Development at 26 Months
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Activity 1
Age Appropriate Social Development
Frustration And Tantrums Peak
 This is a difficult time for mummy and daddy especially when I throw frequent tantrums. I may take a while to recover. I feel frustrated often because of personal reasons and not because of you. When I have difficulty mastering a task, communicating to others for what I want and being stopped from having my own way, my frustration level will rise. But it does not mean that I cannot control my frustration. I can learn to deal with my frustration in other ways besides throwing tantrums. You will see my frustrations' tantrums peak between 24 and 30 months. |
Steps
Feedback 1
Your child's occasional tantrums do not mean that he is a particularly defiant boy. He is at this stage where his frustration tolerance is at the lowest. He is so easily frustrated because he does not understand why he cannot master something or do things his own way.
Be patient and consistently teach him other strategies to deal with frustrations. Consistency is the key strategy here. With consistently firm and gentle use of the suggested strategies and rules, you will see your child learning to control his frustrations a lot more. This consistency in establishing your rules is important so that your child will learn how to express his frustration appropriately.
Look at some of our suggestions below to help you manage his occasional frustrations.
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Teach your child the strategy of asking for help whenever he feels frustrated at not being able to perform or carry out a task. Model for your child how and when to ask for assistance.
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Teach your child to use words to express his frustration "I am angry. I can't get what I want. It's ok, I can get it ___".
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Physically remove and let your child have a break in a corner of the room. Ensure that the corner is safe and tell him he needs a break in the quiet corner. Create a cozy place with rugs so that he can calm himself there. Place him there directly and matter-of-factly. Tell him that he has to be quiet and calm before you will talk to him. Leave the room and immediately attend to him when he is quiet. Be careful not to give him any attention in the meantime. Be prepared that the screams will get worse before they get better. So control yourself from interfering and try to ignore him. Leave him alone until his screams quiet down and that he is quiet.
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Discuss and teach your child other ways he can deal with his frustration. Show him that the various ways get a better effect than throwing tantrums. E.g. “people will listen to you and will think that you are a nice boy when you ask for help instead of when you scream”.
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Feedback 2
If your child's frustration frequently interferes with his and your daily living, teach him strategies to cope with his frustration. Again, consistency is the key strategy here. With consistently firm and gentle use of the strategies and rules, you will see your child learning to control his frustrations a lot more. This consistency in establishing your rules is important so that your child will learn how to express his frustration appropriately.
Also try to observe and analyze the reasons behind your child's great difficulty in controlling his frustrations.
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Is he confused by the rules?
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Are there inconsistent rules applied to him by you and other caregivers?
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Does he have a tough and unpredictable eat, sleep and toilet routine?
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If your answers to any of the above is "yes", try to manage your child's tantrums with some of the suggested ideas:
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Don't give your child a choice in situations that are important to set as routines (e.g. do you want to eat now or later?). He really does not have a choice about these routines. Hence it is better to just move him cheerfully, ‘matter of factly’ and firmly through these routines.
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Catch your child when he is good. Praise him for times when he complies as this increases positive behavior. Be specific in your praise (e.g. "I really like the way you ask for help").
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Discuss and teach your child other ways he can deal with his frustration. Show him that the various ways get a better effect than throwing tantrums. E.g. "people will listen to you and will think that you are a nice boy when you ask for help instead of when you scream".
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Physically remove and let your child have a break in a corner of the room. Ensure that the corner is safe and tell him he needs a break in the quiet corner. Create a cozy place with rugs so that he can calm himself there. Place him there directly and matter-of-factly. Tell him that he has to be quiet and calm before you will talk to him. Leave the room and immediately attend to him when he is quiet. Be careful not to give him any attention in the meantime. Be prepared that the screams will get worse before they get better. So control yourself from interfering and try to ignore him. Leave him alone until his screams quiet down and that he is quiet.
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Activity 2
Age Appropriate Gross Motor Development
Jumps Off An 18cm Step
 I am learning to jump off a step! Let me stand on a little step approximately 18 cm in height. You may also use the last step of a regular flight of stairs. Observe if I am able to jump off the step with both my feet lifting off and landing together. You may demonstrate the activity for me first if necessary. I usually develop this skill when I am between 24 and 28 months old. |
Steps
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Let your child stand on a little step approximately 18 cm in height. You may also use the last step of a regular flight of stairs.
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Ask him to jump off the step with both feet lifting off together.
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Observe if he is able to jump off the step with both feet lifting off and landing together.
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You may need to demonstrate this to him so that he can imitate you.
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Ensure that your child bends his knees before jumping and lands with knees slightly bent and feet about hip-width apart. This is important with all jumping activities to protect his joints.
Feedback
Jumping is an activity which will help your child develop lower limb strength and propulsion. Jumping also requires good coordination between your child's upper and lower body. As his ability improves, he will be able to jump higher and over a greater distance. You may look at the suggested activities for more ideas with this task. Provide lots of opportunities for your child to jump up, down and as far as he can to help him develop good leg muscle strength, propulsion and body coordination.
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Allow your child to bounce or jump on soft surfaces such as bed mattress, trampoline etc so that he is able to learn about body propulsion and develop lower limb strength.
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As your child stands on the step, instruct him to bend his hips and knees to prepare for a jump. You may assist by providing some lift at his hips as he attempts to jump off the step. Initially, you may need to completely lift him up and have him land on flat ground to teach him the idea of a jump.
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Encourage activities that require your child to stand on his tip-toes (e.g. reaching up high for a toy) to help him develop calf strength necessary for jumping.
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