Parenting a toddler truly isn’t for the weak. They’re constantly on the move, testing boundaries, and finding new ways to keep parents on their toes — sometimes, quite literally. Their unpredictable nature, coupled with the fact that they either want things their way or not at all, really puts a parent’s patience to the test.
Thankfully, a content creator and mom named Julie Wise said she’s figured out a full-proof way to ensure that her toddler not only listens to her but doesn’t throw tantrums or get upset, and it apparently all boiled down to one simple trick that she’s sharing with other parents to hopefully help them avoid the ups and downs of toddlerhood.
“You may have noticed that Rose will ask me for permission to do very random things,” Wise began in her TikTok video, speaking about her toddler. “I’ll tell you why she does that and how I got her to do that. It’s very, very easy, and it’s an effective way for me to either reassure her or redirect her without getting angry because she’s the one to ask the question.”
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Wise explained that the reason her daughter does this is that throughout the day, Wise will randomly ask her permission to do something. For example, Wise would ask her toddler for permission before picking her up, and if the little girl said no, Wise didn’t make a big deal about it.
The point of asking for permission for everything from sharing food to getting a hug was to normalize the behavior so it was something the toddler started doing with her mother.
When parents prioritize teaching their kids about consent early in life, they’re not only able to understand their own bodies, but they’re also learning how to respect another person’s boundaries.
In an article for Psychology Todaypsychologist Samantha Stein, Psy.D., wrote, “In a world where our political leadership often trends towards the most negative aspects of childish bickering and tries for domination by force and intimidation, we need to actively teach and model a different example to them.”
“If we want to create a world where love and respect are the norms, we need to start now. Our children deserve the kind of emotional support for their development that will help them create the kinds of brains and beings ready to face the enormous challenges of our world today,” she continued.
Polina Tanklevich | Canva pro.
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Stein insisted that the problem centered around parents creating a childhood experience for their kids that they have no personal experience with. She did note, however, that “Consent is a concept that everyone should be learning. It is a fact that all people are created equal, and deserve the same chance to develop the dually important senses of personal sovereignty and conscious respect for others.”
“She feels like she has control over her own body and her day,” Wise said. “It also teaches her consent, which is great.”
Wise admitted that throughout a parent’s day, they should find things they’re indifferent about, so they can ask their toddler for permission, and they won’t care if it’s one way or the other since the thing they’re asking for is trivial. Wise promised that by doing this consistently, they would learn and start to ask you for permission in return.
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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
