I just finished "The Happiest Toddler on the Block" and one of the methods of encouragement has already been put to good use. Dr. Karp recommends putting a check on the back of the child's hand when s/he does something asked of him/her. Daniel loves getting his hand stamped so we modified the hand check system slightly by drawing stars on his hand to log a good deed. He stopped struggling and sat in his high chair for dinner when promised a star for his hand. He also did a great job eating his beans and rice (two stars for that).
Another tip from the book is to review the "checks" at the end of the day, reflecting on how helpful/patient/kind your child was that day and what you look forward to tomorrow. Daniel and I sit in his room while he winds down for bed so this chat is a nice way to remember the day.
I'm a fan of "The Happiest" kids series. Dr. Karp's ideas are easy to implement, respectful of your child, and generally a lot of fun.
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