I’m looking for some practical advice on positive reinforcement with my toddler. I’ve heard it works better than punishments, but I’m not really sure how to do it right. What specific strategies have worked for you? Like when should I praise them, what kinds of rewards actually motivate toddlers, and how do you make sure they connect the reward with the good behavior? Any tips would be helpful since I want to encourage more cooperation without turning into a constant battle.
What worked for me at that age was making ordinary moments feel huge. My toddler would help carry groceries or pick up one toy without being asked, and I’d go crazy excited about it. That enthusiasm stuck way better than any formal reward chart.
I stopped worrying about perfect timing too. Sometimes I’d praise them hours later - ‘Remember when you shared your cereal with the dog this morning? That was so kind.’ They’d still light up.
Here’s what surprised me: simple privileges beat treats every time. My younger one would work hard all day just to be the one turning off the lights at bedtime 
Those little ‘special’ moments motivated them more than I ever expected.
Every kid’s different though, so it took some trial and error to figure out what made each of mine tick.
Small rewards work great for us - extra story time or letting them pick snack. My kids love those little treats way more than stickers.
Specific praise is huge. When my daughter shares crayons, I say ‘I saw you give your brother the red crayon when he asked nicely.’ She gets this proud smile and keeps doing it.
I give them choices whenever I can - ‘clean up blocks first or puzzles?’ Makes them feel in control instead of bossed around.
High fives and specific praise worked great for us. I said ‘awesome job putting those toys away’ instead of just ‘good job.’ Catching them being good before they even think about acting up was effective. Sticker charts were hit or miss.
My daughter loves when I turn praise into stories. If she helps with dishes, I’ll tell my husband while she’s listening: ‘Guess what? Someone was an amazing helper in the kitchen today!’ She gets this huge grin hearing about herself like that. These natural moments work way better than trying to perfectly praise everything in real-time. I think we overthink it - kids notice when you’re genuinely excited about their good choices, even if your timing isn’t textbook perfect.
Timing is everything with my kid. Wait too long to praise them and they’re already onto something else - they won’t connect the praise to what they actually did. I catch them right when they’re being helpful or listening well. But I’m constantly saying ‘great job’ throughout the day and starting to worry it’s losing all meaning. How do you find that balance without overdoing it?