| Almost every parent knows exactly what the | | | | verbal processing skills, and may not understand |
| term "terrible twos" means. By the time they | | | | what is being required of them. They often |
| reach twenty-four months, most children will | | | | misinterpret the words of others as criticism or |
| understand what "No" means, and will either rebel | | | | threats and respond aggressively. |
| against it, or use it to stay in control. Tantrums | | | | One of the biggest mistakes in parenting ODD |
| and talking back are not at all unusual. | | | | and CD children is to match their aggressive |
| The entire uncomfortable phase has to be | | | | behavior with aggressive punishment or harsh |
| accepted by parents, because children need the | | | | criticism; yet statistics show that many ODD and |
| structure of lovingly and consistently applied rules | | | | CD kids come from homes in which one or both |
| to hem in their growing independence, in spite of | | | | of the parents were harshly parented themselves. |
| their opinions to the contrary. But when the | | | | Successful parenting of ODD and CD kids requires |
| terrible twos continue with escalating tantrums | | | | the parents to honestly assess their parenting |
| and defiance, and a child is acting out on a daily | | | | skills and, to participate in Parenting Management |
| basis so much that he or she can't function, it | | | | Training, if it is recommended by a therapist. |
| might be a sign of Oppositional Defiance Disorder. | | | | Parenting ODD and CD kids will include such |
| Children who have been struggling with obedience | | | | techniques as establishing rules which apply to all |
| issued for more than six months, and exhibiting at | | | | the children, providing a clear understanding of |
| least four of the eight signs of ODD recognized | | | | such things as meal and bedtime schedules, |
| by the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders on a | | | | household chores, and what sort of language is |
| daily or almost daily basis should be tested for | | | | tolerated. |
| Oppositional Defiance Disorder. Children who | | | | Paying attention to children's behavior, by both |
| attempt serious physical violence against property, | | | | watching what they are doing and asking how |
| animals, or people, or engage in stealing, lying, and | | | | they are feeling is an essential part of parenting |
| sexually aggressive behavior on a regular basis | | | | ODD and CD kids. Doing so both lets them know |
| may have escalated from ODD to Conduct | | | | that Mom and Dad are involved in their lives and |
| Disorder, or CD. | | | | gives them a chance to verbalize their negative |
| Parenting ODD and CD kids is one of the most | | | | feelings instead of releasing them in aggressive |
| challenging tasks any person can possibly face. | | | | behavior. |
| ODD kids are capable of tantrums which can last | | | | Parenting ODD and CD kids requires that the |
| up to four hours at a time, and will literally rage | | | | parents devise appropriate rewards and |
| themselves into exhausted sleep rather than yield | | | | consequences for certain behaviors, explaining |
| to an authority figure's demands. They simply | | | | them in advance and consistently enforcing them. |
| wear the opposition down, and trying to control | | | | Both parents need to follow through. |
| them with the loss of a privilege is useless, | | | | And parents not only need to focus on the ODD |
| because in the heat of their anger privileges mean | | | | or CD child, they must be in touch with what is |
| nothing. | | | | happening in the family as a whole and be ready |
| CD children, on the other hand, often have low | | | | to nip any looming crises in the bud. |