Toddler

Physical activity of your toddler

As mentioned above, every child should make exercising a habit of their lifestyle; your kid should exercise for at least 60 minutes every day. Break this stretch into 10 or 15 minutes slot.

Here are some of the fun exercises for your little joy.

• Chasing or dancing.
• Bouncing, kicking, hitting, etc.
• Balloon Badminton.
• Big painting. You can roll a ball on a white sheet; it’s fun.
• Make them walk on pillows.
• Stomp and catch.
• Wrapping paper scraps.
• Easy obstacle course indoors.

For toddler who cannot walk

Spread a blanket and let your toddler roll, crawl, creep and finally, learn to sit.

For toddlers who have just learnt to walk – ensure to keep them out of their pram most of the time.

You must find those activities he/she is interested in; don’t force them to do anything they don’t want to. But you should never encourage them to do sedentary tasks like watching television, playing video games, etc. Otherwise, this would gradually become a habit.

You must call the doctor immediately if –

• The toddler feels pain after engaging in physical activity.
• He/she refuses to engage or interact with others.

Kids active at a young age are less at risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, etc. in their adulthood. So, take care of your toddler from the very initial days.

Major upbringing aspects of a toddler

While riding in this ecstatic journey of bringing up your toddler, as a parent, there are certain things you need to do right.

Potty training

Toilet training is considered as a milestone in child development. For some toddlers, it’s just a matter of few days and for others, it can take months and more at times. Much like many other things you teach, this is also a process with levels of learning. However, note that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

What’s the correct age to start?

Although it’s different for every toddler, the standard time is between 18 and 32 months. Experts suggest parents not to be desperate. They must ensure a patient move towards self-reliance.

Things to consider:

Consider the following factors to make the process easier.

Put your toddler into a daily routine

Once a day before a bath or after breakfast, make your toddler sit on the potty seat. Gradually, he/she will get used to the feel and habit.

Your child should be ready for the process

Above all, the tiny toddler should be willing for your potty training. Here’s a checklist for assessing their readiness.

• Regular bowel movements.
• A fair amount of urination at a time.
• Has 2 hours of dry sessions (at least).
• Steady in running and walking.
• Can pull pants up and down.
• Sits quietly in a place for at least 2 minutes.
• Showing interest in bathroom habits.
• Must have their own words of stool and urine.

Bed-wetting

It is a common issue with almost every toddler, but that’s perfectly normal until they are in their early school years. But it’s always better to start the training process.

Few things like assessing their drinking habits, taking them for a few bathroom trips before finally going to bed can help. But ensure not to make toddlers ashamed of what they have done.

Make brushing a habit

While they are 18 months old, you can safely give them low fluoride toothpaste (just a pea-size amount, not more). Gradually, they’ll make it into a habit.

• Stand behind them in front of a mirror.
• Teach them, to follow their brushing methods.
• Make sure; your free hand is supporting your child’s chin.

Teeth come out in different order for different toddlers. But usually, by 3 years of age, you can see milk teeth coming out. Start the cleaning process right from the beginning. You can also use a face washer to clean gums.

Teaching good behavior tips

This is the time when your toddler needs the best guidance on learning behaviour, habits and manners. Check the following tips to teach him good behavior.

• Teach them polite words: Start teaching your toddler kind words from the very initial stages. A 2-year-old toddler can easily learn to say thank you and please. They might be too young to grasp the meaning of these terms, but they will at least be aware of their importance.

• Time to teach them name-calling: Make your toddlers recognize their names. Start using their names before asking to do something. By doing so, they will gradually learn to use dad or mum before making requests.

• Don’t scold or yell; be polite: Infants are parrot learners. They learn everything they hear instantly. So, if you scold or yell at your kid, most likely he will do the same. Instead, control your urge to shout and make the little one understand politely.

• Divert attention: You can divert his/her attention to something else, instead of scolding. For instance, if your infant is trying to climb the staircase, you can gently make him/her sit on a mat and engage in some play together.

• Set limits: According to child psychologists, giving in to kid’s demands for ‘just this one time’ only inspires them for a new fit next time. Hence, parents must teach them these family rules, setting limits from the initial stages.

• Acknowledge your toddler: When amidst a crowd in some gathering, ignoring your toddler can simply invite misbehavior and trouble. The little one will anyway manage to break through to you, making a nuisance of himself/herself. Rather, acknowledge this tiny member’s presence and let her be with you so that she also learns socializing.
• ‘No’ is not always the right approach: Directly saying ‘no’ to everything your toddler does or asks for will make the infant aggressive or adamant. You must save the negative for the right moment and try to be positive. Instead of commanding the baby in a loud voice with a ‘no’, give a choice that can divert their preference. Keep a positive approach.

Don’ts for you

Parenthood – it’s new to you too. Hence, few habits are there that as parents, both of you need to change. Never do the following with your toddler.

• Criticizing their behavior.
• Saying them ‘wrong’; behavior or manner can be bad, but your child cannot be.
• Reasoning or arguments are bad signals for infants. They are too immature to understand.
• Behaving aggressively (jerking arms, shaking the child, pulling by their hair).
• Children never entertain nagging; so, don’t do.

Handling toddler temper tantrums

How are you going to handle crying, stiffening limbs, screaming, kicking, and other aggressive moves of your kid? Well, tantrums are common in 1 to 3 years of a toddler.

1. Parents need to stay calm or at least pretend to. Getting angry or screaming at the toddler can only worsen the situation.
2. Keeping your voice calm, you must first have a talk with your little boy/girl.
3. Try to eliminate tantrum triggers like stress, anxiety, temperament, situations they can’t cope up with, fear, shame, anger or any such high
4. Watch for other possible signs that might be stressing the young brood.
5. Be soft but firm.

The other thing to keep in mind when you are helping your toddler brood to develop with an outshining personality is to help them socialise. Of course, it is important to keep a constant eye of concern on your child, but that should certainly not stop your infants from meeting new people, making friends and learning to bloom the different shades of development.

According to Child Specialists, it is imperative for your young juvenile to mingle with others for getting a sense of self-confidence, learning to be humble and trigger the emotional aspects better. They also recommend having at least a pet at home while your child is growing up. Why? It makes them extremely responsible and teaches them the lesson to ‘share’.

Infancy – The phase wherein every step, the young one learns something new, and you get to witness that bliss. The idea of grooming your reflection as an individual is the proudest achievement; you have the option to leave the mark of your presence to the next generation. Give them their space and the time to adjust. A little freedom and loving support can ensure a smooth toddler year for your sweet tiny tot.