Toddlers are the most unfiltered and authentic people who are small , dependent and forever exploring new things . Cute little small people who don’t yet have the tools to regulate their emotions and who also have the most rapid brain development in progress.
But we adults see their trying to find sense of this world as toddlers throwing tantrums, pushing our buttons . Being difficult to trouble us, messy, always trying to test our limits. forever clingy and a little impolite.
I go back in time many times … when I see parents with their kids today. Reminiscing the same stage of my kids. Hated the word terrible twos even then. Wondering if they were really amazing years for me or I have forgotten the tough times . But no I don’t remember going crazy pulling my kids out of the power plugs or running after them endlessly . Rather I remember the block towers they made . The butterflies they chased , rolling down from park small hilltops, collecting leaves of different kinds from the garden and matching them, counting the stars in the sky , running after the moon to catch it, jump from the small sofas in our house , playing hide and seek etc etc . Okay some days might have been difficult but what worked was my being hands on , consistent routines of play, meal times, nap times and keeping them constructively busy.
Recounting here what did I do differently to now have memories of my two awesome beings they were then. I guess being a professional who understood child development and accepting the changes that toddler stage brings in and trying the best to make the most of them. Sharing here the understanding of the developmental milestones expected during the 2-3 years stage.
( These milestones are for 2-3 year olds. 3-4 year olds will be covered in the next blog post. Remember that milestones have a similar progression occurrence is most kids but exact time might vary from child to child )