Top Tips to managing your three year old

Cracking the Whip on Behavior 

Hello! 

Happy Thursday! 

Let's just get down to business, having a three year old is challenging. 

Having a three year old, a 21 month old and a 10 week old is well, not as challenging as you may think but it certainly has its MOMENTS.

Now, I spent the majority of my Highschool years and college years caring for children who had behavior issues, it was just my "thing". Everyone told me I was good at it and I really didn't mind it so that's just what I did. After graduating college, I landed my first job as a para-educator at the EEE in Burlington, not even breaking 10$ an hour! (Yes I had to get another job which happened to be at the seafood counter in Hannafords) 🙄. ANYHOW, I worked one of the most challenging little boys there. Biggest sweetheart I ever met, and he is probably almost out of High-school now 😭 but anyhow that was just the beginning. I spent the next 6 years serving as a Behavioral Interventionist for children on the Autism Spectrum. From 2 years of age all the way to high school-age, and yup I was one of the best.

So when Vito really started acting out I was like what the hell??! I'm doing all the things aren't I? Well NOPE I wasn't. I was missing all that positive praise stuff, I seemed to be yelling way more than I wanted and he was just being a little "shit."

The first thing  I changed was being intentional with him and his actions. Positive praise any moment he was behaving, seriously you sound like a dead horse but it works, and I put off all the laundry, the cleaning and that stuff to just PLAY with him. I was getting so caught up with everything else I was forgetting this very import the aspect. 

The second  thing I changed was explaining to him what a I want him to do, step by step, remembering that he DID just turn three and half the time he IS doing his best in the way he thinks he should. This made a huge impact on what I expected him to do. And when giving directions being clear on what he SHOULD be doing instead of what he should not be, omit that completely! 

The third and most valuable thing I do is give him choices. 

Are you going to pick up the Legos or the blocks?

You can eat the yogurt at the table or not at all. 

Do you want your black hat or blue?

Him throwing a fit because he doesn't want to put his boots on to go outside "you can out your boots on to go out, or stay in." 

Honestly this book Loving Our Kids On Purpose: Making A Heart-To-Heart Connection
has made a huge impact on the way I parent and I really encourage you to read it if you are struggling with behaviors. 

What's the ONE thing you can't stand from your 3 year old?! 

Hope this helps! 

XO, 

Kaitlin