Toddlers are just like the rest of us – they don't always
listen. In fact, at their age they need you to teach them how to
pay attention. "But what often happens," says Roni Leiderman,
associate dean of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern
University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, "is that parents say
something ten times, then they start counting down to
punishment. What this does is actually condition the child not
to listen until the tenth time." By not listening, your child is
getting your attention (though constant nagging isn't the best
form of it). But being a good listener helps your child learn
more effectively, obey warnings, get along better with you and
her teachers and other adults she'll be expected to heed, and
make better friends. There are many simple strategies that, when
consistently followed, teach toddlers the skills they need to
become good listeners. And, as Leiderman points out, "It's never
too early to begin teaching your child. A toddler may not listen
as well as a 5-year-old, but she