your phrasing allow the child only those options that you find acceptable.

Since the child is going to be making decisions, this actually helps both the child and the parent. However, a parent will need to be prepared as many children learn quickly and begin offering a third option.

Answer: Reason with the child

Many times a tantrum is really the child's expression of frustration because they can't communicate what they want. The very best way to deal with tantrums, is to avoid them when possible. When not possible to avoid, then the methods for dealing with a tantrum vary greatly and depend not only on the child's personality but also the time and place.

The BabyCenter website proposes that when the child is this emotional, you won't be able to reason with him/her--you need to wait until the child is calm. The Mayo Clinic website site recommends ignoring a tantrum. The Parenting website advises that you first try to diffuse the situation.

Meantime, you need to attentively observe so that the child doesn't hurt anyone, including itself.

Answer: Store all the glassware on the dining room table

Really, if there's something or somewhere that you don't want the child, you will eventually find them there unless you childproof. There are now many options on the market, including locks for the dishwasher, blanks for unused electric plugs, staircase gates, etc. Parents do need to be ready though, for when the child figures out how to get around the childproofing. Creating a safe environment for living and playing eases stress for the parent and child.