How To Get Your Toddler To Listen

Let’s be honest; toddlers can be the worst at listening sometimes, and they get easily distracted and often don’t want to do what they are told, leaving many parents to yell or punish their toddlers when they don’t listen. And then the cycle just continues.

So, how can parents get their toddlers to listen without having to yell or give punishments? Today’s article will cover ten things parents can do to get their toddlers to listen. 

First off, it is essential to know that toddlers’ brains are still developing. Listening is a developmental skill set. This doesn’t mean your toddler will never listen, it just means they need help to listen. As toddlers’ brains continue to develop as they grow, their listening skills will increase!

How parents talk to their children also plays a part in getting their toddlers to listen. One way is by

Calling Your Child By Name 

One of the best ways to get your child’s attention is by using their real name. It lets them know you are about to share important information, and it helps them break away their attention from what they were doing to you. 

Once parents have their child’s attention, parents need to go where their toddler is physically at. Toddlers can get so involved in the activity they are doing that they need their parent’s help to break away from their activity and listen. 

Next, you want to…

Avoid Yelling At Your Toddler

It’s important for parents not to yell or scream at their toddlers when trying to get them to listen. This can cause confusion and frustration, therefore, shutting down the listening center of a toddler’s brain. 

​​This can cause confusion and frustration, therefore, shutting down the listening center of a toddler’s brain.

So instead of yelling, physically go to where your toddler is at and…

Get down to their level

When getting your toddler to listen, squat down and talk with them eye-to-eye! Plus, once you are at the same level, it becomes easier to hear what they have to say because of the height difference which also helps improve listening skills in toddlers too.

It can be very overwhelming and intimidating to a toddler when their parents are towering over them. Getting down to a toddler’s level and looking them in the eye provides a safe and friendly space for them to listen. 

Once your toddler is engaged in what you have to say, make sure to…

Keep Instructions Simple

Toddlers do not have the mental capacity to keep track and remember five things they need to do. Instead, parents can give their toddlers simple instructions. 

Making your instructions simple helps your toddler process the information more accessible and improves toddlers’ listening skills. Plus, it makes giving multiple instructions a lot easier too! Once your toddler has done what was asked of them.

Give Praise

Giving praise makes toddlers feel good about what they just accomplished and leads them to continue to want to do good. When giving praise, make sure to focus on praising your toddler and the efforts they put in. 

When only praising the child, it can lead to them continually seeking praise However, praising a toddler’s efforts can lead them to do good because it makes them feel good. 

Just like we previously discussed, not giving your toddler a long list of things they need to do the same applies to choices. Toddlers should only be 

Offered Two Choices

When bombarded with choices, it can make them feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to pick. Parents can simplify by offering two choices, one choice is the one the parents want and the other choice is the one the parents control.

For example: Do you want to put on your shoes or do you want me to put on your shoes?

But what if your toddler doesn’t choose one of the 2 choices? Then parents get to choose for them and 

Follow through even when your toddler still won’t listen

It’s important that parents say what you mean and mean what you say. When children lose their chance to choose, their parents get to make a choice and enforce it. Even if their children don’t like it. Parents who give empty threats have children who don’t listen since they know their parents never follow through.

Now it’s essential to keep in mind that you need to 

Have realistic expectations

You can’t expect toddlers to listen and follow every instruction given. It is unrealistic for parents to list things their toddlers need to do and then expect them to remember. Since toddlers don’t have the mental compacity to remember things as older children do.  If you feel like specific instructions your child got out of hand with or ignored altogether, try again next time around by setting up different expectations!

Lastly, you want to 

Avoid Getting Attached To The Outcomes

Parents who avoid getting attached to the outcomes are calmer and happier, and this is because they don’t allow their toddlers to control how they feel.  When a parent offers a choice to their toddler, the parent is okay with either option and doesn’t become emotionally attached to the outcome of either choice. 

When parents are attached to the outcomes, it can lead to big control battles, and arguments or cause them to give some sort of punishment. 

Listening is a developmental skill set, and it takes lots of practice and patience for toddlers to learn to master. Give these ten tips a try if you want to know about more positive parenting tips check out this article right here where you will learn how to handle those terrible two tantrums.