Have you ever had your toddler run away from you? Is it one of your fears that you go on a day out and you suddenly find yourself with one less child? Having a toddler running off is not something you even think about when you are expecting but as your child grows, both with age and confidence, how do you make sure they stay by your side.
This is the very subject I am talking about with our resident parenting coach, Beckie Whitehouse, of Be Confident Coaching. In our hangout we discuss what we can do if our toddler runs away you and how you can encourage good behaviour from the start so that they know it is not acceptable to wander off.
One area of controversy is the use of reigns. Should we use them? Should we restrain our child or should we simply teach them that running off is not good for their safety? Many parents do not like them but, for others, they can be a saviour.
Other areas of discussion are:
- HOW can we teach our children to stay with you and not run off?
- WHAT do we do if our toddler runs away and how do we show them that it is not the RIGHT thing to do?
- HOW can we keep calm in front of our child if they have run away?
- EXPLAINING the consequences of what can happen if your child does run off
Has your child ever run off? How have you dealt with it? Do you have a story to share? Please do let us know of your situation in the comments below.