Disciplining a toddler when you're bipolar

Maria - posted on 05/30/2011

I am working through a book and cd set "Easy to Love Difficult to Discipline"? I do have empathy for you and you are not alone! I loose it all the time, especially when I see bi polar patterns in my children also.

Wendy - posted on 05/16/2011

I've been putting my 2yo in time-out since he was 10 months old. If he screams, or hits...to the chair he goes.

Brandy - posted on 04/18/2011

thats what i do is walk away and sometimes i will lock myself in the bathroom or something to think about things and calm down, thats if i am not calm enough to gently remove her from the situation. after putting her in her room a few times now i can just ask her do you want to go to your room? and it usually diffuses the situation, and other times i just tell her go to your room and she does. ive also found that routine consistancy and redirection helps prevent tantrums. i try really hard not to say no, instead i will tell her specifically what to do like keep your feet on the floor, its really helped me.

Katherine - posted on 11/17/2010

The hilarious thing was I would walk away into another room and she would run and follow me. Then she would throw herself on the floor and continue her tantrum!

Julz - posted on 11/15/2010

Thanks!!! I just bought a book called have a new kid by friday and that speak once, turn around and walk away is a huge factor :-)

Katherine - posted on 11/15/2010

Walk away!!! Let her tantrum by herself, seriously. It works.

Julz - posted on 11/07/2010

Thank you ladies for all the advice. My only trouble is that my toddler has only just turned 2 so her comprehension is not as much as that of say a 3 year old that you can reason with. Her speech is improving daily so my guess is this advice will be very helpful in the near future but for now I find it really tough to get her to calm down when she's throwing a terrible 2 tantrum without my feeling like I am boiling over and going to yell at her

Hugs
Julz

Emily - posted on 11/06/2010

Rules, rules, rules.
Make a list, and have the little diva help out with choosing consequences for her actions.
Constant reminders of "what's rule number one?" (use kind words) "and are you using them?" (no.) "Okay three strikes then time out, right?" (yes) - and stick to it. If she runs, follow her. If she fights, keep your cool. If she yells, keep quiet and ignore it. You're the one with the control - you're old enough to know it, she's the child. (be careful with that because as she gets into the teens, she'll get pissed off with that one). :)

Seriously, though - if you both contribute to the written rules of the house, that will keep both of you in check.
Define everything - if the rule is "sweet snacks only after dinner is over" make sure you write out what an appropriate sweet snack is: SWEET SNACKS INCLUDE: one cookie or one brownie or one half cup of sweet cereal.

Putting it in writing means nobody can say "but I didn't know that!" So you'll both be able to keep each other in check. Just make sure that if they're rules of the house, that you're going to follow them too. It's not fair to a toddler if there are different rules of behavior for different family members.

Sandra - posted on 11/03/2010

hi.. well, the only advice i can offer, is, that you have to rehearse, like a mantra, every day, i WILL keep control, i WILL keep it together, i will NOT raise my voice... say it every day, remind yourself that she is just a baby and willl not understand... should you slip at any time.. you need to walk away, count to ten and then go back and say what you have to say... you will not win the war every time... but in time it will get easiar and the older she gets the more 'in-tune' you will be with each other and... and you will learn to recognise little signs to be aware of... sometimes it's lonely but you are never alone x