themselves.
- Leaving anywhere!
Erroneous Expectation: Parents expect their children to be able to
move—easily, quickly, and when asked the first time—from one
activity or location to another.
The Reality: When they are doing something fun, all children have
significant trouble switching to a new activity. Two- and three-year-
olds are notoriously bad at changing places! Children must first stop
the fun thing they are doing, then shift their attention to where they’re
going, then control their disappointment and move. Children’s brains
are working on these transition skills from birth all the way through
the early twenties.
What to Do: Be prepared for resistance! Transitions are hard for your
kids. Use sequential warnings and your 1-2-3 Magic timer. Give your
child a two-minute, a one-minute, and then a thirty-second warning
that it is time to stop a task or time to leave. If warnings do not help,
stop talking and simply escort or carry the child to the next place or
activity (and reread the first section on Tantrums!).
- Potty training
Erroneous Expectation: Parents expect their children to be capable
of peeing and pooping on the toilet at two years of age.
The Reality: The percentage of two-year-olds who have been
successfully potty trained is about four percent. Only 60 percent of
children have achieved mastery of the toilet by thirty-six months.
Fifty-two percent of children are dry during the day at age three, and