Discipline

[carliex]

My 2.5 year old daughter has been behaving very badly lately! She won't sit at the dinner table even worse when eating out! She's throwing mega tantrums smacking ect I feel like im constantly saying no, and using the naughty step! I feel so guilty when she's crying on the naughty step but I stick to it cus I don't want her turning into a naughty child! But this morning she told my mum ' mummy doesn't like me ' omg iv never felt so hurt in my life! I cryed all the way to college and I just want to go home and pick her up from nursery!do they understand what there saying at this age? Does she really think I don't like her? I think she does no what she is saying because when she's been at nursery she say I missed my mummy I love my mummy. I don't no what to do! I don't want her to think I don't like her just cus I'm trying to discipline her!!

[Annna]

Its a tough one. Reward her for the good things more than punishing her for the bad if possible. The naughty step is a good idea, but for short 5 min periods only and she should also say sorry before being let off it, if she refuses its another 5 mins. She does of course love you but she is exploring her boundaries and learning what she can get away with. Children are not happy if they are spoilt, they can be the unhappiest of all. It is a tough one being a mum.. By the way those nanny documentaries are quite good for teaching discipline. Good luck. x

[karenmac60]

That's why they are called 'the terrible twos'. She doesn't think you don't like her - not in the way that you or I would mean that anyway. Things are very black and white at that age - they are 'good' or 'bad' and 'like' or 'don't like', so when you are angry that means you don't like her, but she'd probably say you like her 5 minutes later. Look at how often kids change their minds about things, their favourite colour changes every day, they love something one minute then hate it the next - a lot of it is lack of vocabulary and understanding at that age. Don't take it to heart and don't beat yourself up about it. She'll grow out of it. Wait till she's a teenager and telling you she wishes she'd never been born! ;) You're doing a good job, just stick with it.