giving toddler choices (parents/caregivers only please)?

Question

I want to give my 2 year old more choices. She's speech delayed so I can only ask her to point to what she would prefer. But it turns out she doesn't make the best choices (she wants cheese at every meal, or she doesn't understand how to pick between 2 pairs of pajamas.) How can I introduce choices that she'll feel more in control over? What did you do with your child at that age?

Ying Y, I reported your comment as abuse. How dare you? If I could, I would delete your butt in a second

To just a girl...she's getting speech therapy and that's what the therapist said to do

Answer 1

Hey Now...

Yes Yes Yes

Choices are a GREAT way of instilling future self reliance!

I give/gave my daughter choices when ever possible..

Like:
At 2 years of age...
I sometimes would let my daughter pick her own
clothes out,
not all the time
but when she did pick them out...
sometimes she wore different color socks or
purple shorts with a red top...
Yes she looked a bit strange but SHE WAS HAPPY!!!

As long as she was not hurting herself or in danger...
I let her choose...

Even on days when I did not let her choose, I still did a
"limited choosing" I would tell her either...
"what color will make you happy today"
or
"You can wear this outfit or this one... you choose"
I would give her a minute or two to choose or I would
choose for her...

Your daughter will learn to choose by letting her do it..
Yes it will take a bit of patience but she will learn..

Start by limiting the choices...
Say one day a week let her eat cheese for three meals..
It will not hurt her..just add some other foods too but let
her know she is choosing the cheese but you are
choosing the veggies & milk...
Make her a cheesey eggs or grilled cheese or
apples & cheese as a snack,
Macs and cheese, cheese & macs???
:-)
It takes a bit of ingunity but it will be worth it in the end.

Best of luck..
been there did that!

Smiles

Answer 2

The choices need to be very simple. And expect to give a little bit of leayway that her choices will not be pefect. ok, so she chooses to wear the top of the pj's, but the bottoms of another..that's ok. No harm in that...or she wants cheese at every meal. Children go thru food jags where all they want is one type of food. If it is healthy..like cheese, then why can't she have cheese again?.
I work full time in a daycare, and have taken 3 years of childdevolpment.".what we do is say.."Does jane want the blue dress, or the green one?'.Sometimes "Jane" decides to wear shorts with her dress...that is fine. (this is an example of course...im just trying to give a scenery). But she gets to choose what she wants..it does not matter if it makes sense..or if it matches..or if she just had that to eat..it is her chioce..It did her no harm, so i was a safe decison to let her choose how she wanted. She gets a sense of pride and accomplishment by making her choices..even if they don't make sense to you or me. ..And they often will not make sense..but that is the fun of being 2.

Answer 3

I can't remember that long ago....however, I think it's a bit young to really give her choices about clothes & meals. You're asking for trouble i.e. raising a "high maintenance" child. At this age, you're best to have her select which toy she wants to play with. I never had my kids choose what they wanted to eat....I simply put things on the plate. Today, I have a son whose favorite vegetables are broccoli and spinach....and his favorite dessert is yogurt with fruit. My sister in law, on the other hand, has done just that with all of her kids, and she ends up making 3 different things for dinner every night. Sorry, I'm too busy to be accomodating everyone like that. Her husband is the #1 culprit, because his mother babied him....therefore she is stuck with an incredible picky eater.

You need to make the right choice now, before she gets used to the concept that "she's in charge". Remember, you're the parent. Good luck to you!

Answer 4

I'm not familiar with speech delay, but I do know that if given the choice my daughter would choose cake for every meal. You as the mother just need to tell her no, and start over. It's frustrating, but eventually they will make better choices. Good luck

Answer 5

Two year olds aren't noted for making wise choices so no, she isn't going to give thoughtful contemplation to whatever choices you offer her. Give her something easier to choose from than two pairs of pyjamas. Try holding out two slices of apple and asking which one she wants. She picks one, you eat the other. Ditto with cookies or grapes or crackers or anything else.
When she gets a little older you can introduce colors, and offer her crayons -- do you want the red one or the blue one? The green one or the yellow one? But that's not at the two-year old level.

Answer 6

My brat is nineteen months and doing the comparable concern with eager to pick each and every thing. For us, i will provide her the alternative between 2 I even have already chosen, that are climate acceptable, etc. So she nevertheless gets to have a decision, yet i be attentive to she's arranged for the day. there is merely no way i'm gonna permit her placed on long sleeved shirts and denims now, or a sundress come wintry climate time. She's not sufficiently old to understand a chilly could be brought about by making use of underdressing, whether she's instructed that's why. yet we do outcomes with my daughter too, she has slightly purple chair she knows she is to not stand on, and if she stands on it, it is going up in the closet till day after today. comparable with bouncing huge balls in the residing house. Lol, right this moment, she climbed up on it and that i observed her, she observed me coming, hopped off and dragged it to the closet door and reported I sorry mum and walked away. so that they could study, yet they are actually not somewhat particularly conscious sufficient to understand what the outcomes could desire to be in the event that they don't have the worst ensue. yet I do as a rule the comparable issues, I merely locate that narrowing it down somewhat saves on time. sturdy success!

Answer 7

As a single parent of three children, I can tell you that helping them make good choices for themselves is important. So for now control the range of choices and praise any decision she makes. Slowly over time expand the range of choices and still praise her choices but if there is a down side to the choice just talk about it. Also lead by example and make it fun.

Answer 8

I have a 6 year old son that didnt talk til he was older then the average child, and i always gave him choices too.

Start out really small, like milk or juice something she gets alot of on a daily basis. See if she will pick between those. You may also try pretending that one of her dolls picked something, then see if she wants to try it too.

I guess i dont have the best advise, but that would be something i would try with my son, minus the doll...LOL

Answer 9

at 2 I just ask her if she wants something yes or no she is a little young to be able to choose. I try to give my so choices (also 2) and he doesnt understand he just thinks you are trying to give him both and this can be confusing for him. Give her more time before making choices or when it comes to food give her a little of each she can choose what she wants to eat first thats a start

Answer 10

Even though she can only point, you need to speak to her as if you expect her to answer. As to her choices, I'd only offer her two things and let her pick which one she wants.

Like, "do you want this peanut butter cracker or this cheese cracker?" or "Do you want this nightie to wear to bed or that nightie" and hold up the things you want her to choose from.

Oh, btw, they almost always pick the last choice you offered, so offer the one you reeeeeeally want her to have last lol