Summarize the following:
You should never bribe a child to get them to do what you want. This teaches them a terrible behavior, which is that listening to you is negotiable. There will be many times when the temptation is strong but you should do whatever you can not to give in. Sometimes this means letting your child throw a tantrum in a grocery store and that's okay. The other customers will have a rough few minutes and go on with their lives but your child will learn good behavior for a lifetime. For example, when they throw a fit in the store about wanting a candy bar, don't say that they can have cake when they get home if they stop crying. All this does is teach them that if they cry at the store, they'll quickly earn themselves a treat. When your child does do something bad, do not give them attention for that behavior. This teaches them that in order to get your attention, they need to be naughty. Instead of acknowledging this behavior, even to yell at them, ignore them. When paired with hugs, kisses, and attention for good behavior, your child will quickly learn to behave.  A bad example would be: grabbing their hands and yelling at them for doing something wrong or making them sit next to you for misbehaving at church. Instead, completely ignore them when they start throwing a tantrum. If you're at home put them in another room and then close the door. It doesn't need to be locked or slammed, it just needs to break contact. This will show the child that yelling is not the way to get your attention. Remember that to your toddler, the world is very big and pretty much 24/7 stress. Imagine how you feel when your boss makes a major change to how things work in your office. Now multiply that times thirty and imagine it happening every day for years. That's what it's like for your toddler. You have to be understanding and try not to overwhelm them with too many changes at once.  Introduce schedule, lifestyle, and home changes gradually. You should also try to keep to a routine. When you have a routine, your child knows what to expect as is better able to handle small and gradual changes, like learning to use the toilet. For example, don't start potty training the same week they start at a new pre-school. In fact, waiting as much as a month before making another change can be necessary. Wait until they seem comfortable with one change before making another. If you have older children, you may be frustrated that your toddler doesn't do what the older child does or did. However, it's important to remember that your toddler hasn't learned those behaviors yet and won't be ready for them for awhile. Be ready to accommodate and work with their individual needs. For example, your toddler will probably need to have a different bedtime routine than an older child. They will probably wake up earlier and should not be expected to quietly entertain themselves on a weekend morning while you try to sleep in. Another common trigger for tantrums in toddlers are issues with stimulation. When they get bored, they don't have the mental ability that adults do to keep themselves entertained. Be understanding of this and try to find ways to keep them stimulated while you're out and away from the toys that usually keep them occupied.  Keep a favored toy only for boredom emergencies, when you know you're both going to be stuck for awhile. This will keep your child entertained. You want to avoid making them overstimulated too. Too much stimulation, especially right before bed, can be a bit much for them and lead to breakdowns. Having a bunch of your friends over, making a major scheduling change, or even letting them watch TV can leave your little one feeling lost.
Do not bribe your child. Do not give them attention for bad behavior. Do not overwhelm them. Do not hold them to expectations for an older child. Avoid leaving them under stimulated.