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General discussion

New advice re: dealing with toddler temper tantrums

Mar 4, 2004 11:43PM PST
S A N T A M O N I C A, Calif., March 5 ? It looks weird, and it sounds crazy, but a renowned pediatrician says that the best way for parents to put an end to the terrible twos is to bring themselves down to their children's level, and talk and act like toddlers themselves.

"You say, 'no, no, no," said pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, who helps parents communicate with their toddlers by essentially teaching them to talk like a caveman. Karp calls his own special language "toddler-ese

"It's not the normal way we talk to kids," Karp said. "But I'm telling you, that's the normal way kids talk to us."

Karp, the author of the book and video, The Happiest Toddler on the Block, has spent 25 years treating thousands of children. Having witnessed countless tantrums, he claims the secret to taming toddlers isn't what you say, but how you say it.

"There are three steps in toddler-ese," Karp said. "The first is short little phrases. The second is that it's very, very repetitive. And the third is that you get close to the level of energy that the child is displaying."


http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/AmericanFamily/040305Terrible_toddlers-1.html

Angeline
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

Discussion is locked

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Whoa, 'act like toddlers themselves'!
Mar 5, 2004 12:00AM PST

Sorry, my daughter used to bang her head on the floor. I can't picture myself doing that. I used to pick her up and move her to the carpet. One time she did it in the bathroom which had a very rough, hard, ceramic floor. One bang, a startled look, and she moved to the rug to resume banging!

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Re:Whoa, 'act like toddlers themselves'!
Mar 5, 2004 3:41AM PST

As your daughter did not injure herself , forgive me for smiling.

My Dad admitted that he was one of those who "held his breath "til he turned blue". which worked.

But one day his aunt was keeping him, and did not give into whatever he wanted. So, he started holding his breath. He said he was the most surprised kid in the world when, as he went to the floor, saw her leave the room and shut the door. It cured him. Happy

Me- I was a whiner. Happy

Angeline
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

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I pouted.
Mar 5, 2004 4:43AM PST

although no one ever told me what I did at two. Wink

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Re:New advice re: dealing with toddler temper tantrums
Mar 5, 2004 5:04AM PST

When my kids went into those tamtrums, my wife used to start singing "they are coming to take me away, away, Ho, He, Ho, Ha" while banging on a pan. Sometimes it worked and sometimes the kids screamed louder. I had to put plan B in action then.

George

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Which was?
Mar 5, 2004 5:07AM PST

An advance to the rear?