Toddlers

Here Comes Trouble

Toddlers. You could say, “here comes Trouble”, but then again, you could say, “here comes Fun!.” I guess it depends on how you look at it. Toddlers are babies in motion. That is, they’re too young to have the skills of children and they have just graduated from the immobile stage where they sit or lie around all day long. Now they’re up and running. And so are you!

Lay of the Land

Toddlers are learning to crawl, climb, walk, skip and run. They’re learning to throw and catch, hold utensils and feed themselves. They’re learning to talk! Toddlers are becoming little people—and they are truly an adorable group. To look at.

But they can be a handful to live with. Toddlers are able to explore a dangerous world and their parents must be vigilant every moment of every day to help keep them safe. It can be exhausting and sometimes scary for the grownups. But it seems to be loads of fun for the kids! Climbing, poking, pulling, touching, tasting – these kids use all their senses to learn about the world they live in. It’s healthy and natural. The toddler-explorer is fun to watch. Her excitement at discovery is contagious even for worn-out parents!
But toddlers are not all carefree. They suffer the pangs of growing up. These youngsters are actively growing their teeth and unfortunately, this can cause them physical pain. It can also mean lots of cranky moods, inconsolable tears and sleepless nights. To add insult to injury, kids at this stage of life are being weaned from breast, bottle and pacifier, increasing their frustration and cutting off their sources of comfort. It can be a hard time for them and their parents. An ideal time to potty train, don’t you think? Well, that’s another task that occurs during these months. These pre-schoolers are expected to learn to go to the toilet now. It is a big accomplishment for them and their parents and both tend to be proud of it.
 
With all this going on, it is understandable that toddlers might be a moody group and indeed, their emotions fluctuate wildly throughout each day. They can be ecstatic one minute and deeply sorrowful the next. Their independent personalities are really beginning to show: temperamental differences become apparent. The anxious child has more to be anxious about, as he ventures outside the crib. The hot-tempered child has many daily situations that provoke him. Shy, quiet, boisterous, bossy—it is all revealed. The parents get a glimpse of what they are in for over the next twenty years or so!

Toddlers are just beginning to discover their power: they’re learning that they can make things happen. They begin to experiment with controlling this feature and so we hear the plaintive cry of parents: “My child whines! What can I do to stop her from whining?” “My toddler bites people. What should I do?” “My  toddler has tantrums!”  “My toddler kicks the nanny! My toddler kicks me! My toddler hits other children! Help!” Toddlers are just trying to figure out what works. They used to be helpless just a few months ago; now they discover their power and it can be intoxicating.  Parents must be on their toes, ready to teach the toddler what he wants to know. Of course, the parents must be prepared to model the “adult” way of getting things done: using their words in a pleasant tone of voice. This can be challenging for parents who are run ragged by their ever-ready toddler. Toddlers have more energy than their parents do.
Some people refer to toddlerhood as “the terrible two’s.” This is because children this age get frustrated frequently and have lots of tantrums. They may be tired or in pain to begin with and then they have trouble expressing themselves in words. This leads to lots of tantrums. Toddlers can get frustrated because they want to do things that they can’t quite do, like make a toy work properly or eat with a fork. This leads to lots of tantrums. And toddlers can be teased by other kids in the family. Sometimes siblings take away their toys or grab things out of their hands. This leads to lots of tantrums. All in all, there are a lot of tantrums that parents have to live with for a couple of years.

On the bright side, raising a toddler involves lots of laughs. These little folks are endlessly amusing as they try out their new skills in their adorable little toddler ways. However, the job is also exhausting. Toddlers are a demanding bunch, always wanting something right now.