What should I do about a 2 and 1/2 year old girl that yells?

Question

My lovely daughter is yelling in the middle of Walmart, in the car when we are driving and other not so great places. I tell her calmly to please not yell and then ignore her, but it is not working and I need some advice on how to nip this in the bud now. Please help.

Answer 1

Lady - Are u writing about my daughter??? lol She is also 2 y.o. and a screamer. Just this past Saturday she was yelling her head off in Wal-Mart. I tried to ask her what was wrong but she just kept screaming. I eventually just ignored her and kept shopping. People were looking at me and some people even tried to console her. Eventually, she stopped crying long enough to tell me she was hungry.

Consider your daughter's schedule when you go out. Is it close to nap time or lunch time? Bring a snack, juice and favorite toy wherever you go. That should help alleviate some issues. Try talking to her before you leave for the store and then again when you arrive to ensure she understands that yelling is not acceptable. As a last resort... take her to the car and give her a little tap on the leg or butt to let her that you will not tolerate rude behaviour. Everybody says spanking is not acceptable but some kids just don't respond to anything else.

Answer 2

Is she yelling just to be loud or is she yelling because she's upset about something? (I think sometimes they yell for fun in the store because it's so big and makes their voice sound different.)

One preventative measure you can take as soon as you get to the store.....give her a sucker when you first go in! It's hard to yell with your mouth full! :-) Some of the stores here actually have baskets of suckers for the kids right inside with the greeters.

Bribery.....if you behave, you can ride the horse when we checkout. (We have one store that has 2 "penny ponies" near the checkouts so it's only 1 penny!) Some stores have free balloons for the kids. Other times the deli will give a free sample of whatever meats or cheeses you buy or the bakery will give out a free cookie. All good incentives for good behavior in the store!

Talk about "inside voices" or "being quiet as a little mouse" before you go in the store to remind her how you are supposed to speak. If she is yelling, you whisper. She'll have to quiet down to hear you talking to her.

Keep her engaged in what you are doing as you shop. Talk about shapes and colors. Play "I spy" with her. Give her an important job to do while you shop. (Hold the list, remember to buy Daddy's coffee, etc.) Give her a small notebook and pen or crayon so she can pretend to mark things off a list like you are doing.

If all these things aren't working to help prevent it, you may have to drop what you are doing and just walk out of the store. For many kids, it only takes doing this ONCE. Also, if she behaves badly then the next time go without her and make a big point of telling her WHY she can't go.

If she is yelling in the car and won't stop...you stop the car. Tell her that you can't get wherever you are going until she stops because it isn't safe. Make sure she has a toy or snack to keep her busy in the car. Try playing some "kid music" like Laurie Berkner or They Might Be Giants in the car. Again, remind her AHEAD OF TIME what kind of voice to use in the car. Set her up for success.

Please DO NOT slap or spank your child. That just teaches them that if you are bigger, it's OK to hurt others. You want to teach her how to behave, not how to break the trust of those who depend on you.

Answer 3

If you are sure that it is for attention and not a hearing problem, then you need t nip this in the bud now. You need to leave the building if you are in a store or a restraunt(the minute the yelling starts) I would leave the store and if that didnt work they got a spank. I you are not into that fine then you need to find some other way to set the boundaries. You need to set them and enforce them. It is hard work but it works and I am now enjoying the fruits of that labor. Now all I have to do is reonforce instead of discipline.

Answer 4

First hearing check. Speak very softly from a distance, ask if she wants ice cream, if she's said yes, she can probably hear OK.

Kids learn by example and imitation.
if she screams at you scream back loud, this should startle her, hopefully she understand this does not sound nice.

My son would imitate other children and see what they can get away with. Once he wanted ice cream in a mall, saw another kid scream and kick, and the mother caved. My son did the same, so while he was screaming and kicking I left, but stayed nearby to watch him ( about 30 ft away ) after about 2 minutes, he stops looks around and yells, "dad" after a few seconds he notices me, and came running to me. He asked where did I go, I told him I was looking for my son, he's a good boy, and that you should back to your parents,and I pushed him away. and told him I worried for my son, and have to find him. In a crying voice he said he was my son, I told him, my son would never do that, and is a great boy, who deserves an ice cream for being a good boy. He told me he is a good boy, I told him I don't know, my son never did something that bad before. I did not give him the ice cream that day. The next time I told him if he is good at the mall, when we are finished shopping he can have an ice cream. you have to stay firm, if they act up do not cave, and explain to them why, but if they are good you must show fairness and get him or her the ice cream
He was was almost 4 when this happened.

But kids do learn from example, if she screams find a quiet place and scream at her ( but loud ) and ask her how she liked it, then tell her that's how it make you feel.

Answer 5

She obviously has realized that those are places where she can get away with that behavior. I had that problem with my grandson. I realize that it's not politically correct, but I picked his little behind up, we went out the door, to the car or directly home and I gave him a good spanking on that behind. He knew exactly what it was for. And I'm sorry, it has to hurt. Leave her in her room to cry it out. Later when the tears are over (both yours and hers), you go in and hug and kiss and tell her that yelling is not something that she is going to be able to do in public places.

As you go into a store the next time, warn her to behave and repeat the above as necessary. I can not tell you how important it is to be consistent and firm. It may take a couple of times, but she will get the point and then you both can enjoy your times out together.

And trust me....the people in the public places will appreciate your efforts. Everyone dislikes undisciplined children.

Answer 6

Is she yelling just to hear herself yell or yelling for fun? my daughter is 2 and a half also, and sometimes out of the blue, she yells or talks really loud for some reason....can't understand half of what she is saying when she talks loud....i know she doesn't have a hearing problem, cuz she talks normal most of the time. I think my daughter just likes to hear herself yelling/talking loud. I just tell her to "hush up and be quiet" and if she doesn't stop or quiet down, then i raise my voice louder than hers and let her know i ment business

Answer 7

Assuming there are no physical impairments that might account for her behavior, do you or your husband yell to communicate with each other? For example, when in your home do you yell at him to get his attention? If so, you should stop and model the kind of behavior you would prefer her to exhibit.

You should establish clear expectations for her behavior before entering a store, traveling in a car, etc. and appropriate consequences for her behavior should she deviate from your expectations. Don't cave in. If she begins to yell in the car, take her home and tell her that she cannot accompany you because she chose to behave inappropriately. Schedule your visit to the store at another time without her. I believe she will eventually stop this behavior because of her desire to please you and to join you on these excursions.

Answer 8

she 2 years old she needs a spanking words can't help that's why it's called terrible 2'S that's when they start to get the spankings cause there testing let me tell you my child would not dare yell in no walmart cause she know that is rude and disrespectful. cause she didn't get what she wanted i know that's why she was yelling I'm not saying beat her I'm saying give her tow or three spanking either on her hand or a s s
cause if not you gone have all of problems when she get older...

Answer 9

Yell with her. It sounds like she does it to get attention. My mom did it to me when I was little and I did it to two of my kids and they stopped. Kid #3 was different. When he would do it I would march him out of where ever I was and tell him to have at it. Of course, he didn't want. We'd go back into the store with the understanding that if he did it again then we'd go home.

Answer 10

Get her hearing checked first!
Try time out.. Time out works GREAT with my daughter, try it at home, and then threaten when out in public, and if the threat doesn't work, take her out side, strap her in her car seat for 2.5 mins for time out, be consistant, always follow through!!!!!! Never just threaten, if you have no intention of following through, or the whole ' time out ' thing will no longer work, they are pretty smart at 2 1/2, BELIEVE me!!