She should offer substitutes for the temptations which seem overwhelmingly desirable to the child. If he can't play with Mommy's magazines, he should have some old numbers of his own. If Daddy's books are out of bounds his own picture books are not. Toys he has can be made to act as substitutes for family temptations such as refrigerator and gas stove.

During this precarious period of development the mother should continue to influence the growth of the child's conscience. She tells him of the consequences of his behavior. If he bites a playmate she says, ``Danny won't like you.'' If he snatches a toy, she says, ``Caroline wants her own truck just as you do.''

There is no use trying to ``Explain'' to a 2 -- year old. Actions speak louder. Remove temptations. Remove the child from the scene of his misbehavior. Substitute approved objects for forbidden ones and keep telling him how he is to act. He won't submit to his natural desires all the time, and it's Mother's love that is responsible for his good behavior.