How do you disicipline your 2 year old??? i seem to be having major issues!?

Question

my almost 2 year old daughter lately has ben acting up. she has always been a very good girl and never gave me this many problems. i started the whole naughty chair thing and she has to sit for 2 mins well i put her in it and she cries and then gets right out and i put her back and this keeps going on and on till she eventually thinks its a game and laughs each time she gets up and each time i put her back in the chair. Im not sure what else to do at this point how else can i try to discipline my 2 year old??? or what am i doing wrong???

Answer 1

don't give in! it's so hard i know it!!! my son is 3 and he test me daily!! i chose to use a step because he couldn't move it, and just keep doing what your doing but ignore her laughing and only tell her once after she is in time out to be quiet or stay here or whatever, but only speak once, every other time don't say anything to her just put her back, she may push and push and push until you think you are going to blow up! but if you don't give in, you'll find that it gets easier as time goes on. My son stays a lot better for me now, don't get me wrong we have or days but if DEFINITELY takes a lot less time for him to stay on his naughty step. just keep up the good work and stay consistent! you'll be happy later when she is sitting there serving her time.

REMEMBER!! do not acknowledge her laughing or words no matter what, ignore it because if you react she'll think it's awesome and keep doing it, but if you don't let her see it bothers you she'll get bored and eventually just sit quiet until she can get out. You'll see!!! good luck!!

I think 10 seconds is just a little too short, i would say a minute if you think 2 is too long, but 10 seconds? please does that really work!!!??

Answer 2

Maybe put her in a playpin. Well she maybe is too old for that. Try taking away things or privleges like playing outside.

Answer 3

I think that you did a great job of taking her out to the car after a tantrum.  I think that eventually this will work.  I'm not sure how long this has been going on for, but keep trying for a while and see what happens.  

Ignore the fit at home and leave if you are out.  This will be an inconvenience (ie the store), but will show that tantrums are not acceptable.

Definitely don't reward the behavior.  Make the punishment fit the crime.  Taking a toy away for hitting with it, no crayons for coloring on the counter.  Our current 2 year old all of a sudden turned terrible, where as the other 4 gradually revved up for the terrible twos.  I like that better because you get to rev up as well.  But the over night naughtiness is overwhelming.  Just remember that 2 year olds have to learn to test the limits to know where they are and to feel that you are in control, not them.  It will eventually make for wonder 4 year olds.  Keep up the great work.

Answer 4

She thinks siting in a chair is fun but try taking away a toy or not giving her sweets?

Answer 5

Uhhh, Spanking ??? works every time! Also if she is acting up in pulbic take her to a private area or in the her give a a good spanking where she knows you are boss and respect you . There is nothing wrong with a swat on the butt! This lack of dispiline is why kids are killing kids and a total lack of respect in the schools today.

That is the problem with kids today they do not repsect authority and they run the house. I dont think so!!

A little spanking never hurt kids!!!! At least that is the way I was brought up and I turned out ok.

Answer 6

you are doing good! If she is laughing and making it a game, that shows that she is trying to upstage you because you are getting to her.

Keep at it. What I did when my daughter did that was to put her naughty chair in a room out of the way of the house and close the door and hold the handle shut. She thought it was locked and didn't know I was on the other side. She threw a fit! But it worked. Edventually I was able to move the time out chair to the living room. But if she would not stay I told her that she could take her time out there or in the room. She hated the room because she was locked in and thus lost all her power. (make sure nothing breakable is in there).

It only lasts abit for them to take you seriously.

Answer 7

Stand your ground! Take away certain toys or priveleges that she loves. Spanking works with a lot of children when time out isn't enough. I worked at a daycare for 2 years with 2 and 3 year olds. Sometimes, we had to call "Santa" and tell him not to make that certain toy for little Cindy because she is not being nice. That worked on a child. One time, there was a child who hated sliding so as punishment, we made him go down the slide. I remember that one child had to walk laps around the playground. He hated it. Sometimes you have to get creative. I could tell you story after story of "creative" punishments. Just stand your ground and be persistent! Patience and persistence are key when it comes to parenting.

Answer 8

As for the restaurant problem, I understand your dilemma.  My daughter went through a phase when she was 2 yrs. old where she would act the same way.  We ended up not going out to eat for about 3 months after she threw an entire coke on my husband!!!  After that I started using going out to eat as a reward.  If she was a good girl, I'd make a big deal about being able to go to a restaurant.  If she was good at the restaurant, she could get a dessert.  (I know, seems like a lot of bribery... but it worked for us!)  As for general discipline, don't give up.  When you are consistent and she knows that you mean what you are saying she will eventually start following the rules.  We ended up taking our daughter to a therapist who gave us some ideas.  We needed to be more positive with our daughter.  Rather than pointing out the "bads" we made an effort to praise all the things that she did right.  We also used a picture journal idea... she could write or draw about how she was feeling.  At first it was pretty useless, but the older she got, the more effective it was.  You will still have issues... she is a child, but as long as she knows you are the boss things will get easier.

Answer 9

Read "The Strong Willed Child"  By Dr. Dobson.  It is common sense advice.

Answer 10

you should continue with the chair. Make sure when you put her there the first time that you are firm and let her know why she is in the chair. Everytime she gets up just put her back but do not speak to her. She will eventually get the hint that you are serious and it is not a game. Do not give in to her and remember not to speak to her until she has done the time in the chair without getting up. This is a hard time in raising kids cause of the terrrible twos. good luck!

Answer 11

Firstly, I know they say that time out should be a minute for each year of age, but I think 2 minutes is too young for a toddler's attention span. We only leave her there for 10 seconds.

It is more important that you get the point across at this age that it is not appropriate behaviour - don't bother trying to force a longer time out if it is unsuccessful. It just defeats the purpose.

Give her choices that are reasonable.

At aged 2 they are just realising they are individual and don't have to conform so they test the limits. By giving choices you are allowing them to develop independance that is reasonable.

EDIT: Yes 10 seconds does really work. The purpose is not to punish the child, but to prove that you will remove them from the situation if they do something inappropriate. She has to say sorry, have a cuddle and then clean up her mess, or whatever it was that got her on the time out.

Far too many people are disillusioned and think that the child has to be punished or upset to learn a lesson.

I did it this way with my 4 older children and they are fantastic kids.

EDIT: You did the right thing while out to dinner. Unfortunately you may have to do this a few more times yet! The best way to teach a young child that their behaviour is not approriate is to remove them from the situation - even if it does mean take out for a while.

I think you are doing a great job!

Answer 12

it's a stage and normal behavior.  ignore it and put an end to it immediatly by removing the child from the situation.  mirror respectful behavior.  get rid of the "naughty chair" cuz it's not working.