Soothing Baby’s Frustrations（2）
Master the Art of Distraction
If your child wants to watch TV and you’d rather she didn’t, saying no isn’t likely to go well. Instead, show her a book or an interesting game. Or if she wants to climb the stairs but you’re not in the mood to play spotter, distract her with a fun toy downstairs. Places like grocery stores are tougher, of course, because of the lure of candy aisles and fun things to pull off the shelves. If you absolutely must take your baby into such a haven of temptation, have something for her to play with in the cart. Or if she’s old enough, give her a little job to do, like holding the peanut butter. “Don’t linger, buy treats, and don’t negotiate,” says Eileen Kasten, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boonshoft School of Medicine, in Dayton, Ohio.
Master the Art of Distraction
If your child wants to watch TV and you’d rather she didn’t, saying no isn’t likely to go well. Instead, show her a book or an interesting game. Or if she wants to climb the stairs but you’re not in the mood to play spotter, distract her with a fun toy downstairs. Places like grocery stores are tougher, of course, because of the lure of candy aisles and fun things to pull off the shelves. If you absolutely must take your baby into such a haven of temptation, have something for her to play with in the cart. Or if she’s old enough, give her a little job to do, like holding the peanut butter. “Don’t linger, buy treats, and don’t negotiate,” says Eileen Kasten, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boonshoft School of Medicine, in Dayton, Ohio.
Ignore the Bad, Praise the Good
Many times, babies and toddlers act out to see what our reaction will be. From their perspective, even a scolding by Mom or Dad is more interesting than no attention at all. Head off future outbursts and frustration-induced tantrums by ignoring the behavior now, if possible. And the next time your baby doesn’t throw his cup when he’s upset, reward him by commenting on it in a positive way. “Give him a hug when you praise him,” says Kate Cronan, MD, coauthor of I’m a Mom! Now What?