My daughter is quite bossy at her ripe age of 2 ½.  Sometimes it makes me laugh, like when she tells Montana what toy he will play with, or tells him to get in his bed, or when she tells her Anna and Elsa dolls they need to play nice or go to timeout.  It is not as funny when she tells me what to do; like when she tells me not to sing my favorite song, or dance to my favorite song (it may because she does not think I am a good singer or dancer…ha ha) but it is upsetting when she is not nice and tells me what to do, like when she tells me to pick up her toys or get her something for her.

At this age I don’t believe she knows she is being bossy or demanding, but I don’t want her to think it is ok to talk to other kids or adults like that.  I do not allow her to tell me what to do.  If she wants something she cannot physically get, I will have her ask me nicely by saying “please” and after she receives it, saying “thank you”.  When she does demand something and is not nice about it, I let her know I do not appreciate being talked to that way and I don’t do what she wants, until she asks nicely.

I also explain to her that she can’t always get her way.  This frustrates her, but she does need to be taught this.  Savanna needs to learn that people will say no to her, and that is allowed.  Sometimes things she wants to do are not safe or in her best interest, so she needs to learn that I am doing it for her own good.  Very difficult to explain this to a toddler, especially when she is screaming “no”, crying, throwing a tantrum or just plain screaming at me.

I want Savanna to grow up to be a confident, assertive, strong woman with opinions and the ability to voice her opinion, but I don’t want her to grow up to be a tyrant, barking orders at people in her life.  It is a fine balance of how to allow her to gain confidence and become independent without being mean and bossy…even if she is only 2 ½ years old.