The Power of Eye Contact & Toddlers: Important Non-Verbal Communication

I just got back from vacation with my fiancé’s family who has two nieces that are 4 and 2-years-old…their eye contact and non-verbal, as well as verbal skills are off the charts. I was observing my sister-in-law to be, and noticed how amazing her eye contact is with the kids and agree with her that appropriate eye contact plays an important role in non-verbal communication with kids. 

This post has been moved to our website. To view the full post go to: http://blog.letop-usa.com/?p=23259

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
AT WWW.LETOP-USA.COM

 

Read Full Post »

Remedies for Biting for Babies and Kids

We have all screamed, “Ouch!” a few times when taking care of a baby or small child who bites. Not to say all children do it, but it is definitely not abnormal and there are ways to prevent and teach your baby or child not to bite. When your child bites, it can be concerning if you send your baby or toddler to daycare or if he or she is in playgroups. This behavior is normal, and stems from your child’s frustration or pain. Teaching your child not to bite — whether he’s a baby or a toddler — is one of the many skills you impart as you raise your child.

Baby Behavior
Babies who bite often do so when teething — and, unfortunately for the mother, this can occur while your newborn nurses. When nursing, if your baby bites, unlatch him from your nipple using your finger or thumb. Look at your baby and tell him to stop. While he may not understand the word, he understands the emotion.

Toddler Behavior
Toddlers bite as a means of expressing themselves prior to having sufficient verbal skills. In other words, its normal behavior during a child’s first three years, when emotions run high, but kids lack the ability to express themselves effectively. At about age 2, your toddler’s biting is an experimental behavior that dies when you respond appropriately. When biting occurs, don’t provide a strong negative reaction — this type of attention reinforces the behavior. Instead, calmly explain that your toddler should not bite her friends, but that she should bite oranges or sandwiches. Next, distract her attention with a game or toy. If she continues to bite, my suggestion would be to separate yourself from the child who is the focus of his or her biting and give her a three-minute timeout.

Be consistent.
There’s no timetable as to how many incidents and reprimands it will take before your child stops biting. But if you respond the same way every time, he’ll probably learn his lesson after four or five incidents.

Know your child’s triggers.
Does your daughter bite when she’s hungry or needs to take a nap because he or she is tired? Give her a healthy snack, and adhere to a strict meal schedule. And don’t forget about outdoor play as a prevention technique — even in chilly weather.

Keep it Chill
Toddlers who bite often do so if they feel overwhelmed. While your toddler goes through this developmental stage, keep his environment calm and free of too much stimuli.

Read Full Post »

Toddler Discipline Secret Tactics

Every parent has been there….found themselves in deep negotiation with their 2-year-old over whether he can wear his cookie monster shirt 5 days in a row? What parent has not, at one time or another, taken a “walk of shame” out of the grocery store when their child throws themselves to the floor with a tantrum? Toddlerhood is a hard time for many parents because this is the age at which children become more independent and discover themselves as little people that are independent. BUT – although they may be able to communicate well, many have limited ability to reason.

VISIT OUR LE TOP HOME…
www.letop-usa.com

Here are some secret tactics I gathered from various moms on how to discipline your toddler: 

1. Think Like a Toddler
Toddlers aren’t mini-adults. They have trouble understanding many of the things we take for granted, like how to follow directions and behave appropriately. Try to see the situation from your child’s perspective and help prevent a tantrum.

Giving choices also shows that you respect your toddler and recognize your child’s feelings. In a way, this can make your child feel as though he or she has some control over the situation while you remain in charge.

2.  Avoid Stressful Situations
By the time children reach the toddler stage, you’ve spent enough time with them to know what can set them off. The most common ones are:

• Hunger
• Being tired
• Quick changes in location

With a little advance planning, you can avoid these potential “meltdown” scenarios and keep things relatively calm. If you can, try to make sure your child is home at naptimes, bedtimes, and mealtimes. If you are out, always keep food on hand in case of a sudden hunger attack.

3.  Try Distraction
Fight the urge to raise your voice at your child when he or she acts up, because your tone will either make your child distressed or curious. Instead, quickly and calmly get him interested in another activity. This is especially a good tactic for toddlers who fall down and get a “boo-boo.”

4.  Be Consistent
You and your spouse also need to be on the same page when it comes to family rules. Sending your child mixed messages about whether she’s allowed to get up from the table while everyone is eating or splash you in the bathtub will only confuse and frustrate a child.

Try to keep to the same schedule every day. That means having consistent nap times, mealtimes, and bedtimes, as well as times when your toddler is free to just run around and have fun.

5.  Keep It Positive
If you say the word “No!” to your child all the time, he may start to tune you out — or worse, begin using it himself when he doesn’t want to do something. “Save ‘No!’ for situations when safety is involved.

6. Praise Good Behavior
Sometimes, toddlers act out because they lack communication skills — and it’s a surefire way to get your attention. That’s why you should always let your child know you’re pleased whenever he does something that you like or remembers to follow one of your rules.

7. Know When to Give In
Certain things in a toddler’s life are nonnegotiable. A child has to bathe, eat, brush teeth, and ride in a car seat. Hitting and biting are never OK. Pick your battles.

8. Do the Best You Can
Finally, know that it’s OK to feel stressed out by your toddler sometimes and that you do the best you can. There are good days and bad days, but as long as you parent consistently, you are doing all you can.

Read Full Post »