Toddler Troubles

Jo Douglas is a child clinical psychologist and was Head of Psychology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. She is the author of seven books, including Toddler Troubles published by Wiley in 2002.

"…show you how to be a sensitive and sensible parent…" (Baby & You, January 2003) "…reading it you feel she is at your side guiding you through a tricky situation…" (Parent Wise, January 2003)

• Foreword ixAbout the author xiAcknowledgements xiii1 Being a parent 1Understanding your child 2Am I a good parent? 5Doubts and uncertainties 7Guilt 7Working together and sharing 9Negotiating 11Who am I? 13Looking after yourself 15Looking after your relationship 16Exhaustion 18Home and work 20Conclusion 222 Being a positive parent 25Practising positive parenting 25Learning how to play 27Supporting growth and exploration 31Distracting your child 35Preventing behaviour problems 38Coping with questions 41Noticing good behaviour 42Increasing your child’s self-confidence and self-esteem 43Stimulating creativity 48Helping your child to make friends 50Encouraging sharing and turn-taking 54Love and time 583 Setting limits 61How to say ‘no’ 62Why won’t he listen to me? 70How can I be firm without losing my temper? 72Should I punish him? 77How do I manage his temper tantrums? 794 Family stress 83Bringing a second baby home 83Caring for more than one 85‘My children fight all of the time’ 87Marital unhappiness 93Separation and divorce 98Parenting apart 1015 Is my child overactive? 105Concentration and attention 106Frustration and aggression 111Being active 112How to cope 1136 Eating and your child 119Weaning 119Giving up breast-feeding 120Solid foods 121Self-feeding 122My child is a fussy eater 124My child eats so little 129My child refuses to eat 131Television, toys and mealtimes 132Staying at the table 135My child is too fat 1367 Sleeping and your child 143Sleeping and feeding 143My child won’t go to bed 145Rewarding good behaviour 151My child wakes me at night 152Rewards for not disturbing you at night 155My child gets up too early 159Nightmares and night terrors 1608 Fears and worries 163My child is a worrier 164My child is timid and shy 168Comfort habits 169Rituals and repetitions 172Coping with being apart 1749 Dry at last 179Teaching toilet training 179Keeping clean 184Dry beds 187References 191Index 195