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Happiest Toddler on the Block {A Mom’s Review}
September 4th, 2010 | 
Author: By Shandal, Contributor, My Life in 3D (@Shandal)
My oldest is 3 and half years old. Needless to say, things aren’t always so peachy with him. He’s like a moody teenager when he doesn’t get his way, and I was really getting frustrated with his same old tantrums every.single.day.
Someone recommended a book to me called, The Happiest Toddler on the Block
Dr. Karp explains that it’s all about the way you communicate with your child. He teaches a few techniques to parents on how to approach your child and handle typical toddler situations.
One of the first situations he explained is actually an issue that I have with my 18 month old daughter. She freaks out at every bath-time when I pour water on her head to rinse out her hair. She stands up, starts screaming and crying, and tries to climb out of the tub to safety.
How do I normally handle this situation? Probably like most of you. I repeat “It’s okay, it’s okay!” to her.
WRONG!
My sympathy has never calmed her down. She would either get over it in time by herself or she would cry until we were all done with her bath.
According to Dr. Karp, I was supposed to communicate to her that I understood why she was upset by using one of his wording techniques. Then she should calm down once she sees that I understand, and that’s when I can be sympathetic.
So I gave it a try at the next bath-time. I poured the water over her head. She started to panic and scream like usual. I said, “Water! Water! You’ve got water in your eyes!”.
Silence. Dead silence.
She looked right into my eyes and I swear if she could talk, she would’ve said, “You get it, you really get it!”
Then I said, “You don’t like water in your eyes, but we have to rinse your hair. Water is out of your eyes now, so it’s okay.” She just went about playing after that, and I was so shocked that it actually worked!
So is everything all peachy with my spirited 3 year old? No. It’s better. Not peachy all the time, but definitely better.
I have learned how to prevent some tantrums from even happening. The language techniques that he suggests you use feel a little awkward, and it takes some practice and getting used to. I do think that it’s helped and I would definitely recommend the book!
I wish I knew about Dr. Karp’s The Happiest Baby on the Block when my kids were babies! My 18 month old had colic from 3 weeks to 3 months old, every single night. I’m sure that book could’ve helped us cope with her colic.
Have you read The Happiest Toddler/Baby on the Block? Did it help you and your child?
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I think Dr. Karp is a genius! He wrote The Happiest Baby on the Block, too, and we used those techniques with great success when our daughter was an infant. The toddler techniques have worked too, but not as consistently. But I had a moment w/my daughter when she was having a tantrum and I tried his technique and it was just like with your daughter in the tub. It was SO funny. My daughter stopped screaming, looked at me with great surprise, shrugged, and then went in her room and played. A tantrum that would have gone on at least 10 minutes in the past was over
in less than 10 seconds. You just reminded me I need to a refresher. I think I’ll go get my copy and skim through it again…
Elizabeth Flora Ross´s last blog ..The UGLY Truth
Sounds like a fab book. Where was this when mine were little monsters?? Haha.
alicia´s last blog ..Week 35 365 Rough Start Part 1
Yes! I LOVE both of these books! The baby one helped me with my baby who needed my arms all.day.long. And the toddler one worked too! I felt weird too at first, especially using a loud voice and echoing their emotions but it WORKS! My husband thought I was crazy at first and I would wonder what strangers would think if we were out shopping and a tantrum was coming on. But, like youfound out, they feel SO much better knowing that you understand what they want or are feeling. Brilliant I tell you, brilliant
Melissa (Confessions of a Dr.Mom)´s last blog ..Nurturing Your Childs Curiosity
Sounds a lot like the book I used as a bible when my son was a moody toddler- “1 2 3 Magic” by Phelan- my best friend who is also a school psychologist swore by it too.
Lisa´s last blog ..All American Pressure Cooker updated Sun Sep 5 2010 10-07 am CDT
I am thinking that I should go pick up that book.. Seems like it helped you! I have a step son who is turning 3 soon, and my son is almost 5 months.. So if I read it now it would definitely prepare me for my little guy and help me with my step son! =]
We loved the DVD too! It was super helpful to watch Dr. Karp demonstrate the techniques in various situations and we picked it up really quickly. What a lifesaver!