Mom shares a gentle way to take things from a toddler's hands without triggering a tantrum

Disciplining children is a crucial aspect of upbringing that parents must handle with care and responsibility. Moreover, the children should understand the difference between right and wrong, but the whole process shouldn't take away their confidence. Adelynn Minnee–who goes on TikTok by @minneesday–showcases the perfect balance of these priorities in a video. She teaches her daughter the right thing to do and at the same time, does not overwhelm her. Her objective is to equip parents with the best method to teach children correct behavior. She suggests parents handle such situations with respect so that children feel they are being prioritized. The mother showcases her teachings and the impact of it on her daughter.

Minnee captioned the video, "Parenting can be challenging, especially when we're in a hurry. However, by consistently practicing these strategies, you'll gain valuable insights into what works best for your child's unique temperament and needs. When communicating with your child, it's essential to connect with them effectively. Try to get down to their eye level, make eye contact and then make your request. This approach fosters better understanding and cooperation."

The video begins with an overlay text at the top, "How to remove item(s) from toddlers without triggering a tantrum." It showed Minnee's daughter holding her tablet. She wanted her to put it down. The first thing that the mother communicated was, "Can Mommy have this?" She then gave some tips on how to proceed in such scenarios. According to her, the magic here lies in using fewer words. She explained, "Use fewer words. So, it's easy to understand." The minds of babies are still developing and they require calm communication. They will feel overstimulated when parents bombard them with many statements at once. 

This methodology worked and the daughter gave Minnee the tablet. The mother responded with a "Thank You." According to her, respect is a two-way street in a relationship. If parents want gratitude from their children, they need to display that behavior towards them. Therefore, words like 'Please' and 'Thank You' are essential to use in interactions with children. She further mentioned how the method she used might not always be optimal.

Minnee showed another version of the same incident where the daughter repeatedly responds with "no" to her requests. She elucidated the mistakes parents usually make in such situations, "Trying to reason with your toddlers. Especially young toddlers, they can have a hard time processing your explanation and end up getting frustrated." Children have not matured enough to respond to reasoning. There is a chance that they feel dominated or forced by their parents if such a method is followed.

The mother also warns against "snatching" items in this scenario. She backs this assertion by stating, "Toddlers have a strong will and like to be in control. They hate it when we forcefully remove an item from them." Such gestures make them feel slighted. Also, it does not foster a healthy relationship.

Her opinion is that in such cases, children should be given control. Parents can do that by offering them choices/tasks. In this case, she asked her daughter questions like, "Can you put in the box for me?" "Can we put this outside and then we go out to play?" and "Can you put it back in Mummy's back for me?" Using this technique helps make them feel they have a choice and say in this decision. They are choosing whether to keep the thing or not. It also aids in enhancing critical thinking.

The comments section loved the mother's way of handling things. @atikahmasala1 applauded the mother and wrote, "This made me tear up. Gentle parenting is so beautiful." @jungkooksbestie2 commented on how much of an impact such parenting makes on children, "All I needed was this type of parenting and someone to be gentle with me."