Need some help please! *LONG post*

[Judy Trickett]

..... my daughter is just 2 and while she has lots of words, i just don't think she has developed her ability to use them. her temperament is such that she reacts physically first and while yes, this is not an acceptable way to react, i don't want to "punish" her for feeling that emotion.

Here is where you are misguided. She is NOT being punished for her emotions. She is being punished for lashing out at another kid or not staying in her time-out. She can feel any emotion she wants but she STILL has to suffer the consequences of her ACTIONS. She's two and she knows better.

It's not your job to make another person happy - happiness is something the individual CHOOSES to feel. As parents we need to stop owning the happiness of our kids to the extent that we fear them and don't do our job as parents. And that job is to raise an independent, compassionate adult who is considerate of OTHERS and not a selfish, narcissistic brat. Harsh words but just look at the people out there these days. Our emotions are OURS and no one else can own those or make someone else feel them - and yes, not even a two year old.