Disciplining your toddler can be a burdensome and challenging task. No one wants to do it because, no body likes doing it. Dealing with the temper tantrums and fits that toddlers throw can be stressful and frustrating, who wants to deal with that? Unfortunately, though, every parent knows that disciplining your toddler is a necessary task. They are going to do things, get into things, says things that they're not suppose to and it's your responsibility as a parent to teach them the consequences of their actions. The best recommendation I can give you for handling your toddler's fits of outrage is to recognize that it's coming before it starts and try to head it off.

I call it proactive parenting. If you can see that your toddler is going to have a problem, intervene and cut it off at the pass. Now, obviously, this isn't going to happen every time your toddler gets mad but, if you can understand why temper tantrums tend to happen it will be much easier for you to deal with them once they occur.

The first reason tantrums seem to occur is because your toddler needs something. This is important for you to recognize because, in this case, disciplining your toddler is unnecessary. Getting something to eat or drink, diaper changes, these are all things that most toddlers can't get for themselves so, they get upset. Perfectly logical. Being that this is a common reason for fits to occur, it's the first thing I recommend you look for. Check your toddler's diaper, try giving them something to drink and snack on, that could easily solve the problem.

Toddlers also have temper tantrums because it's helps them express anger or frustration that they can't put into words. This is a common tendency for most toddlers. Some children at this age can't talk yet and the ones that can generally don't have a vocabulary that allows them to express themselves verbally. Can you guess what works for my son? Talking and distracting. Your toddler has a pretty short attention span so, odds are that within a minute of getting mad and throwing his toy to show it, he'll completely forget what he was upset about.

Some parents use the simple tactic of ignoring it when they're toddler throws temper tantrums like this. I don't like doing that, not because I think it's always completely wrong to ignore a fit my son is having but, more because if I don't know why he's upset I'm always worried that somethings wrong. I like to talk to him, calm him down with a soothing tone of voice, then give him a distraction in the form of one of his favorite toys.

The last reason toddlers tend to get upset is obvious. They want your attention. So, if the situation allows for it, give it to them. No, I'm not saying that you should give your toddler your complete and undivided attention at all times. You need to understand, though, that your time and attention is very important to your toddler. At this age, all they really know is play and parents. So, again, if you can, take five or ten minutes to spend a little quality time with them. Play with them, talk to them, show them that you care about them and you're here for them if they need you. A perfect example of this, my son sits on my lap a lot of the time while I'm writing.

He comes up to my chair and whines at me or pulls on my arm, I pick him up and put him on my lap, and he sits there watching as I type and tell him what I'm doing. He never stays long, usually less than a minute but, the simple act of allowing him to sit with me and talking to him while I continue to work allows him to feel close to me. Then he hops down and is quite content to go about his day. No fuss and no need for disciplinary action. If I had ignored his request for my attention, I would have a hissy-fit on my hands.

Disciplining your toddler doesn't always need to be necessary if you take steps to avoid an incident by giving your toddler their needs, and sometimes their wants. Following some of these suggestions can help you avoid disciplining your toddler. Feel free to visit my website for more advice and tips on disciplining your toddler. On my site, you can also find resources that will help with more severe behavioral issues. Hope your enjoyed this. Thanks!