Creating a YES! Environment

February 16, 2017
Creating a YES! Environment

Little people can get themselves into BIG trouble.  But baby-proofing can be costly and difficult for families.  Below are some reasons we recommend taking at least a few steps towards giving your toddler some safe space to play.

 

Parents of toddlers know a LOT about saying NO.  In an effort to try and say “YES!” more and reduce household chaos and yelling, we have the following tips for creating a “YES! Environment”

  • Exploration is key.  Children need to explore their environments in order to learn new information, feel independent and gain confidence.  Having dangerous items or obstacles in their way makes this more difficult.
  • Saying “NO” often makes it less effective.  Try to save “NO” for times when you really need it.  Being able to enjoy time with your child (or even being able to look away safely for a few seconds) makes everyone in the household feel calmer and safer.
  • Household accidents happen.  Even the most well-meaning caregivers can find themselves in difficult and dangerous situations.  Baby-proofing is not a substitute for an alert adult, but it does help to avoid the more common household accidents that can occur.
  • Understanding comes with time.  Small children are too young to understand the repercussions of their actions.  They repeat the same dangerous behaviors over and over again because of their age, not because they are intentionally misbehaving.  By removing them from dangerous items in your home, you are making their world (and yours) safer.  Once they are older, you can focus on teaching them how to peacefully coexist!

For more information on addressing children’s behavior, click here.