“Are you trying to tell me . . . ?” is a useful phrase for translating the toddler’s needs into words. When they throw their food on the floor, we can say, “Are you trying to tell me you’re all finished?” We can also use this for an older child who is calling people names or acting inappropriately. “It sounds like you are pretty angry right now. Are you trying to say you don’t like it when they touch your things?”
