Toddler (18MOS-3 years)
John's Most Recent Articles
It All Begins With the Terrible Twos
Posted on 4/3/2024
In one of my alter-egos, I’m a songwriter. I began writing songs during my seven-year tenure as the lead singer in a rock ‘n’ roll band while in college and graduate school and I’ve been writing...
Read MoreThe Dark Triad Must Not Stand!
Posted on 3/27/2024
In 2002, two psychologists formulated the concept of the “Dark Triad,” referring to three toxic personality types: narcissistic, Machiavellian, and psychopathic. As usual, psychologists make...
Read MoreWhy Hanna Sleeps With Us
Posted on 5/9/2023
My wife, Willie (nee Wilma), and I are the happy caretakers of a happy seventeen-month-old pure white toy schnauzer, Hanna. Hanna occupies the center of our attention. If you spent a day in our...
Read MoreDon't Turn Little Issues Into Big Problems
Posted on 4/11/2023
Q: My almost-3-year-old, when I begin to do something, will yell, “I WILL DO IT!” When it’s something he can do, fine, but if it’s not, then I just say, “No, Mommy will do it” and that’s the end...
Read MoreIs It Okay for a Toddler to Play With His Food?
Posted on 3/28/2023
Q: Our 22-month-old son has developed a bad habit of spitting out bites of food. The first time it happened, I had set a cup on his tray while he was still chewing a bite of food. He...
Read MoreFather Feels Rejected by 18-Month-Old Son
Posted on 3/14/2023
“What have I done to cause my 18-month-old son to reject me?” asks a new dad. Whenever he tries to hold his son, feed, dress, or change him, the child puts up great resistance and screams...
Read MoreToddler Q&A
Posted on 2/14/2023
Q: When we reprimand our 34-month-old daughter for something, anything, she begins to wail like we’re beating her. Whether we firmly redirect or simply say, "No,” she begins to wail like...
Read MoreStarting Toilet Training Early Pays Off
Posted on 12/27/2022
Q: My grandmother maintains that her children – my mother and her two siblings, all born in the 1950s – were completely toilet trained at 18 months. Her terse explanation: “I just gave...
Read MorePlaying Well With Toddlers
Posted on 11/8/2022
Q: I have two boys, 18 and 33 months. How much time each day should I spend involved in activities with them? Also, they chase one another around the house and other sorts of...
Read MoreThe Problem With Pull-Ups
Posted on 11/1/2022
I finally tracked down the fellow who invented the so-called “pull-up.” His name is Lucapher (Big Lou) Saytan. Reputedly, Mr. Saytan lives in an underground bunker from which he develops and...
Read MoreRecent Questions
Nap-Time Struggles
Posted 1 week ago
We are struggling with nap-time. My 3 yr girl and 2 yr boy always take a nap in the afternoon. If they are at their grandparents’s house and are in separate rooms they go to sleep quickly. But if...
Read MoreLook Out Boss, Here Comes the Baby!
Posted 1 week ago
I have a 6-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son. My daughter is the typical first child who is bossy, little mama and directs her brother frequently on what to do, not to do etc. She’s a...
Read MoreDemanding Eye Contact from a Toddler - Yes? No?
Posted 2 weeks ago
I’m currently reading the well behaved child. My son turns 3 in October. It says not to micromanage and say “look at me when I’m talking to you” but I would like my children to look at someone in...
Read MoreBuilding a parenting framework
Posted 2 weeks ago
I have a 19 month old daughter and a 35 month old son. I’m currently reading the well behaved child and reading the sibling rivalry part however it says 3.5 years and up for the tickets. My son...
Read MorePotty Gate question
Posted 2 weeks ago
My daughter is 19 months. On august 1st we started potty training. I can count on one hand the amount of times she has gone on the potty. She is able to understand commands. When we ask her where...
Read MoreTODDLER POOPS AND POOPS AND POOPS IN HIS PANTS
Posted 3 weeks ago
My son is 27 months. We’ve been potty training since 19 months. He’s struggling with still pooping his underwear a lot. He poops very frequently so it’s not uncommon for me to wash out 4-6 pairs...
Read MoreTaming the Terrible Twos
Posted 3 weeks ago
Our 2 yr son is very disrespectful and has a fiery temper. He loves to hit and say “no” whenever we cross his will or sometimes even when he thinks trouble is coming. The rebellious, defiant...
Read MoreTERRIBLE TWOS IN TWO CHILDREN AT ONCE!!!
Posted 3 weeks ago
My 3 yr daughter and 2 yr son can be very emotional at times, especially my daughter. Sometimes she has melt downs over the silliest things. For example, I tuck her in for the night but I use the...
Read MoreNEARLY 3 YO LITTLE GIRL WON'T POOP IN THE POTTY
Posted on 8/9/2024
My 33 month granddaughter pees on the toilet, and has few accidents. Either informs us she has to go or it happens when told every few hours that it’s time. Pooping is another story. She hides...
Read MoreBOYS WILL BE BOYS AND BOYS ARE WEIRD
Posted on 7/15/2024
We have a 7, 2 and 2 month old. All boys. Sometimes my 7 year old likes to shake his butt (or front side) in our 2 year olds' face. Usually while changing or rough housing. The boys share a room...
Read MoreVideo
Toilet Training Made Stress Free (Webinar Recording)
Posted on 5/16/2023
In 1955, Harvard University determined that nearly 9 out of 10 children were completely toilet trained to the point of being accident-free by 23 months of age. In the 1960s, pediatricians began...
Read MoreTopics Covered
- Academic Issues
- ADHD and other disorders
- Adoption/Foster Parent
- Aggression
- Allowances
- Alpha Speech
- Anxieties, Fears
- Arguments with Children
- Audio Files
- Bedtime/Sleep
- Bedwetting
- Behavior Modification
- Biblical Parenting
- Bill of Rights for Children
- Bonding With Baby/Child
- Boundaries
- Bullies/Bullying
- Character/Values (teaching)
- Chores/Responsibilities
- College
- Consequences/Punishment
- Daycare/Preschool
- Depression/Self-Harm
- Developmental Issues (e.g. late talking)
- Discipline Methods (e.g. time-out)
- Disobedience/Defiance
- Divorce/Custody
- Drugs (marijuana, cocaine, etc.)
- Education
- Electronics (Computers/Video Games/Television/Cell Phones)
- Elementary School
- Emotions
- Extracurricular Activities/Hobbies
- Fatherless Homes
- Fathers
- Food/Eating Problems
- Gender
- Gender Identity
- Gentle Parenting
- Grandparents/Grandchildren
- High School
- Homeschooling
- Homework
- John's Discipline Methods
- Juvenile Antisocial Behavior
- Learning Disabilities
- Lying
- Manners
- Marriage Issues
- Mealtime/Eating
- Mental Health
- Middle School
- Miscellaneous Discipline Problems
- Miscellaneous Editorial Columns
- Mothers
- Nouveau Parenting
- Only Children
- Pacifiers/Security Blankets/Thumbsucking
- Parent Leadership and Authority
- Play
- Podcasts
- Post Modern Psychological Parenting
- Preschool
- Psychiatric Diagnoses
- Psychology
- Rebellious Behavior
- Respect
- Rewards
- School Behavior Issues
- School Issues
- Seasons of Parenting
- Self-Esteem
- Seven Biggest Mistakes Parents Make
- Sexual Identity
- Sexual Issues
- Shyness
- Sibling Conflict
- Single Parents
- Social Issues (fighting/arguing with friends)
- Socialization/Social Skills
- Spanking
- Step-Families
- Strong-Willed Child
- Tantrums
- Teenage Issues
- Terrible Twos
- Toilet Training
- Videos
- Violence (Looting, Stealing)
- Webinars
- Woke Parenting
