It’s completely normal for your toddler to use the word “no” a lot, and while it’s annoying to deal with initially, like many things with your tot, it will pass. Here’s what to do when your toddler says no:
Understand why they say no
Your tot says “no” simply because they can. Once they learn the word “no” and understand the meaning behind it, they will use “no” as way of asserting themselves, and gaining independence. While it’s never nice to deal with it, it’s a phase that can leave as quickly as it arrived.
Offer choices
Sometimes offering your tot limited choices is one way to prevent a showdown between you and your toddler. Two choices can be enough for your little one at this age. This technique comes in handy from getting dressed to solving your tot’s disputes. If your toddler is indecisive, you can help speed up the process by counting down from ten to one. Your tot will be quick to make a decision once you start counting.
Give them a say
Your tot may be too young to understand what’s going on, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give them a say on certain things. Of course, you don’t have to agree with everything they say, but explain that you understand why they feel this way, but it’s important that they listen to you too.
Alternatives to no
Offer your tot’s alternatives to the word “no”. Your tot could be using this word a lot, due to their limited vocabulary and not just because they’re saying no to everything. Your tot could be saying “no” a lot due to it being said to them constantly. If that is the case, try and limit your own use of the word. It can be a good idea to replace “no” with group phrases such as “we don’t do that because…” and hopefully in time your tot should limit their use on “no”, and may even stop resisting certain thing.
Stand your ground
This can be hard, but it’s important that you still stand your ground with your tot. While your toddler has a will of their own, things will quickly get out of hand, if they’re allowed to exert it too much. Sometimes you may have to pull rank, because despite all the reasoning your tot still won’t be able to understand why they aren’t allowed to do certain things. Don't feel bad about this. It's important for your toddler's sense of security that they see you making decisions and sticking to them.
