Joyful Toddlers!
Enjoy Your Toddlers & Preschoolers
Dear Faith, My little guy (2 yrs 4 m) seems to be getting frustrated a lot when he doesn’t have the words/ ability to explain what he needs help with. For example, he may want to build a tower with pillows in a certain way and wants me to help, but isn’t able to express …
Dear Faith, My daughter just turned three and mostly things are fine, but her neediness is draining on me. It feels a bit like there’s a hole in her bucket, and I can’t fill it up somehow. I’m not sure why there is so much whininess, such a fanatical emphasis on perfection, such passionate insistence …
Dear Faith, On your advice I’ve been using imagery when my 2yo daughter says no, and for the most part it’s been very effective. But suddenly in the last week the no’s have increased dramatically. No to drying off, no to handing me a bucket, no to me changing the sheets, no to eating, no …
Dear Faith, I have a home daycare and I am having trouble during circle and story. I want this to be a beautiful time but one of the children, a precocious big almost 4 year-old girl, tries to take over and be the teacher. I am finding myself in a power struggle with her and …
Dear Faith, My son is 2.75 years old and recently shocked me by looking me in the eye and saying, “I no love you mama.” Shocked. I said, “you don’t love me? you don’t like that I am changing your diaper right now, do you.” He said, “I just no love you mama. I no …
Dear Faith, My husband is has has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) since puberty, and now my 4.5 year old son is showing some of the same signs. We have consulted a child psychiatrist who has said that it was too early to say anything, and it could just be imitative behavior. Lately, he has been …
Dear Faith, My little girl is not quite 2 and a half years old and seems to have the grouchiness and rudeness of a moody teenager! The behavior that distresses me the most is her tone and the “mean” way in which she talks to people, especially me. I have tried rephrasing her unpleasant voice …
One of the things that many of us love most about holidays are the rituals: doing things the same way each year. I like to define rituals as “connecting activities that are repeated in a rhythmical manner.” The rhythm can be short, or long. It might be a little game that you play at each …
Dear Faith, My son turns 3 next month. We have been a family since returning from East Africa 2 years ago. I have been home with him, working during his naps and after putting him to bed. Suddenly and most vehemently he has developed separation anxiety. Even with beloved grandparents. Two weeks ago he was …
Dear Faith, I was wondering what your philosophy is on when a child is “bad,” like when they hit or do something that directly disobeys what you have told them to do. I know you use the phrase “it looks like you need some help” and then help him to follow through, but what about …
Dear Faith, I have a group of 8 toddlers, and I wonder if you can give me some help for a biter. I’ve been watching, and it seems like she bites when she’s overwhelmed, for example after snack when many people were around her and bumping into her. On the other hand, she also bites …
Dear Faith, Do you have any tips for weaning a 3 year old from a pacifier habit? My boy is very dependent on his pacifier to help him get to sleep. He simply refuses to go to sleep without it. My husband and I have been thinking that it is time for him to move …
