The next time you think your child is "just playing," think again. Play has a fundamental role in your child's development. Find out why play is as vital -- or even more vital -- than reading, writing, and arithmetic.
You want your child to behave, and while it may not always be evident, he wants this, too! In fact, when discipline is provided with consistency and love, it helps your little one feel secure. How to accomplish this? Read on!
Bedtime Chatting Does your toddler talk to himself in his cot? Do you ever eavesdrop on his bedtime monologues? It can be very funny – if you can make sense of his babbles, that is! Increasingly this year your child will use his time alone to go through and work out the events of the day, repeating phrases he has heard and reenacting moments that struck him as important.
Stepping Out How is the walking practice going? Has your toddler mastered the skill yet, or is he still stepping out with legs wide apart, veering to the side like a little drunk and putting that padded nappy to good use with frequent tumbles? Becoming a biped is tricky and requires a lot more coordination than you might realise!
The Importance of Fun Question: How does your toddler learn about the world? Answer: Through play. It's that simple. Every event, object and action, seen through your child's eyes, is an opportunity for fun, and it's through engaging with the world while playing that she finds out about it.
First Year Recap In the past twelve months, your baby has undergone an amazing amount of growth and development. She has trebled in body wieght, has started to talk and has learned to move around on her own. Socially, too, she has taken huge strides, becoming an active member of the family and finding out how to respond to people in the wider world. So what's in store for the year to come?
My son has just turned 1, but he still prefers crawling to walking. He's been pulling himself up since 7 months and could stand and walk short distances with no problem at 9 months. Can I do anything to encourage walking?
In Germany, where we're from, children learn to walk barefoot. But a shoe shop in the UK told me doctors here recommend children learn with shoes for better balance. Should I let my 9-month-old learn to walk in shoes?
My son is 14 months old and if he doesn't get what he wants, he throws a terrible tantrum, throwing himself on the ground or hitting out at whoever happens to be near. Help! What can I do to stop this terrible behaviour?
The Meaning of Games You can find out a lot about your child by watching and listening to him play. Clues to new skills and developing intelligence can be found in the games he makes up with his toys. Does he sort them into groups, add voices to figures, re-enact events that recently took place and test the properties of object? If so, what does that tell you about his development?
Tears and Smiles After a period of separation, be it half an hour or a whole day, your baby may react to your return in conflicting ways, seeming happy one minute and distressed the next. This is normal and healthy – it indicates that the bond you've created is strong and that with you she feels safe enough to be able to express her emotions freely. So how should you react to this release of emotion?
Sorting out Sibling Jealousy Now that baby is taking a more active role in the family, your older child may start to resent her intrusion. Children react to sibling rivalry in different ways, and responses usually takes a few months to surface. Some become withdrawn and quiet while others respond with anger or revert to babyish behaviours. Part of your job as parents is to help your children develop a positive sibling relationship.
Little Helping Hands It's never too early to start teaching your child the importance of helping around the house and being responsible. At this age, he's ready to participate in simple tasks and should be encouraged to tidy up his toys when he's finished playing with them. And when you're in the company of others, or out and about in a public place, point out the gestures of politeness that people make – such as holding doors open or greeting one another upon arrival – so that it becomes second nature to him. In time, he'll hopefully mimick this behaviour without even thinking about it.
Word Play Combining words into sentences is not nearly as easy as you might think. It involves complicated rules and an understanding of grammar that we, as adults, take for granted. But for your child, making sentences is a real challenge. Think about it for a minute. Look at any sentence in this newsletter and consider all the different ways in which the words could be ordered. It's no wonder that learning language involves a lot of trial and error. But interestingly, there are certain grammatical mistakes that your child will never make, because before he even started to combine words he had already mastered some of the basics of grammar.
Blue Versus Pink At this point in her life, you toddler is probably just as happy to play with dolls as she is with toy cars. Her gender awareness has yet to develop. But look more closely over the next few months and you'll start to notice little habits and preferences that are more clearly girl-like - in the way she chooses to play, for instance, and in her emotional responses to situations.
Our 2 1/2-year-old daughter is very easy-going and generous in nature (which is fantastic!). However, during play we have noticed regularly that other children take the toys she is playing with. She doesn't seem to be able to stand up for herself (although verbally she is very proficient) and take them back. Instead she just cries, forcing someone to intervene. In the past we have let children take things from her, choosing not to fight all her battles. However, we are now concerned that she is just going to become a "pushover". She seems to be an overly sensitive child. Do you have any suggestions?
It happens to the best of parents: Teary good-byes that break your heart. What should you do when separation anxiety strikes? Learn how your own issues influence your child and how a good-bye ritual can help.
How can we get our 18-month-old to drink from a cup?
My 16-month-old son welcomed his new baby sister home a month ago and seemed to love her instantly. Now he's very upset. He won't eat like he used to and throws tantrums. I tried to introduce them properly by letting him touch her and show her all his toys. I try to pay equal attention to both except for breastfeeding the new baby and not my son. He recently stopped being breastfed. Is there anything I can do to help him?
Eating, sleeping, and discipline are the usual hot topics at this visit. Meanwhile, fidgety toddlers may fuss and protest being examined. For tips on getting your little one to cooperate, read on!
Sibling Solutions As you plan for the actual labour and birth spare a thought for the other little person in the house to whom this is all a big inconvenience and upheaval. As you know from past experience, labour, once it kicks in, is an all-consuming affair, and it's easy to overlook small details on the day. So take some time now to think of ways to make the actual day of your baby's birth a positive and memorable event for your child.
My son is 28 months old and we have a hard time dressing him. He only wants to wear pyjamas. What can we do?
Child Play's the Thing! Children learn from each other. Even though at this age your toddler isn't ready to actually play cooperatively with another child, spending time with peers allows her to discover many important things - how to share toys, how to predict and understand other toddlers' behaviour, how to use objects in new ways and how to have fun with others.
Your little one still has lots to figure out about the world and the people in it. One thing that's pretty much settled, though, is Mummy's role: Mummy is her Mummy, and that's that. Now it’s time to broaden this view.
Is there any standard guideline for attention span in children? What would be the appropriate attention span for a 16-month-old child?
Does your baby turn towards new sounds? Does your toddler follow simple directions? Learn how questions like these can help you test your child's hearing and what you should do if you suspect a problem.
How do you raise a strong, confident child? From creating a secure environment, to setting limits, to celebrating your little one's accomplishments, here are 11 ways to boost your child's self-esteem.
I am interested in receiving information regarding indicators of gifted children. My son is 15 1/2 months old and has a vocabulary of 140 words, and he adds more words every day. He is zipping through his motor milestones as well. He can unlock the "childproof" cabinet locks, too. I am curious to find out whether this is usual behaviour for a baby his age, and I would like suggestions on how to further facilitate his development.
My baby will be a year old in a few weeks and still will not eat by himself. He has absolutely no interest in even trying finger foods. He just throws everything on the floor. I show him how to pick it up and eat it; I stop his hand and say, "Don't throw. We eat the carrots, apples or whatever", but he throws it and just cries until I feed him from the spoon. Should he be eating by himself by now? If so, what can I do to encourage/help him? Will my continuing to feed him pose any eating problems later on?
