Synchronous Movement Helps With Bonding

Want to build a stronger bond with your toddler? One way to do that is to incorporate synchronous movement into your lives. Researchers have found that there is something about moving together, the same way, at the same time, that causes the bond between people to strengthen. It is time to play some music and dance with your toddler! Researchers at the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior at McMaster University did a study that involved 68 babies. Their study revealed that synchronous movement caused the babies to form social bonds with the person whom they shared the synchronous movement … Continue reading →

I Am Toddler, Hear Me Roar

Sometimes, one or both of my boys have a rough day. Today seemed unusually difficult for Blake, and to make matters worse, whenever I tried to help him through an upset, disappointment, or other situation, he seemed to just get more upset. One time, he even got so worked up that he nearly made himself sick. When one of the boys has a rough day, I feel bad for both of them. Of course, whomever is freaking out must be attended to, and if there are only small amounts of time in between freak outs, the other guy gets only … Continue reading →

Oh Snap, He Took Another Nap

Ah, nap time. Most of the time, it is a relief when your toddler naps. After all, many kids need at least one nap a day until they are about five years old. Of course, my oldest son, Dylan, gave up regular naps around the age of two and a half. He naps maybe once a week, if that, on days when there is a conveniently timed car trip involved. Blake is 17 months old now, and has been napping only once a day since around his first birthday. When your child transitions from two naps a day down to … Continue reading →

Why Does My Toddler Rip His Clothes Off?

I know that it’s summer and all, but even on the hottest days around here, everyone is usually wearing at least some clothing. Well, almost everyone. Blake has decided that he does not like wearing clothes – or diapers, for that matter. Toddlers are notorious for their penchant for running around naked, much to their parents’ chagrin. Of course, not all toddlers go through a phase where they resist clothing and diapers. I do not remember Dylan doing that at all. I mean, he may have ripped his diaper off once or twice, but that was about it. He was … Continue reading →

Monkey See, Monkey Do

If you have more than one child, it can be very interesting to see just how much you toddler learns from his or her older brother or sister. Younger siblings often reach developmental milestones sooner than their peers who have no older siblings in their homes. The reason for this can probably be boiled down into a simple concept – monkey see, monkey do. Of course, we, as parents, think that much of our little ones’ learning comes from watching us do our thing. This is true, but when there is an older sibling in the home, a toddler sees … Continue reading →

Diaper Detective – The Toddler Edition

Before your little one was born, it is likely that no one told you that beginning on day one of your precious baby’s life outside of the womb, you would be investigating the contents of baby’s dirty diapers in addition to changing them. When your baby arrives, you quickly learn what to look for as far as frequency of wet and dirty diapers, color, consistency, and all that good stuff. Now that you have a toddler, the days of diapering are nearing an end. However, every child learns to use the toilet at his or her own pace. You may … Continue reading →

It Must Be Tough to be a Toddler

It must be very difficult to be a toddler. If you think about it, there are so many contradictions in the life of a toddler that must make things very, very confusing. This is what I repeatedly tell myself as I try to remain calm and compassionate with Blake as he navigates toddler territory. It has been only a little while since Dylan transitioned from being a toddler to being a preschooler, but apparently enough time has passed since the beginning of Dylan’s toddlerhood that I sort of forgot just how confusing life can be during that time. If it is … Continue reading →

How Different Are Your Kids’ Tastes in Food?

One of the most interesting things about spending all day every day at home with my two little boys is that I get to watch their personalities and preferences develop day by day. Sometimes, they like things that are similar – or, to put it more exactly like it appears to be from where I see it, Dylan likes Blake to have things (like clothes) that are similar to what he has, and Blake goes along with it either because he couldn’t care less or because he really wants to but doesn’t actually say so because he uses very few … Continue reading →

Could Your Toddler be Teething?

One of the most difficult things about life with a young toddler is that because his vocabulary is so limited, he can’t always tell you in words what is wrong. Blake is almost sixteen months old, and he makes a ton of sounds but he says very few actual words. He’s got the basics – “Mama”, “Dada”, “uh oh”, “ball”, and “mm-mm” accompanied by a head shake to indicate “no”, but not much else. For the past four to five days, my usually energetic and bubbly little guy has been rather fussy and clingy, he has not been eating much, and … Continue reading →

Do You Know an Independent Toddler?

In honor of Independence Day, I would like to talk a little about one of the most independent people that I know. My son Blake is only about sixteen months old, but he is already proving to be very independent. Even before he learned to walk (just after his first birthday), he liked to crawl into the playroom and play with the toys by himself whenever he felt like it. He loves to explore, especially in the yard, and can keep himself entertained for what I feel is an unusually long time for such a small fellow. Of course, that might be … Continue reading →