Behavior Modification for Toddlers

It is a fact of life that toddlers are bound to misbehave. They may simply not listen to you, which, in turn, can send your blood pressure levels shooting. As a parent, it is very difficult to cope with such situations. In fact, tackling behavior can be as hard as predicting future behavior. Sometimes, your child may seem like an angel, while at other times, you may find him/her behaving like a perfect brat.

Behavior is a way in which individuals react to certain stimulus. This varies from person to person. While adults can be predictable, toddlers are difficult to be tackled. Behavior modification in toddlers is done using two techniques, using events that occur before a particular behavior and by means of observable behavior.

Toddlers may find it difficult to connect their actions to the corresponding ramifications, especially those that come after the event. You can either discipline your toddler by punishing him/her or by simply changing or modifying their behavior.

Reinforcements and punishments

“Spare the rod and spoil the child” is a well-known proverb that we have been learning as kids. However, it depends on how you punish the child rather than simply punishing the child. Please note that any kind of discipline method may be effective only if the child’s behavior is willful. Determining willful acts can be difficult for you.

It has been observed that when you hurt yourself while doing something, you tend to think twice before doing the same thing again. This is true with the children as well. They learn a lot by the trial and error method. They are curious and they wish to explore everything they can. If your toddler is about to break a toy, warn him/her that it they will feel sad afterwards; however, if they refuse to listen, let them proceed and learn it the hard way. This may sound ridiculous, but this is the most effective way to help them learn about actions and reactions.

You can also make them sit aside from the rest of the family to think over their actions if they have been naughty or destructive. Besides punishing, you can also try distracting them. This is most effective method to deal with a mischievous child. Remember, the more you say no, the more attractive it becomes. So if your child is doing something that is not acceptable, distract him/her with something that he/she loves doing.

Just as punishing is important for a wrong act, reinforcement like a pat on the back, a smile, or a small chocolate for the right thing will encourage positive behavior and curtail negative behavior to a large extent. Providing the toddler with moral education by way of moral story telling will also help modify behavior in them.

Remember that toddlers are difficult to deal with, but they are not impossible!