It reminded me of something else from Crystal's
Biblical Parenting. She talks about toddlers/preschoolers being in an in-between stage of needing to have all needs met (infancy), and a teaching stage.
When a preschooler (or even early elementary age child) is having a good day, then we lean more to the teaching side with letting them experience some appropriate natural consequences. Conversely, if the child is having a "bad" or difficult day, you would lean more toward the infancy model of meeting most of their needs (babying them in an age-appropriate way
).
I know this thinking has helped me to show grace to my preschooler many times I otherwise would have grown frustrated and/or punitive.