Key Thought
Knowing he belongs to a family and community is a key concept for your toddler to learn. Provide lots of opportunities for him to have special people in his life—those who are delighted to spend time with him.
Knowing he belongs to a family and community is a key concept for your toddler to learn. Provide lots of opportunities for him to have special people in his life—those who are delighted to spend time with him.
Whirlwind is the key word for this month. Your toddler can go anywhere he wants now and his curiosity gets him into many difficulties. He has no awareness of the consequences of his actions. Hold steady. Stay consistent. Be there for him. As his mastery of speech improves, so will his behavior.
My mother’s guiding principle about childrearing was, “I want to raise children other people enjoy.” Other people do not enjoy a child who is out of control. While he is learning independence, it is our goal to teach him self-control. This is when that process begins.
Your toddler has a good sense of humor now and he loves slapstick comedy. He will belly laugh at the absurd, like putting a diaper on your head or using a banana as a comb. Try humor to diffuse tense moments. Don’t allow yourself to start yelling. Instead make a joke you and your toddler can laugh at.
As your baby takes his first steps, he officially becomes a toddler. If you try to keep your home primarily nice for adults, you will spend a lot of time restraining your toddler and redirection his attention. It is much better to make your home safe and available for his explorations for some time to come.