Don’t say, Do that one more time and you’ll regret it. It sounds nice because it gives you an out; you’re not bound to do anything linked to that threat. But it’s better if you say instead, If you choose to do that one more time, then I’m not allowing AJ to spend the night tonight. Then if the child chooses to do the dastardly deed one more time, your follow-through is to say, You chose to do (whatever). Because you made that choice, AJ doesn’t get to spend the night. Then follow through by not allowing AJ to spend the night.

My house doesn’t have to be picture-perfect (or spotless) to ensure that my baby has a wonderful childhood. You may see this as manipulation, which wouldn’t be far from the truth. But, remember that children are masters of manipulation. Therefore staying on top of their manipulation is your job. Manipulating your children’s behavior, or behavior management, keeps your children happy, safe, and out of trouble by enabling you to be a part of their daily activities, attitudes, and environment. For more information about following through with what you say, please see Chapter 4, Following Through. Hold, hover, shepherd, and guide — Dr. Tim Hover. Toddlers and some preschoolers are more mobile and independent than infants. You can no longer hold onto them and meet all their needs. But their newfound mobility and independence can also be their undoing. They are vulnerable to all sorts of hazards, from falling and hitting their head to walking blindly through a busy parking lot. They need you to hover and to intervene when their small adventures put them in harm’s way.Being consistent and following through are sort of like cousins marrying; the two concepts are related in a weird kind of way. If you’re not consistent, and you don’t practice follow-through, you’ll have problems with your kids. Do what you say, and think before you say it (the art of follow-through) If you’re calm, relaxed, and don’t overreact to broken dishes and other such events, your children are likely to be calm and relaxed. On the other hand, if you’re nervous and tense, your children are likely to be nervous and tense. Being a good role model means no smoking, cursing, getting drunk, lying, cheating, crossing the street on a red light, stealing, yelling, ( think of your own nasty habit and enter it here), and so on.

For a fun book to read to your kids that shows how words can mean different things, try The King Who Rained by Fred Gwynne (The Trumpet Club). Waver not, lest ye topple (being consistent)Anger usually is a parent’s first reaction because what kids do is unexpected and it’s also usually the parent who has to clean it up. So what? Stop, take several deep breaths, look at that sweet face, and smile. Anger is wasted energy and that energy should be spent somewhere else. Each year, more than 4 million babies are born in the United States-and the first year of a baby's life is a joyous, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming time. Yo ur Baby's First Year For Dummies serves as a complete guide for baby's first twelve months, from what to do when arriving home from the hospital to handling feeding, bathing, and sleeping routines to providing the right stimuli for optimal progress.