Toddlers Think in Concrete

A two-year-old cannot process abstract instructions. "Be good" means nothing to them. "Feet on the floor" means everything. Toddler communication must be concrete, specific, and physical.

Toddlers also communicate primarily through behavior, not words. A tantrum is communication. Biting is communication. Throwing food is communication. Before assuming defiance, ask: what are they trying to tell me? The behavior is the language — your job is to be the translator.