Handling misbehaviour

[playfelt]

For a 2 year old it is normal. Apologies are to passify the adult and have no real meaning to the child. A good habit for them to get into but be careful it doesn't backfire if child refuses to say sorry. Take stock of how often you are using the share timer because that might be part of the problem rather than the solution. Letting one child play with a toy till they are done with it may be better than expecting them to get their play over with in a certain length of time in the sense that it gives the 2 year old wanter power to be a bully by only wanting the toy that someone else has and the timer makes them give it up eventually. I'm sure there are plenty of other toys in your playroom and if one is being used they have to go choose a different one. Favourite items can be rotated daily or after snack when you go back to play the child that wanted gets first dibs on it to have a turn if they want, etc.

Because the behaviour is normal for a 2 year old you can go the time out route or you can go the play somewhere else route - annoy your friends and you have to play over here where you can't annoy them - toss the bark chips all you want but over here not there. Child may get up and move back to the group whenever they want but must play within the rules (ie no set time to be apart). Repeat offence and then you get put in the stroller. What that does is acknowledges that the behaviour is normal but at the same time not acceptable but not every offence is worthy of a time out.