This is something that we (my hubby and I) have been struggling with since our son could walk. How do you raise a respectful and well behaved child when you can't reason with a toddler? We want Nicholas to behave, follow the rules, be safe and know right from wrong, and we, as his parents are responsible to see that he does. I've read some books on the subject and while some of it is good advice, its easier read than done. For example, today at Toys-R-Us, we let him walk without holding hands and when we were deciding on a par of slippers for Claire, Nicholas turned and ran off. I went after him and was directed by a couple as to which direction he went. I was both angry that he'd run off and worried that he ran off and could either be taken or hurt. When I found him, he was laughing, thinking he was funny. I tried to explain that it was wrong to run off, but he's two and didn't really get it. My husband and I have decided that if he misbehaves in a store, he will get one warning and then it's out to the car and one of us will sit there with him. We've done this before in Safeway.
When we're at home, we have problems with follow through. This is mostly around meal time. Nicholas is out of the high chair now and likes to use big chairs. His latest, however is to stand at the island counter and eat. I'm fine with it, as long as he eats, its when he gets up and down and wanders. How do we teach him to sit and eat properly? We model the proper behavior, but it doesn't work.
We put him in the corner for "time out" for 2 minutes and then we try and talk to him about why he was in the corner, but of course, he's two and doesn't understand why. I don't know what's harder, being a two-year-old, or disciplining a two-year-old....oh and I heard that a three year old is worse. Arggh
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