Raising a toddler? CDC can help!

Hey there, moms, dads, and caregivers, we at CDC just want to say thank you for caring about, believing in, and supporting children.

Parenting is hard work! CDC’s Essentials for Parenting is here to help with expert advice, engaging videos, and downloadable print resources for parents and caregivers of 2- to 4-year-old children.

Essentials for Parenting (EfP) is a free, online resource that helps parents and caregivers of toddlers and preschoolers handle common behavior challenges and provides information on how to build positive, healthy relationships with their children.

EfP covers five main topic areas:

• Communicating with your child
• Creating structure and rules
• Giving directions
• Using discipline and consequences
• Using time-out

This resource focuses on improving skills that encourage good behavior and decrease misbehavior, using proven strategies like positive communication, structure and rules, clear directions, and consistent discipline and consequences.

Short on time? Our short, engaging videos include parents, children, and parenting experts who demonstrate and describe skills. We also have Quick Tips, which provide short summaries of the information on all five focus areas.

Got questions? We have answers from experts on common parenting questions like how to respond to tantrums or how to create routines.

Want more free resources? Download chore charts, daily schedules, and family rules prints!

We know all children and caregivers are unique. Families face many different situations and challenges every day. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach or think of this as a set of strict parenting rules that must be followed. This resource is designed to help parents and caregivers make decisions that work for their children and families.