I'm a developmentalpsychologistandcofounderoftheMountSinaiParentingCenter, and I'm DrBlairHammond, theothercofounderoftheMountSinaiParentingCenterand a generalpediatricianatMt.
Thatis a myth, thoughyoumayfeellikethey'reterrible, andsoit's alsopersonal.
It's notthatit's terribletwos.
It's havingthedevelopmentallyappropriateexpectationsofwhat a twoyearoldiscapableofrecognizingtheirneedandlabelingandnamingthosefeelingsforthembecausethey'restrugglingtounderstandwhat's happeningandwhat's makingthemsoupsetwhilealsobeingtheretosetappropriateboundariesandlimits.
Soifyoucanreallylookatthisageas a timeofChildrenlearningtocontroltheiremotions, butit's stillnotwelldeveloped, itgivesyou a wholenewlenstostaycalmandwhatcanbestressfultimeswhenthey'rereallyupset.
Ah, slaponthebottom.
Neverhurtanyone.
Myth, youmightthink.
Well, I wasspankedhereandthereis a child, and I turnedoutfine.
Whatthey'redoingisgetting a childwhogetsreallygoodathidingtheirbadbehavior.
ButtakethatmomentandbelikeWhat I'm tryingtodoistonotswing a batinhouseto a lamplikeHowdo I dothat.
Andhowdo I setthat?
Andthatactuallyis a greatpossiblelearningexperienceforyourchildtoseeyougetupset, calmyourselfdownandthenreallyaddressitin a morelongterm, productivewayforthechild.
Strictparentsraisedwellbehavedkids.
Commonmyth.
Whenyouthink I'm gonnabejustanauthoritariansparentwhojustsensebecause I saidso, whatyougetiseitherup a veryrigidchildwhoisterrifiedofyousotheydon't wanttobreakanyrulesor a childwhoissetofftobeincrediblyrebelliousandhaveoppositionalissuesbecausetheycannotfeelseenandheard.
Butifyoucandoitin a sensitiveway, whereyouknowit's moreaboutdiscussionsandbackandforthinteractionsthatshowthatyou'rerespondingtoyourchildandthatyouvaluetheirinput.
That's howyouget a personwhowantstoopenuptotellyouabouttheirmistakesbecauseweallmakemistakesandyouwanttobetheretohelpthemthroughthat.
Nomeans I carethesayingyesequalsfailinglikelycomesfromtheideathatyoujustdon't haveboundariesforyourChildren, butsaying, Yes, youwanttogotothatpartyand I'm notlettingyou, and I knowthat's reallyhardthathelpsyourchild's braingointoanopenstate.
Yourchildgoesinto a defensivestateandisgonnaenduppotentiallyarguingwithyounothearingyougoingintowhat's calledfightflightorfreezegivingyourchildtheabilityThioknowthatyouunderstandthemis a goodthing, butnothavingboundariesandsayingyestoanyquestiontheyhaveandsaying, Yes, theycoulddoanybehaviorbecauseyouwouldratherthemjustfeelhappyallthetime.
Andsoit's veryimportanttojustbestraightforwardagainin a sensitiveandlovingwayandexplainthelosstoyourchildsothattheydon't alsohavefantasies, thatsomethingwillchange.
Because a childwhohearsthattheredogranawayinsteadoftheirdogdied, theirbodiesstoppedworkingandthey'renotcomingbackcouldspenddays, weeks, ifnotyears, fixatingonwaitingforthatmoment.
Tocomesittingwiththemthroughdifficultexperiencessothattheyknowtheycangetthroughthemis a muchmorepowerfullessonfortheirfuturethananything.
Youknow, unlessyougivethemthesugaredcerealinsteadofthehealthybreakfastandyouaccommodatetheirpickiness, you'regoingtoendupkindofcreatingagain a selffulfillingprophecyof a pickykid.
Childrenshouldcomefirst.
That's a trickyone, becauseyou'vemadethedecisiontoraise a childandbetherepersonthat's goingtotakeintoaccounttheirhealthandwellbeing.
Ifyoustart a fight, thenatleastshowyourChildrenhowyouresolve a fightsothattheydon't havetositwiththediscomfortofwonderingwhat's goingonbehindcloseddoors.
And, ofcourse, ifyoucanregulateyourselfinsuch a waythatyoucanhave a wonderfulandopendialogueas a disagreement.
SittingclosetotheTVdoesnotdamageyourvision, however, somethingthateveryoneshouldbeawareoflookingandfixingyoureyesononespotfor a longperiodoftime, especiallyifit's closetoyou, canaffecttheeyes.
Now, ifyounoticethatyourchild's sittingclosetotheTVbecauseyouthinktheycan't see, thatwillbesomethingyouwouldwanttodiscusswithyourpediatrician.
Praisingkidsmakesthemsmarter.
Thisis a funone, becausegettingpraisedfortheprocessbutnottheoutcome.
Gettingan A onyourpaperisalwaysgoingtopromote a moregrowthmindset.
Ah, fixedmindsetcancomefrombeingpraisedfortheoutcome, soifyouget a allthetimeinEnglish, you'regonnakindofavoidtheothersubjectsthatmightbemorechallengingbecauseyou'vebeenpraisedforthe A's andnothowyou'retakingon a challengeofdoing a newsubjectthat's a littlebitharderforyou.
Andontheflipside, ifyoufeellikeyoucouldreallyuse a littlebitmoresupportforthem, goaheadandpraisethem.
Childrenneedprotection 24 7 becausetheworldis a dangerousplace, Childrencan't haveprotection 24 7 andtheworldis a dangerousplace.
Thosearetwoseparatethings.
EventhoughweareawarethattherearesomereallyscarythingsgoingonintheworldandeventhoughyourChildrenmightbegivingthem a sensethattheregenerallygonnabeprettysafeiftheyfollowbasicguidelinesaroundbeingstreetsmartandtakingcareoftheirbodiesanddevelopmentallyappropriatefreedomismuchbetterforthembecausekidswhodon't knowhowtocrossthestreetbylooking.
However, ifyoucometotermswithandthinkthroughthepainordifficultyofwhatyouexperiencedinyourchildhoodthatyouwouldn't wantandthinkaboutthepositivepartsofyourchildhoodthatyouwanttorepeatasyouraiseyourChildren, thenyou'llbeabletoconsciouslyparentyourChildren.
Howeveryouwouldlikesothatyoucanthenthriveas a parent.
Parentingcomesnaturally.
Thisis a myth.
It's veryeasytoseehowpeoplewouldthinkThisis a truthbecausehavingChildrenseemslikenaturalprocess.
Whatcanhappenisyoucanfeellike I shouldknowallofthis.
I'm theparent.
Whatyouknowbestisyourchild.
You'rebornatthesametime.
Isyourbabyas a parent?
Right.
Youwerenot a parentuntiltheywereborn.
Soyou'regrowinganddevelopingtogetherthroughoutyourchild's life.
Andsoasyou'regrowinganddevelopingas a parent, youconfinedthosestrengthsandenhancethem.
You'regonnahear a lotofmyths.
As a parent, it's oneofeverybody's favoritethingstodoistell a parenthowtobe a betterparent.