As children develop, they learn the skills to be polite, cooperative and helpful. Along the way, it is the duty of parents and daycare providers to encourage and support appropriate behaviors. Two childcare experts give excellent tips for reinforcing good behavior in toddlers.

Suzy Martyn, Parenting Consultant, Speaker, and author of Enjoy the Ride: Tools, Tips, and Inspiration for the Most Common Parenting Challenges provides the following suggestions:

1. Model the desired behavior. If a toddler sees the behavior naturally in a parent or teacher, they are much more apt to do it when directed so.
2. Encourage and affirm. It takes 7 positive statements to make up for a negative one so our children need to hear much more praise in order to accept any direction.

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It is to be anticipated that daycare providers and preschool teachers will deal with whining and difficult behavior by the children in their care. Many young children throw temper tantrums when they don’t get their way. A temper tantrum is a negative emotional reaction exhibited by a young child that can involve hitting, crying, screaming, spitting, or refusing to comply with requests. (more…)