HELP! Raising My Spirited Toddler

Pretty much all toddlers are spirited. Your choice of discipline or lack thereof will determine how they act. You need to be confident in your choice and not worry about what other people think. If you want your child to behave well, you have to discipline them as well as have fun with them. If you want to "live with the spirited child", then you have to live with it. If spirited means creative and super energetic and passionate, but having manners, then great. If spirited means allowed to throw fits and be aggressive and bratty as long as you "understand why", some other parents are not going to approve. Choose your path and walk proud! Disciplining your child will not remove the good parts of their spirit. I'm not sure what your book says about it, but if it says disciplining is not good for kids like lots of books do, you may want a different approach. I have three very happy spirited well behaved kids (including 2 year old boy) thanks to discipline.
Check out this site and you may want the book:
www.backtobasicsdiscipline.com, Back to Basics Discipline by Janet Campbell Matson.

I'm not sure what you mean about "spirited". Does she have a lot of energy? Maybe she needs to get out and run around more?

you can't worry about what other people are doing. if they are overprotective, oh well! that's probably why their child is so shy and timid. as long as your daughter isn't doing anything mean or hurtful, i wouldn't worry about it. Good luck!!!

Hi, El,

I was a huge fan of Harvey Karp's "Happiest Baby on the Block" for my newborns - I just recently borrowed a copy of his "Happiest Toddler on the Block" and am impressed with it too. It contains a lot of insight into the toddler brain and many useful suggestions for communicating effectively with them.

Good luck,
H. S

Something a friend said about her very active daughter, is being carried on to my very active son: "he has all of his fingers/toes/limbs and we are so blessed to have him". It tends to shut folks up, even the ones who say "you need to corral that little one (with a stern look)".

Good luck!!!

Positive Discipline: The First Three Years. Seriously - I got IMMEDIATE results.

What is your child saying and doing? To you spirited means one thing to anther it has a whole new meaning. so there isn't much advice I can give. I think as long as your child isn't rude or nasty it may be normal toddler behavior but again you didn't say what spirited means.

Joanna
Mom to 3 Mara is 9, Cate is 7 and Olivia is 6