Do you know first-hand where the name “Terrible Twos” came from? This is the age when children begin to develop a sense of their independence. For the child, this new feeling of separateness can sometimes be very frightening. Consequently, parents must deal with radical swings between clinginess and defiance.Furthermore, this pushme-pullyou behavior doesn’t abruptly stop when a child turns three. This developmental stage extends in one way or another even into adolescence. A two-year-old’s language and reasoning abilities, however, certainly complicate parenting toddlers. Fortunately, certain techniques can smooth the transition fro both parent and child.

Chris Thompson, parenting expert and Certified NLP Practitioner, is author of How to Deal with Behavior Problems in Children. Take advantage of his expert advice and guidance in negotiating with your own Terrible Two.