Little Billies, Toast and The Terrible Twos

I wish I’d thought of doing it before: a reward chart for toddlers.  I’ve done the terrible twos 4 times now but this is the first time I’ve used a reward chart for this age group and it’s been a helpful addition to training my toddler.

If you would like to read one of my morning battles with my two-year-old son, follow the link to this post: Choose Which Hill to Die On: The Terrible Twos. The post details a typical morning at my place and demonstrates how a piece of toast — toast, can turn into an hour battle.

In addition to other training methods, I’ve been using a  Little Billies Toddler Range chart with my son.  Little Billies products gives a head start to parents by providing prompts in what behaviours and skills to expect from a toddler (there is a range designed for school aged children too).  The behaviour categories make sense, the bright personalised designs keep toddlers entertained and the simple graphics are engaging and fun. Most importantly, the Little Billies reward charts work sucessfully in conjunction with your parenting style — and that’s what I love the most. Little Billies reward charts add value to parenting in a positive way.

This tool has assisted me in parenting, especially in the area of “Great Eating”. I’ve detailed below how I’ve used this product and general advice for training toddlers.

1. What do you expect? Before you tackle an issue, think about what you expect from your toddler.  For example, “Great Eating” to me means sitting at the table until the meal is finished and then taking the dirty plate to the sink. For your family it might be eating with utensils and sitting still.  Don’t try and tackle everything at once; choose one or two at a time and work from there.  So when you say “Great Eating”, the toddler knows exactly what you expect.  I took a moment to jot down some behaviours I’m working on with my two-year-old. 

* Watch for a post to explain this one.

Parenting is so much easier when you have an idea of where you’re headed.  If you would like some clarity on what you expect form your toddler, try filling out the Toddler Expectation Sheet like I have. {Click on the title to access the free PDF file}

2.  Repetition. Use the same words consistently.  After my son has completed the above, I say, “Great Eating. Well done. Great Eating.” And then again as he places the magnet on the chart. Use simple words — a lot.

3. Consistent.  Consistency is vital to training success; however, I admit to failing in this area sometimes — but I try — and that counts. Keep working at it peoples. Keep trying. Don’t give up. It all counts.

4. Think sustainable. Sometimes parents try and tackle everything at once (I used to) and it’s just not sustainable.  Completing the Toddler Expectation Sheet forces you to think sustainable. Build the foundations before you add the walls.

5. Don’t judge your child in relation to other children. Your child hasn’t moved on from a sippy-cup like other children? Your child is taking a l–o–n–g time to get the sharing concept?   A wise parent is guided by others, but filters everything in regards to how it fits in with their own family values. Stick to your plan and be guided by how your child is doing rather than what other children are doing. Remember you, and your child, can’t master everything at once.

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I’m excited to say, with the help of our personalised Little Billies chart, my son has mastered the expectations on “Great Eating” and we can build on that.

See how Little Billies can assist you in parenting.

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Be A Fun Mum related links:

Choose Which Hill to Die On: The Terrible Twos

I Have Three Crushes

Be A Fun Mum Cards