When to Play Referee - Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 |
MyFoxHouston  When to Play Referee  By Aviva Patz, Studio One
Networks  Playtime isn't always fun and games when you're a
toddler. It can be tough to share your toys, take turns and
compromise, especially when your language skills are still
fairly limited. So it's not surprising that play dates often
dissolve into a heap of tears, a tug of war over the Elmo phone,
or worse, a slugfest.  Your instinct as a parent may be to jump
right in, but that's not always the best course of action. "It's
healthy to give kids an opportunity to learn through trial and
error how to resolve conflicts," says clinical psychologist
Sharon Fried Buchalter, author of Children Are People Too
(People Too Unlimited). "It forces them to begin working things
out on a basic level." The key is to teach them from a very
young age how to handle potential conflicts before they arise.
Here are some tried-and-true techniques:  Set ground rules
Establish from the get-go that in yo