At what age should you start teaching your child to be independent? Well, according to many experts it begins in the toddler years.
For many parents, letting their child, especially their toddler, make their own decisions feels a little scary. Surely at this age they aren’t the best judge of what they should and shouldn’t be doing?
You’ve spent the past couple of years feeding, dressing, bathing and generally taking care of your little one and letting go of that mindset is hard. To you, they will always be your baby, even when they are mid-tantrum, or running around causing havoc, surely there isn’t a lot your toddler can do for themselves anyway? Well, you might just be surprised!
Are you freaking out wondering how on earth you’re going to manage looking after a baby AND a toddler?
Toddlers are renowned for their tantrums
Parenthood is a journey, full of joy, fear, worry and stress. As soon as you give birth, life as you know it changes forever. From then on, you face all kinds of challenges that can be difficult to overcome. While every parenting stage is difficult, the toddler years present some of the biggest challenges you’ll ever face!
Sleep deprivation is something all new parents are far too familiar with. During the infant stage many parents suffer from endless, sleepless nights that slowly make you feel like you’re going insane, leaving you desperately wondering if they’re ever going to end. Then they do and its sheer bliss which forces you into a false sense of security. Because what many parents don’t realize is those sleepless, agonising nights are planning an epic comeback.
As the weather heats up, one of the best ways to stay cool and have fun with your toddler is to teach them how to swim. However, as many parents have tragically found out, teaching your little one to swim can have serious consequences if done incorrectly. Water safety is paramount and there are many mistakes you could end up making without realizing it.
Getting your toddler to eat healthily can be extremely difficult. Of course, all children are different. Therefore, some parents struggle a lot more than others to get their little one to eat anything remotely good for them. No doubt you’ve come across those parents who gleefully tell you about their child’s love of sprouts – making you feel like a complete failure as a mother.
When it comes to potty training, there’s one thing most parents can agree upon – it’s extremely hard work! Getting your little one used to taking off their diaper and relieving themselves in a potty is a lot harder than it seems.
One of the hardest parts of parenthood is those dreaded toddler tantrums which tend to start at the age of two. While extremely common and often just a daily part of parent-toddler life, it can be extremely difficult not to break down and lose your sanity after what feels like the millionth mini-meltdown of the week.