Toddler taming for beginners

“I’m reading a book about Toddler taming” a friend of mine mentioned in passing the other day. Toddler taming is that even a thing, why would you need that? I thought at the time.

So far I feel pretty pleased with myself on this particular aspect of parenting, almost smug in fact that we haven’t yet had to do much toddler taming. Bella is happy the majority of the time and we have been fly by the seat of our pants, basing our parenting on what feels natural to us. Tantrums have been few and far between. So far.

Fast forward to today and we are now perhaps on the brink of entering the realm of toddler taming, wrestling, wrangling or explaining the way the world works, whatever you might like to call it. Two cousins playing side by side, happy one second, the next both wanting to play with whatever the other is playing with. Cries from our daughter of “Share, share!” whilst her older cousin snatches things from her tiny hands.

Now it’s time to step up and be a good Auntie. I am given permission to tell my nephew off if required. But how do you explain to two tiny impatient creatures about sharing or taking it in turns with toys? I try my best. Is this the beginning of our toddler taming journey? I feel deeply for these little people, how do you explain to someone so young that they can’t always get what they want, and that sometimes you have to give up on your hopes and dreams. I don’t want to be an early years soul-crusher.

My gorgeous daughter has also suddenly taken to requesting specific items, only to burst into tears when given them. Lunch being the perfect example today. What would you like to eat? Sandwich. What would you like in your sandwich? Ham. One ham sandwich dutifully handed over. To be met by a shake of the head and a wail of “Cheese?”. The cheese is dutifully handed over to be met by sobs. Was it the shape? the brand? Is this the beginning of the toddler-taming era? Only time will tell!

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