Table 2: Content and Objectives of the Incredible Years® Parents and Toddlers ProgramContent Objectives Content ObjectivesToddler Program: 1—3 YearsPart 1:Child-Directed Play Promotes Positive Relationships

• Understandingthevalueofshowingattentionandappreciationasawayofincreasingpositivechildbehaviors

• Understandingtheimportanceofshowingjoywithtoddlersthroughsongsandgames

• Understandinghowtopromoteimaginaryandpretendplay

• Learninghowtobechild-directedandunderstandingitsvalueforchildren

• Learninghowtoendplaysuccessfullywithtoddlers

• Learningabouttoddlers’developmentalneedsandmilestones

• Learningaboutthe“modeling”principle

• Balancingpowerbetweenparentsandchildren

• Buildingchildren’sself-esteemandcreativitythroughchild-directedplay

• Understandingthe“attentionrule”

Part 2:Promoting Toddler’s Language with Child-Directed Coaching

• Understandinghowtomodelandpromptlanguagedevelopment

• Learninghowtocoachpreschoolreadinessskills

• Learningabout“descriptivecommenting”andchild-directedcoaching

• Learningabout“persistencecoaching”tobuildchildren’sabilitytobefocused,calmandtopersistwithanactivity

• Learningaboutthe“modelingprinciple”

• Understandinghowtopromotepre-readingandpre-writingreadinessskills

• Appreciatingnormaldifferencesinchildren’sdevelopmentalabilitiesandtemperament—completingtemperamentchecklist

Part 3:Social and Emotion Coaching

• Understandinghowtouseemotioncoachingtobuildchildren’semotionalvocabularyandencouragetheirexpressionoffeelings.

• Understandinghowtopromptsocialcoachingtoencouragechildren’ssocialskillssuchassharing,beingrespectful,waiting,asking,takingturns,etc.

• Learningthe“modelingprinciple”—byparentsavoidingtheuseofcriticalstatementsanddemandsandsubstitutingpositivepolitelanguage,childrenlearnmorepositivecommunication

• Understandinghowtocoachsiblingandpeerplayusingmodeling,promptingandpraisetoencouragesocialskills

• Understandingdevelopmentalstagesofplay

• Learninghowtoapplycoachingprinciplesinothersettingssuchasmealtimes,bathtime,andgrocerystoretrips

Part 4:The Art of Praise and Encouragement

• Labelingpraise

• “Givetoget”principle—foradultsandchildren

• Attendingtolearning“process,”notonlyendresults

• Modelingself-praise

• Resistancetopraise—thedifficultiesgivingandacceptingpraise

• Promotingpositiveself-talk

• Usingspecificencouragingstatementsversusnonspecific

• Gainingandgivingsupportthroughpraise

• Avoidingpraisingonlyperfection

• Recognizingsocialandself-regulationskillsthatneedpraise

• Buildingchildren’sself-esteemthroughpraiseandencouragement

Table 2 Continued: Content and Objectives of the Incredible Years® Parents and Toddlers ProgramContent Objectives Content ObjectivesToddler Program: 1—3 YearsPart 5:Spontaneous Incentives for Toddlers

• Shapingbehaviorsinthedirectionyouwant—“smallsteps”

• Clearlyidentifyingpositivebehavior

• Rewardsareatemporarymeasureleadingtochild’slearninganewbehavior

• Whatwillreinforceonechildwillnotnecessarilyreinforceanother

• Valueofunexpectedandspontaneousrewards

• Recognizingthe“first-then”principle

• Designingprogramsthatarerealisticanddevelopmentallyappropriate

• Understandinghowtosetupprogramsforproblemssuchasnotdressing,non-compliance,pickyeating,difficultygoingtobed,toilettrainingandroughanimalcare

• Importanceofreinforcingoneself,teachers,andothers

Part 6:Handling Separations and Reunions

• Establishingclearandpredictableroutinesforseparatingfromchildren

• Establishingroutinesforgreetingchildrenafterbeingawayfromthem

• Understandingobjectandpersonpermanence

• Providingadequatemonitoringatalltimes

• Understandinghowpeek-a-boogameshelpchildren

• Understandinghowpredictableroutinesforbedtimeandscheduleshelpchildrenfeelsecureandsafe

• Completingthetoddler-proofinghomesafetychecklist

Part 7:Positive Discipline—Effective Limit Setting

• Reducenumberofcommandstoonlynecessarycommands

• Learningabouttheimportanceofdistractionsandredirections

• Understandingthevalueofgivingchildrensomechoice

• Politenessprincipleandmodelingrespect

• Clearandpredictablehouseholdrulesofferchildrensafetyandreducemisbehaviors

• “MonitoringPrinciple”:Understandingtheimportanceofconstantmonitoring&supervisionfortoddlers

• Allchildrenwilltestrules—don’ttakeitpersonally

• Commandsshouldbeclear,brief,respectful,andactionoriented

• “When-then”commandscanbeeffective

• Distractiblechildrenneedwarningsandreminders

Part 8:Positive Discipline—Handling Misbehavior

• Understandinghowtousedistractionsandredirectionscoupledwithignore

• Parentsmaintainingself-controlusingcalm-downstrategiesandpositiveself-talk

• Repeatedlearningtrials—negativebehaviorisasignalchildneedssomenewlearning

• Usingtheignoretechniqueconsistentlyandappropriatelyforselectedbehaviorssuchaswhining,tantrums

• Knowinghowtohelptoddlerspracticecalmingdown

• Knowhowtohandlechildrenwhohitorbite

• Understandingtheimportanceofparentsfindingsupport