How do you want your toddler to respond in tricky situations?
Training our children in right reactions takes deliberate focus and patience. We cannot give parenting a few rushed moments here or there in our day, intentional mothering requires time, lots of time.
Our children need to learn to rightly respond to fear (the thunder, new situations, strange people, animals) to joy (the gift received, the promised treat, the holiday, visitors) sadness (illness, injury, wounded feelings) frustration (toys not fitting right, the missing puzzle piece, time to leave the park, waiting in the supermarket) and so on and so on.
We need to model the right responses, role play, teach the why, encourage, practice, praise the efforts and correct the inapproriate choices.
Slowly, oh so slowly, they will learn to demonstrate right reactions based on self-control and kindness to others. Joy!
