Toddlers are explorers, and scientists, and learners, but make no mistake they are also tyrants. Their days are spent testing to learn the boundaries of EVERYthing. How far up a ladder can they crawl before they fall? How many socks can fit on one foot? How many times can we ask mama the same question before she gives in? How many marshmallows can a child eat before getting sick? How far off of the bed can they hang without landing on the floor? Much of this is endearing and precocious, some is not. Children begin testing limits from the moment they are born. Sometimes we must intervene quickly for their own safety. We'd never let them run into the street without "stop, look & listen". We wouldn't let them stick their hand on a hot stove. Just as we must be vigilant about these obvious safety issues, we must treat their social behaviors and manners in the same way. Your life (and theirs) will be SO much easier if you set the boundaries when they are babies and maintain them. If you give in after many requests, they will continually test to see how far they can push you. If the boundaries keep changing, they must keep testing. Give them a small crack and they will exploit it. Let your yes, be yes and your no, be no. Loving and responsible parents don't need a lot of rules, but any that they set, they maintain. Sometimes it seems harder for the parent to stand their ground than for the child to be denied. Children who know where the limits are, are happier and more content. It sometimes seems counterintuitive, but it's absolutely true. Parents who say yes from a misguided fear that their children won't love them if they aren't "fun" are very much mistaken. Children will go out of their way to try to force a parent into setting a boundary. Love your child. Prove it by setting limits and sticking to them!