When it comes to the toddler years, parenting can become pretty confusing! One to 3-year-olds are just starting to develop skills like communication and dexterity, so they often think and act in ways that grown-ups don’t quite comprehend. That’s why it’s so important to know what’s going on in your toddler’s brain and body throughout this crucial learning period! Understanding what they’re going through can help you to better provide the care they need.
Sometimes, it might feel like your toddler’s behavior doesn’t make any sense. They loved peas yesterday, and now they won’t even take one bite? Well, it turns out that a lot of their quirks are actually connected to their development. Here are some of the things parents should definitely know about their toddlers.
1. They learn social skills from their imaginary friends.
Toddlers seem to live in a world of their own sometimes. However, even when they’re talking to themselves or playing pretend alone, they’re developing interpersonal skills that will help them during real life interactions.
2. Doodling is more important than it looks!
Did you know that when your toddler presents you with a picture of a circle or a triangle, it’s actually a crucial developmental marker? It means that they’re building up skills like hand-eye coordination and more!
3. They use both their right and left hands.
Typically, toddlers are ambidextrous. Later down the line, between the ages of two and three, they’ll establish a dominant hand.
4. Fussy eaters aren’t just being difficult.
It can be really frustrating when a toddler decides they don’t want the food you’ve prepared for them. While it may seem like there’s no rhyme or reason to their refusal to eat, it’s almost always because they’re going with their gut. And, since they’re still figuring out what they like, their preferences may change from time to time!
5. “Terrible Twos” is an expression for a reason.
Two-year-olds are notoriously difficult to manage, and there’s a scientific explanation for that. Year number two is actually the most active stage of development!
6. Just because they hit another child doesn’t mean they want to hurt them.
It might sound strange, but toddlers don’t always engage in violent behavior because they want to cause harm. Sometimes, they just want to know what will happen!
7. Talking is one of their favorite sounds.
We all know that toddlers love to repeat the words they hear; it’s why we have to watch our language around them! However, it’s not just because they want to imitate us. They also genuinely love the way speech sounds!
8. They’re starting to understand non-literal thinking.
A grown-up knows that “here comes the airplane,” doesn’t always mean a real airplane. Toddlers, however, are just starting to be on the same page! This is the stage of their life where they’ll develop the ability to understand symbolism.
9. They can be really sensitive to certain fabric textures.
Sometimes, when your toddler refuses to get dressed, it’s actually because they don’t like the way the clothes feel. However, other times they’re just asserting their autonomy!
10. They have better hearing than you do!
Did you know that toddlers can actually hear sounds that you can’t? Part of the reason for this is that our ears start to ignore certain frequencies as we get older.
Parenting a toddler can be tough, but it’s worth the effort to see them blossom into amazing people. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re pretty cute!
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