Tag Archives: toddler

Ideas for Active Indoor Play

It is the middle of winter here in the North Country. For parents of toddlers, it is a time of year when you probably want to be outside with the kids enjoying the snow as much as possible. However, you may find yourself indoors most of the time because little kids can only really be outdoors for a little while before they get cold. You may also have noticed that toddlers’ energy levels do not have any regard to the seasons or the weather. Your active toddler has just as much energy in the middle of winter as he did … Continue reading →

Toddler Sleep – Night Terrors vs Bad Dreams

About a week ago, Dylan did something that was very frightening. It was about ten o’clock at night, and he was asleep in the bedroom. I was in the living room, doing some work on my computer. The house was silent, until all of a sudden, Dylan started screaming. Really screaming, as if someone were torturing him. I rushed into the bedroom, and tried my best to comfort him. I asked him if something were hurting him, and he just thrashed about, mumbling things that made no sense. I tried to hold him close, but he cried even more. Finally, … Continue reading →

Baby Social Skills

One difficult stage in any baby’s life is the stage when they are more and more mobile, and still do not have the ability to communicate clearly. That is what we are currently facing with my 14 month old. He wants to be right in on the action with pretty much everything. He wants to be at our level while we are cooking so he can see what is going on. He wants to join in the fun with his siblings in their game of the moment. He wants to be able to communicate his feelings, but he just can’t. … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Early Learning

One thing that all parents of toddlers know is that the toddler stage of development involves a lot of learning. Toddlers are learning to walk, learning to talk, and learning all about the people, places, and things in their world. Learning is sometimes a tricky topic to think about when it comes to toddlers, though. It is natural for parents to wonder about what types of things their toddlers should be learning and how they can ensure that their toddlers will be ready for school when the time comes. There are many, many DVDs, flash cards, and other products that … Continue reading →

Toddlers are Full of Surprises

Life with young children is certainly full of surprises. For example, you might find a surprise behind the sofa and wonder when your little one stashed it back there, because you can not remember the last time you had that type of snack in the house. There could be a surprise on the bathroom floor, because learning how to use the potty does not always guarantee that the potty will be used in the suggested manner. The other day, I found a surprise on one of the walls in the living room. At first I was in denial. No, it … Continue reading →

Parenting Can Change Your Perspective in Surprising Ways

This evening, I found myself doing something that I had never imagined myself doing. Lately, I have been spending the hour after the boys go to bed doing things just for me, like reading a book and relaxing with a cup of tea. Tonight was different, though. I spent that hour cleaning as much of my house as I could. At first, I felt like cleaning for that hour meant that I was giving up my precious leisure time. That thought did not make me happy. Later in the evening (after I had cleaned), I realized that tonight, cleaning my … Continue reading →

Testing the Limits

Lately, I have been doing a lot of thinking about toddlers (and preschoolers) and how they test limits. I try not to set too many rigid rules, and to choose my battles for the things that are truly important, such as respecting one’s self, other people, and the home that we live in. When I do try to set a limit for Dylan, I usually approach the subject in a kind and gentle way. I say “please”, and “thank you”. I empathize with him if he becomes upset about the limit. In short, I try to follow every piece of … Continue reading →

Thinking About Spring in the Middle of Winter

Today, as I was shopping at a drug store in town, I saw something that reminded me that it is time to begin gathering information about something fun that I want to do this spring and summer with my boys. As I walked by the end of one of the aisles, I noticed a display with supplies for starting seeds indoors. Is it really time for that already? It turns out that it is not quite time yet, but stores are always very far ahead of schedule when they put merchandise on the shelves. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, I … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Temperament : Part 2

Yesterday, I talked a little bit about how the difference between introverted and extroverted personalities can impact family life. Today, I will go into a little more detail about how parents can meet the temperamental needs of their children without ignoring their own temperamental needs. As I mentioned yesterday, I am an introvert. However, as a stay – at – home mom to a three year old and a ten month old, I am almost never alone. Ever. Because I need time to myself in order to feel my best, it is no wonder that I often feel exhausted and … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Temperament : Part 1

Do you sometimes feel a bit out of sync with your toddler? If you do, do not worry. It is perfectly normal for that to happen. One possible reason that you may feel that way is that each of you has your own unique temperament, and people with different temperaments have different needs. One way to think about temperament is to think about introverts and extroverts. I had to sit down and think about that this evening, because I had a pretty rough day. At the end of the day, I found myself wondering whether there was anything that I could … Continue reading →