Toddler ParentingBeing a Whole New Parent to a Whole New Person!Toddler Parenting may have you feeling excited and confused...like you've graduated into a whole new world! Your baby has mastered so many new physical skills to become a toddler. While physical development continues, some of your child's work now turns to inward development, understanding emotions and impulses. Your toddler can be alternately demanding and bold or reticent and in need of your reassurance...a confusing and exciting blend!
You may be asking yourself: How did my sweet little baby turn into THIS?! Take heart, you are merely 'in training' for Parenting Teenagers...just like teens...Toddlers are in a struggle between Independence and Dependence..."Do I do it MY way or Mom and Dad's way?!" When you understand elements of Toddler Development, you will be more confident in your guidance and more patient in managing toddler behavior. Toddler DevelopmentImitationIt has been said, "You are your child's first teacher," and never is it more true than in the toddler years. If you are hurrying, yelling or impatient, they are learning ever-so-precisely how to do just that...If you take care with people and possessions, you are creating a strong foundation for health and a positive outlook for your toddler.Toddler Brain DevelopmentYour toddler's brain is like a sponge...that means it absorbs everything but it also leaks! A toddler is very literal. That means that everything you say is interpreted exactly as you say it. When you are feeling down, do you say, "I'm feeling blue?" Well, your toddler will be literally waiting for you to turn blue! (A very upsetting prospect to some!)You may also feel like your toddler's brain leaks like a sponge! If you think of all the new experiences, emotions and ideas they are processing each moment, its no wonder they tend to forget things! Boys and Girls Really Are Different!Supporting the natural development of your toddler includes knowing the differences between girls and boys and providing the activities crucial to their unique development. Toddler Girls...have more ability to 'talk things out' and use words to describe how they're feeling. Toddler girls are also more able to do tasks that require fine motor skills like putting beads on a string, coloring, or buttoning clothing.Toddler Boys...while less verbal now, have plenty of capabilities in activities that require spatial and mechanical abilities. Toddler boys like building bridges and pushing dirt around (while making all sorts of noises)! And while some toddler boys like playing with dolls or soft toys, it is more likely that they will gravitate to trucks and blocks.Learn more about Boys and their Male Behavior It is important to toddler development for parents to offer a variety of activities and toys. These encourage a wide range of experiences. Emphasis on simple toys that can become many different things in the toddler's imagination is important. A polished piece of wood can become a boat, a bed, or a bridge. A fire truck complete with firemen, bells, and hoses can only be that. Temper Tantrums...Terrible Twos?!...More Temper Tantrums...Around the age of 2, parents and toddlers begin to experience the dreaded loss of control that is a tantrum. As young children process and digest so much new information, they can be overwhelmed and suffer a meltdown. Knowing what is happening in the toddler's brain and how to respond effectively lessons the temper tantrum's duration and eases everyone's transition back to everyday life!Enjoy Parenting Your Toddler!A toddler needs:
The habits you instill now will create a foundation of trust and respect that will carry your family through the teen years and into adulthood. Return to Child Stages
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