Parenting Tips for Your 37-38 Month Old Child
Your three year old is getting better at handling her emotions and getting along with others, but she still has a lot to learn. A three year old:
- Wants to please adults
- Has some fear of strangers, animals, or the dark
- Becomes anxious in new situations and may still have some temper tantrums.
When you understand your child’s behavior, it can help you teach her how to get along with others. For example, you may want your child to behave in public and mind her manners. To do this, she needs to have self-control. Self-control is the ability to control your thoughts, behaviors and actions. Your child will not have full self-control for a couple more years but she can begin learning what it is.
Children can learn self-control by watching you. Show how you can stay calm when someone cuts in line at the store. Talk about how you resist the temptation of a cookie before dinner. When you want something, share how you make a plan and stick to it to get it. Your child will follow your example.
Sometimes your example is not a good one! Make this an opportunity to teach, also. If you lose your cool, let your child watch you apologize. If you break a promise, talk about it and make sure to follow through the next time.
