Consistency

Consistency is the key while raising your child. Do not say "no" for something and then fail to follow up if your child ignores your "no". If you fail to support your word with action your child will learn that your "no" doesn't always mean much.

For example, if your child is pressing a dishwasher's button that could start a false washing cycle over again, and you are trying to convince him that this is a wrong thing to do for the past ten minutes then you are on a wrong track. After pressing the button for the first time and having heard your "no" he should've stopped his behavior shortly. If he still continues, then you should take your child by his hand firmly, look at him in his eyes and say a firm NO and take him away from the machine and distract with some other activity.

Young (1-3yrs) children's attention span and memory are short thus distraction and firmness of your word are the best ways to deal with certain situations. Start early. As soon as your child becomes a curious explorer there are certain zones that should be kept from the child's access.

However usually there are spots in the house which are accessible to children but you prefer them not to be touched (for example audio system). Lets say your child kept trying to explore your audio system. No matter how lazy you are at that moment, get up from that sofa and tell him that this is a "no" zone. If your baby is again there after a while repeat the same thing again, after a few times your child will likely stay away from your audio system or touch it very carefully and will not make any damage.

A word of caution: like everything in this life, discipline in access can result in a person with low self confidence later in life. Do not overdo it! You child learns only through exploration and trial and error methods. Don't be too restrictive. Allow things as long as they are within the safe and reasonable range of exploration.

Freedom of Choice

Until your child’s first birthday feeding solids was rarely a problem. Everything was new and interesting to your baby and he ate almost everything you gave. After that first birthday things changed as if some fairy exchanged your angelic baby into a picky gourmet food lover. He has now started to express his disappointment with food you are preparing for him and asking for different foods, such like what’s on your plate. Relax, your little angel is still there, he is just enjoying his newly acquired sense of freedom to choose, to want or to refuse. He is now a personality. Let him choose! Offer different feeds (or clothes if you are dressing him) and let him choose which one he would like to eat (or wear). Potatoes or cauliflower? (Checkered shirt or plain yellow?) Given a freedom of choice within the limits of what you offer your little one will be able to satisfy his wish to show his personal preferences and at the same save you from one more tantrum. Also your little ones body often knows the best what products it wants, what nutritional elements it needs. Thus let your child choose potatoes over chicken, or beef over fish. Next time he will want that fish.