They say that carrying your little baby endlessly will spoil them. Carrying them will actually strengthen your communication, love and bond. There are other things you can do as your baby grows into a toddler to avoid spoiling them. Once certain habits are encouraged, there are higher chances of having a well-mannered child in the house.

1. Setting limits

There is a very big difference between the following sentences:
“Oh okay, you can have a candy.”
“You can have that one candy, but that’s it. Don’t ask for a second one please.”
The first one gives plenty of hope that asking for a second one may work. The second sentence sets limits.
Set simple limits like this from a young age and you will save yourself from endless arguments and negotiations later. Try your very best (and it is really tough at times) never to give in to begging because once you do give in to it, you have just taught your child that begging works and you will want to scold yourself in the candy aisle at the supermarket.

2. Make a case

Teach your child to make a case for something that he wants. If he wants to play with his game console, get him to explain to you that he will put his other toys away first and have his lunch. This may make you want to say yes.

3. Chores first

You will be doing yourself a big favour with this one. If you don’t want to spend the rest of your days cleaning up after the kids, follow the simple rule that chores get done before fun. Toddlers are perfectly capable of putting away their toys and cleaning up small messes. They will probably volunteer happily at this stage too. Form the habit at a young age.

4. Don’t be afraid of disappointing

If you give in to every demand of your child, you will never give them the tools and skills of coping with emotional stress. If they always get what they want, how will they ever learn to cope with the pain of denial? Children need to hear the word ‘no’ often enough to understand and accept disappointment and learn to cope with the emotional pain of not getting something.

5. Work for it!

Experts agree that the one thing that will spoil kids is things coming too easy. It is easy for anyone to take things for granted if they have not worked for it. Set up a reward chart for young kids so they can earn points for good behaviour and exchange the points for things that they want.

Happy Parenting!