he Ultimate Guide To Dealing With Your Child's 'Terrible Twos' Phase

You’ve heard the phrase “The terrible twos,” but nobody truly understands it until their sweet angel infant has turned into a raging bull in the middle of the living room floor on an ordinary weeknight.

The terrible twos indeed are awful, and many parents lose their minds trying to understand how they can deal with this phase in their child’s life. There are many ways that this can be done that will benefit you and your child.

Here’s a guide to dealing with the terrible twos so that your home can return to familial bliss.

Why Do The Terrible Twos Happen

During this stage of your child’s life, they learn many new skills and master skills they have already learned. It is an exciting time in both a child’s and a parent’s life, but it is a lot to take in.

Because your child is learning new skills at an age where they can’t adequately express frustration or perform the tasks perfectly the first time, they tend to throw tantrums as a way to express their frustration.

Handling The Terrible Twos

While it is impossible to get rid of the terrible twos until your child has mastered their communication skills as well as the other new skills they have learned, there are ways that you can deal with them.

Keep a sleeping schedule. It is not always easy to be at home every time your child needs to take a nap, but keeping their sleeping schedule semi-regular will allow them to be well-rested and not as frustrated by small things.

Praise the behaviors that your child exhibits which you are proud or approve of. Doing this will let them know what makes you happy, and they will likely do more of that. On the other hand, if your child does something you disapprove of, the best way to handle it is simply to ignore it.

Keep rules simple so that they are easy for your child to understand and follow. If they do not understand what they are being told, they will not adhere to that rule and could end up hurting themselves.

When you notice a tantrum on the horizon, try to distract your child by redirecting their attention to something else that might keep them busy enough to forget why they were upset. Doing this will not only help your child feel better, but it will save you from having to deal with a tantrum.

Offer your child some control over their own lives by allowing them to make small decisions like whether they want to wear sneakers or boots. Your child will feel happy that they are giving their opinions and will feel more in control of their lives.

One thing that is essential to remember is that you must stay consistent. Children thrive on rules and routines, so keeping your rules and routines constant will allow your child to feel safe and cared for.