Children sure do keep you on your toes. They are always changing and growing--and helping you to change and grow. Just when you get the hang of things, a new stage begins. Toddlerhood brings all sorts of exciting (and sometimes scary and nerve-racking) adventures. Your formerly cooing, babbling baby starts to talk. Your scooting, crawling child begins to walk. Perhaps your formerly complacent child starts throwing tantrums. He may start to drink from a cup, sleep in his own bed, climb over the furniture, and hate to wear clothes.
While I am certainly not an expert on all toddlers, since I've closely studied my own two children I believe that I am an expert on them! In these pages, I would like to share some of our experiences and what works for us. You'll also find what has worked for other parents. I'd also love to know what has worked for you and your child.
Toddler Index
"Every stage in a child's life is there for a purpose. If we can respect and respond to their needs fully during each stage of life, they can be done with that stage and move on." ~ from Surviving the Toddler Years by Naomi Aldort
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Toddler Index![[----------------------------]](pinkline2.gif)
I first started this page when our little girl was 21 months old. Now she is 4 years old, and we have a little guy who is one year old. So I've successfully parented a child through the toddler years once and am in the thick of it right now with my son, so I know from experience that toddlers can be a handful. . . full of energy, incredibly curious, and opinionated. They are little bundles of contradictions and great contrasts: they crave independence, yet they are still very much attached to mommy. One minute they want you to carry them, the next they want down. One minute they are happy as a clam, and the next they might be screaming from frustration. One minute they are gleefully running around and the next second they are cuddled up to you because a loud sound made them scared or a new person appeared on the scene.
A whole lot of new issues come up during the toddler years such as the one that makes many mommies nervous: potty-training (hint: don't worry about it). Sleep issues also seem to be foremost on many parents' minds--is it time to drop a nap or all naps, should our child have a bedtime, is it normal for my child to still wake up during the night? Some parents start worrying about disciplining their child and wonder if they should spank or use time outs, and if neither of those, what other options are there?
