Terrible Twos
John's Most Recent Articles
What To Do About Head-Banging Toddler?
Posted on 8/12/2021
Q: Our 19-month-old is a very active little boy who flips out when things do not go his way. When he has a tantrum, we walk away or simply ignore him. Nonetheless, he will scream and flail about...
Read MoreThe More You Say “No," the Less Effective It Becomes
Posted on 10/13/2020
Q: Our first child, a boy, just turned two. Per your advice, he is toilet trained and eating whatever I serve. Before he was born, we determined that we were not going to raise a picky eater. Our...
Read MoreTrump the Hump of Toddlerhood
Posted on 10/6/2020
Q: In your column of last week, you referred to the “hump of toddlerhood.” Can you please explain further? A: In using the word “hump,” I’m equating chronological toddlerhood – roughly,...
Read MoreHow to Prevent the Terrible Twos From Becoming the Terrifying Threes
Posted on 7/21/2020
One of my books, “Making the ‘Terrible’ Twos Terrific!”, has recently become a best-seller in China, of all places. Seriously! What sorts of problems are Chinese parents having with their...
Read MoreRecent Questions
Two Year Old Being Terrible
Posted 2 weeks ago
My 2.5 year old in the past week has been extremely irritable, refusing to eat almost anything that isn’t Mac and cheese, and has reverted back to taking 2 naps a day. Tantrums and screaming are...
Read MoreParenting Season Transition: From Service to Leadership
Posted on 3/22/2022
My daughter just turned two. She's a good little girl but most definitely a typical rambunctious toddler. I'm having trouble getting her to listen and obey without telling her multiple times. I...
Read MorePut the Brakes on 2.5-Year-Old Thrower
Posted on 12/27/2021
My non verbal 2.5 year old is a thrower. Especially at the face. She will throw toys in my face. She will throw her food and cutlery at my 8 year old son in the face. I don’t know what to do,...
Read MoreTransition from Nap Time to Quiet Time
Posted on 11/2/2021
Hi, our daughter is 2yrs, 10mo old. What age is appropriate for naps to go away? Our daughter fights naps nearly every day. The problem is that if she doesn’t get a nap is she gets extremely...
Read MoreWelcome to the Terrible Twos!
Posted on 10/21/2021
My just turned two year old was always an excellent sleeper after 4 months old, happily going to bed and staying there even through transition to adult bed. The past 4 days he has refused to lay...
Read More19 Month Old Laughs When Hitting and Pulling Mom's Hair
Posted on 9/24/2021
My 19 month old is very advanced for her age, other than her language which is on track. But she’s already entered her “terrible” two phase and she hits and pulls my hair and laughs about it. I...
Read MoreConvert Nap Time to Quiet Time As Toddler Outgrows Naps
Posted on 7/17/2021
My just turned 2 year old toddler is refusing naps. She has been out of routine since the clocks have changed and as we have just moved and not been at home for nap times so I’ve let her sleep in...
Read MoreLock Up
Posted on 6/15/2021
I am reading through John’s terrific 2 book and he mentions using child locks on kitchen cabinet doors etc but I am in rented accommodation and not allowed to put fitted child locks on the kitchen...
Read MoreStop!
Posted on 5/17/2021
My two year old daughter has recently been running away from me when we are in parking lots or near the street. I gave her a firm spanking, but she keeps doing it. What should I do?
Read MoreShe's Got an Arm!
Posted on 4/13/2021
My 2 year old daughter is throwing anything and everything she can find when she feels upset or does not get her way ... any advice? We have tried ignoring it but she just grabs more things to...
Read MoreTopics Covered
- ADHD and other disorders
- Adoption/Foster Parent
- Aggression
- Allowances
- Alpha Speech
- Anxieties, Fears
- Arguments with Children
- Audio Files
- Bedtime/Sleep
- Bedwetting
- 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)
- Extracurricular Activities/Hobbies
- Father
- Food/Eating Problems
- Gender
- Grandparents/Grandchildren
- High School
- Homeschooling
- Homework
- John's Discipline Methods
- Learning Disabilities
- Lying
- Manners
- Marriage Issues
- Mealtime/Eating
- Miscellaneous Discipline Problems
- Miscellaneous Editorial Columns
- Mothers
- Only Children
- Pacifiers/Security Blankets/Thumbsucking
- Parent Leadership and Authority
- Play
- Preschool
- Rebellious Behavior
- Respect
- Rewards
- School Issues
- Self-Esteem
- Shyness
- Sibling Conflict
- Single Parents
- Social Issues (fighting/arguing with friends)
- Socialization/Social Skills
- Spanking
- Step-Families
- Tantrums
- Teenage Issues
- Terrible Twos
- Toilet Training
