If you're in charge of a toddler or a group of toddlers for any period of time, you may think this suggestion is too simple to work.

It's not.

Dr. Becky Bailey, creator of the world-renowned Conscious Discipline program, shared it at a national conference for early childhood educators.

I was there, and after trying it out with dozens of toddlers, I can tell you that it works wonders. Even if you think you already do it enough, it helps to take a fresh look at the situation and reset your perception. Here's what she said:

To improve the behavior of almost any child (or adult), notice what they do right and call it out, saying: That was helpful. Describe the behavior carefully for the best results.

Like this:

• You came over when I called you, Priya. That was helpful!

• You got on the riding toy by yourself, Howard. That was helpful!

• You smiled at me, Sheldon. That was helpful!

• You remembered the ball, Janine. That was helpful!

• Raj, you waited for Bernadette. That was helpful!

• Stuart, you took turns with Penny. That was helpful!

• You picked up my pencils, Tam. That was helpful.

• You said something nice to Leonard, Beverly. That was helpful!

One thing that impressed me most about his method is that it seems to work best when a child is going through a rough patch with their behavior.

This is a good example of how teaching young children what TO do instead of what NOT to do really makes a difference. Plus, it lets everyone else in the room know what you want to see more of. Toddlers do aim to please even when it doesn't always seem like it.

If you need more words that work with very young children, you can get 22 more phrases here, for free. Magic words are included in our Baby Brain Toolkit, which focuses on problem-solving and lifelong learning.

Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, family aerobics instructor, and all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY!  She studied early childhood ed at Triton College and received her BS in education in 1986 from NIU. She received her MA in human dev from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She lives and teaches in Madison, WI, and is the founder of Early Childhood Rocks, a non-profit org dedicated to creating change through early childhood education.