the claire timmermans lecture....strong-willed child wants mastery more than anything 3. offer...
TRANSCRIPT
The Claire Timmermans Lecture.Challenging Toddlers
Weronika Tillmar
Claire Timmermans
Claire has been working with brain-injured children since 1962. She started, along
with her husband Tim, one of the first therapy centers in Australia. Claire started by
doing water therapy with children who had cerebral palsy.
The Timmermans Method is a holistic approach to increasing the capabilities and
functioning of children with special needs. Method is to take children back to the first
level of neurological development and then, using the brain’s neuro-plasticity, help
them develop new or stronger neural pathways to enable improvements in function.
More info visit: http://timmermansmethod.com.au
INSIGHT INTO THE FIRST 5 YEARS OF LITTLE ONES LIFE
Toddlers are wonderful creatures! Aren’t they?
Toddler Personality Types
• Easy or happy, but not full - tilt constantly
• Shy or slow to warm - often thoughtful and quiet
• Spirited (Wild Child)
The Easy Child
• They are easygoing
• They're active, tolerate change
• They like new people and situations
• They don't anger easily
! Easy children sometimes can be lost in the crowd, so make
sure that a child who is easy doesn't become a neglected
child.
The Shy Child
• About 15% of kids are shy or slow to warm up
• They'll wave bye-bye only after leaving the pool
• They are often extra-sensitive to the feel of their clothing or the
temperature in a pool
• They need a lot of transition time from activity to activity and resist
change
• They might be late walkers and they will often study, with intensity, how
a game is played before jumping in
“Their motto is, 'When in doubt, don't!”
The Spirited (Wild) Child
• About one in 10 toddlers is a strong-willed, challenging kid
• They are more active, more impatient, more impulsive, more defiant, more
intense, more sensitive and more rigid
• These kids need to burn off their energy and work through their moods
• They need firm structure to keep them safe and stable - and lots of patience
• They want to learn things for themselves rather than accepting what others
say
• They want desperately to be "in charge" of themselves, and will sometimes
put their desire to "be right" above everything else
Tips for Peaceful Strong-Willed, Spirited Child
1. Remember that strong-willed kids are experiential learners
2. Strong-willed child wants mastery more than anything
3. Offer strong-willed child simple choices
4. Redirect
5. Set limits
6. Distract
7. Use consequences
cont.
8. Remove a toddler from the situation
9. Use a short time out
10. Learn to compromise
11. Listen to a toddler
12. See it from their point of view
13. Discipline through the relationship, never through punishment
14. Offer him respect and empathy
What Is Tantrum?
Tantrums are a normal part of child development. They are
the way young children show they're upset or frustrated.
Tantrums may happen when kids are tired, hungry, or
uncomfortable; or because they can't get something (for
example, an object or a parent) to do what they want.
When Tantrum Starts?
Despite the term "the terrible twos," temper tantrums can
start as early as 12 months and continue beyond age 4 —
though they do occur most often during a child’s second year.
The Life of a Tantrum
0 seconds
Uh-oh. Grocery-store meltdown in aisle 3.
30 seconds
Foot stomping by this point means it will be a short one.
90 seconds
Screaming and kicking: His anger has reached its peak.
3.5 minutes
And just like that, it's over. He's now looking for comfort.
6 minutes
Wow. He's acting like nothing ever happened.
10 minutes
If his fits always last this long, talk to your doc.
Challenging Behaviour – Understand The Tantrum
• Frustration/ anger over a certain situation
• Feeling unhappy/ sad/ insecure- perhaps over the arrival of a new
sibling, or a house move for example
• Immaturity- they are too young to know how to calm down/ reason; they
are too young to know how to express their feelings and emotions in
another way
• Tiredness or over-stimulation
• Excess energy that they are unable to burn off
• They enjoy the physical sensation
• They are modelling behaviour
Avoiding Tantrums
• Give plenty of positive attention
• Try to give a toddler some control over little things
• Keep off-limits objects out of sight and out of reach
• Distract the child
• Help kids learn new skills and succeed
• Consider the request carefully when child wants something
• Know child's limits
If a safety issue is involved and a toddler repeats the forbidden behaviour
after being told to stop, use a time-out or hold the child firmly for several
minutes. Be consistent. Don't give in on safety issues.
Be Realistic
Toddler is a toddler. There is no chance that he is going to be able to live up to adult
expectations of behaviour at all times, so its important to allow for typical toddler
behaviour now and then. Let child know that you expect kindness, respect and honesty
- and model this behaviour too.
Every Child Is Unique
No child is defined by just one toddler personality type
“Kids are like flowers, each one is different, but special. So whether a
child is a playful poppy or a shrinking violet, love and celebrate child
for his or her uniqueness."
12 Tips for Teaching Tots
1. Add layers to the movement
2. Keep the class moving
3. Light up the pool
4. Participate and model behavior
5. Offer “Swimmer’s Choice”
6. Enlist and recruit a misbehaving child
7. Avoid making promises you can’t keep
Cont.
8. Offer positive feedback at every opportunity
9. Limit negative attention
10. Say what you want to see, even if you don’t really see it
11. Assign objectives that heighten anticipation
12. Use distraction and redirection
Keep a few things in your “back pocket”
Practicing Magic
Improving skills for working with children is not a magic trick. It comes
down to thoughtful practice and assessment of what works and what
does not.
Watching a child enjoying swimming and get excited about it —
now that is magical!
Whether you are starting teacher or the one with years of experience,
I hope you will find these tips useful in your classes.
