For a start, remember that it’s always worth avoiding tantrums if you can do so without compromising your own limits. There will be times when you must force your child to do something they don’t want to or forbid something they enjoy. That being the case, do it as tactfully as you can. When you can see that he or she is getting angry or upset about something, try to make it easier for them to accept.

Put yourself in their shoes’ it can’t be easy being a toddler, rocking wildly between those anxious and angry feelings. And it sure isn’t easy being a toddler’s parent, either, striving to stay on the centre of that emotional see-saw and to hold it in equilibrium. But there is help.

The best method I’ve come across for dealing with “toddler problems” is that by the linguist, Chris Thompson, which retails at a very reasonable $29 (considerably less than many inferior products on the market). Chris’ “Talking To Toddlers” uses a technique called “neuro-lingustic programming” (NLP) and he has used his training in languages to create a toolkit of “word usage” to help parents with toddler behaviour.

“Talking To Toddlers” is a 12 lesson audio course that comes on CD or downloadable MP3 format. It also comes with an accompanying printed manual and a bunch of bonus materials. He shows how you can make people feel differently about things, or to persuade them to do or not do something, by using the right language. Bringing his 15 years of experience and understanding in this field to realm of toddler behaviour, he shows you how to apply these tools directly to parenting problems in a way that works extremely effectively on toddlers. In it he covers things like:

• The absolute Dos and Don’ts when it comes to toddler tantrums

• How to handle toddler behaviour

• The common toddler problems and how to respond appropriately

• What to do when your toddler does have a tantrum

For example, Chris tells us why there is no virtue in challenging children with absolute “dos” and “don’ts” or in backing them into corners from which they can only explode in rage. He provides excellent advice and tips that really help parents and toddlers avoid the difficult moments and bond much more easily.

Chris is a true professional in his field; he’s not only a trained linguist who specialises in NLP technique, but he is also a family man and father who speaks from personal experience. His programme brings his 15 years of expertise on the matter to you in an easily understandable format and the techniques he teaches are simple to implement. If you are interested in what Chris has to say, you can even sign up to receive a FREE audio lesson.

The good news is that your toddler will – over time – learn how to manage things better and his or her frustrations will become less extreme as they learn how to deal with life’s challenges. In time, children get past the toddler stage and turn into young kids. So whatever happens, you know that this is just a phase and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, however, Chris Thompson’s “Talking To Toddlers” is a great manual full of practical and easy to implement strategies that genuinely work.

At the end of the day, there is a lot of information around on how to cope with toddlers… and with so much advice out there, it’s hard to really find the “nuggets”. There are many sources of information so have a look around and I’m sure you’ll find something that suits you and hopefully helps with those challenging years.

Happy Parenting!