When Your Toddler Doesn’t Listen the First Time…

It can be so frustrating when we ask or tell our child not to do something and they continue doing it anyway. They've heard you say that we don't stand on tables. They've been told not to bite. So why are they doing it? Don't they know better?

Depending on the age of your child, perhaps they do "know better", but that doesn't mean they're capable of doing what they know. Their prefrontal cortex is still developing-- this is the part of the brain we use to think rationally, control impulses both emotional & physical, manage aggression, reason, and more! The prefrontal cortex continues to develop until age 25. Not 2, not 5, TWENTY-FIVE.

So repeating ourselves again and again doesn't help our children, nor does it help us! It irritates & overwhelms everyone! If you feel compelled to repeat yourself because your little one isn't listening, remember that they may need some physical help from you. Let that come from a gentle place, keeping in mind that they’ve been on this planet for a couple of years & their brains are still developing. We've had quite the head start!⁠