Nursery World - Positive Relationships: Behaviour

How do you deal constructively with a young child's refusal to do what they're asked? Cath Hunter looks into a challenging phase.

Q. We have a little girl (21 months) in our nursery who has just entered the 'no' phase. Everything we ask of her is met with a no: wash her hands, have lunch, put on her coat, tidy up ... And she's becoming increasingly forceful and determined not to do what we want, either waving her arms around or batting us away. Why do children go through this phase? Is there anything we can do to keep the next stage of her reactions from being a full-blown tantrum?

A. The 'no' phase is a challenging stage of development and it can be an exhausting time to work with children of this age, when everything may start to feel like a battle. However, this phase is essential for a child's healthy sense of independence and autonomy. It is the foundation for children developing a strong sense of themselves.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included