Lynne Osborn, Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Give children safe limits they can understand. When children misbehave, let them know you understand their feelings without accepting what they are doing. Be in charge calmly and consistently. Children see the world differently than adults. Rules and safety warnings that may be easy for adults to understand need to be explained clearly and simply to children. Be sure they know what you expect them to do. It's not fair to blame them for breaking rules they do not understand.
Practice setting safe, understandable limits or rules in the following situations:
Jeff, 3, is happily pouring milk onto his dinner plate.
Tran, 2, has pushed a chair close to the range to see what's bubbling in all those pots.
Jenny, 4, has a screaming fit because you will not let her go outside to play (she has been sick and the weather is damp and cold.)
Miguel, 5, crossed the street without telling you.
Sally will not go to bed and throws a fit every night.
This week, work on making your rules and limits understandable to your children. And remember to focus on "do."
After you have practiced setting safe, understandable limits or rules, call the Dundy County University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, 423-2021, 800-483-0219 or e-mail at losborn1@unl.edu.
Source: Parenting Your Child Effectively by Marilyn Fox, extension educator, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension.
