How to balance expectations vs realistic capabilities?

How do you teach a 2 year old what’s acceptable, while keeping your expectations in check? Someone this young has no impulse control, but it’s also not fair to punish them for any little thing they do wrong. I feel like I spend all day telling her “No, you can’t do that.” When she’s “well-behaved” is when she’s barely doing anything.The reality is that she’s testing everything out, all day long, including me and my limits. She’s trying to learn the “rules” by playing through the “game”.But how do I know what I should expect from her? Where’s the book that says: she can handle 2 minutes of sitting, but beyond that, she needs some toys and books. She can handle petting a dog “nicely”, but only if you make her wait until you explain how, first. She can handle cleaning up one room full of toys, but not right before bed or naptime, and only if you help her through it the whole time.Sometimes I wish I could have a child psychologist over my shoulder explaining what she’s going through all day long. I want to be sympathetic to her, while also setting healthy limits and rules, for everyone’s sakes. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2UxlcQ5