She did this for the first time and I am not very pleased – Toddler tales : Part 2

The little girl who had just started walking this time last year is now a pro in expressing her emotions and needs. She has started understanding things going on around her. She now has her own likes and dislikes. She has opinions and choices too. One second she showers me with love and kisses and the next second, she is aggressive and adamant.

So this is how turning two looks like. I get it! Empathizing with her is the only solution. After that incident, we came home, we changed, she played with her dad for a few minutes. I thought it was time to talk about what had happened earlier. I swiftly brought her to my lap and gently waved her hair and asked if she enjoyed the evening. She told me that she did but did not talk further.

I realized, she that she has been feeling guilty or she knows that she has done something wrong and that’s why she has been acting this way. I understand that for a two year old, it is common to hit and throw tantrums. That’s why I did not show my disappointment to her. I just took some time to digest the fact that we are entering the next phase.

I hugged her closely and looked into her eye and asked what she did there and if she had fun, again. This time, she did not say “yes”. Instead, she said, ” I hit mommy”. I was quite taken aback by her response. Kids never fail to surprise us! I was even more astound when she told me “sorry” after a long pause!! I hugged her even more tightly and said, “that’s fine but let’s not repeat this” and immediately, I heard, “ok”!

Children know more than what we think about what they know. Parents should carefully notice their kid’s actions and emotions. Their emotional needs should be addressed then and there. If a child hits you or screams at you, don’t ignore . It is even more important to not to react just like they do. Show love and tell them that it is not okay to hurt someone and there are many other ways to grab an adult’s attention. They may not change over-night but you will definitely see a positive transformation.