Alternative Ways to Say No to a Toddler

Believe me when I tell you there are alternative ways to say no to a toddler.

Sometimes it feels as if your child will be a sweet cuddly infant but before you know it they are toddling around and doing things you’d rather them not do.

There comes a time in every Mother’s life when her baby goes to a sweet little cooing baby to an obstinate child. It seems to happen overnight!

Be sure to check out even more of my helpful parenting tips, too!

Positive Ways to Say No to a Toddler

Being negative all the time and saying no all the time can not only frustrate you as a parent, but it can frustrate your child too.

Plus, children can become almost immune to the word “no” (and it’s many a child’s first word) when it’s used so often.

The onus is on a new mom to find a way to say no, without being negative.

Teach Self-Discipline

Believe it or not you can start very young teaching your child to self-discipline them.

Much like you try to teach them to self sooth at night to fall asleep or go back to sleep in their own bed, you can also teach your child to think before they act at a very young age. 

Someplace between 12 and 18 months old children develop the capacity to control their actions.

The trick here is to model the behavior you want from your child, so even during difficult times keep your cool.

Redirect Instead of Saying No

One of the best methods to use when your child starts to do something you don’t want them to do is to redirect them.

If you’re paying attention you can tell when your child is going to have a breakdown, or touch something they’re not supposed to touch.

When that occurs simply catch their attention and direct it toward something else.

This requires an extraordinary amount of work at first, but eventually you’ll notice your child self-redirecting.

Keep Your Child Busy

Some children do very well staying out of trouble by staying busy.

If you want to eat quietly at a family restaurant, instead of expecting your child to sit through an hour or more of adult conversation, bring some quiet toys so they can play.

You can even bring ear phones and an iPad so that they can watch a movie or something while you enjoy a nice dinner with your spouse.

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Teach Your Baby Sign Language

One of the very best techniques that starts when your child is still an infant is teaching your child basic sign language.

Children can learn the signs sooner than they can learn to verbalize.

Start teaching your child starting around six months old and you’ll find that you’ll have a happier and less frustrated toddler on your hands later.

Eliminate No’s As Much as Possible

Finding ways around no, but still teaching a child discipline is a great challenge in the first months and years of life.

But, no worries, it’s not impossible even though there are times when it feels as though it is.

It’s never easy to say no to your child, but if you figure out how to get rid of most of the no’s you can make no more important and more likely to be listened to.

Plus, you can create a more positive environment for your child as well.

Mom Smarter, Not Harder! Find more insightful parenting tips on Mommy Evolution!

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