Of course you're a cat, I can totally see that!
Does your toddler insist on wearing the same outfit all the time or do they prefer a particular colour cup? If so, fear not, it’s common for toddlers to become intensely interested in certain toys and objects while they develop their own interests and understanding of the world.
Toddlers love familiar things; they might have a favourite blanket, toy, book or colour. If they do, it is perfectly normal and developmentally appropriate.
Tools for your toddler when it comes to instructions
Your toddler will hear lots of requests and instructions every day. They can be straightforward, such as, “Find your coat,” or quite challenging, “Pop your teddy on the table next to the plate then come to me.” It's quite tricky for toddlers to understand longer instructions, so there are some basic things you can do when you talk to your toddler which will help them follow more complicated requests.
The ability to follow instructions is essential in life
Tips for encouraging talk with your toddler
Hearing your toddler talk and make sounds when they play is one of the cutest things. However, their talk can only be focused on the things they already know. We’ve got some ways to help you introduce new sounds and words, while also giving them new ideas for play.
This can be a toy phone, or an imaginary phone made using blocks, or any toy your toddler chooses. Try having a conversation on the phone when playing with your toddler. Talking on the phone while engaging in play creates a different world for them to feel part of.
Energy, fun and what to do with it!
And your toddler is off. Here comes another blast of energy... wouldn’t it be great if they could share some of it?! Yet children actually tire far quicker than adults,[1] they just might not recognise it. When your toddler’s energy seems limitless, here are some handy hacks to help you through...
Join them! Your energy levels may feel low but being energetic often brings with it more energy
Sleep... what’s that then?
Sleep is essential for our health. It's probably fair to say you've spent quite a lot of time worrying about your toddler's sleep and that your own sleep is still a work in progress. Going from monitoring your baby's sleep to monitoring your own sleep – is there such a thing as a good night's sleep?
Humankind has been interested in sleep for some time now and many different methods to promote sleep have been developed, whether that be a black-out blind, eye mask or the use of background noise.
‘Don’t forget, while you are busy doubting yourself, someone else is admiring your strength’ Kristen Butler*
Here’s a takeaway for you. Focus is often on the things we are not proud of; it’s part of human nature. Yet out there are plenty of people who are full of praise and admiration for you being you. Reflecting on ourselves in a different way might be the key to shifting the way we think. What would happen if your thoughts worked this way instead?
- If something goes wrong (in your eyes), it is seen as a learning curve.
- When you are utterly exhausted, you know it’s your time to rest.
- Believe that your thoughts are just that, they are not facts.
- Know there is no need to be perfect, you just need to be you (what is perfect anyway?)
- Think about what you would do, not what others would do. Trust yourself.
- You don’t need to justify yourself to anyone.
- Doing nothing is actually looking after yourself.
- Remember that this is YOUR life, and no one else's.
Shifting the way we think isn't always easy. It can take time, love, care and support. But taking a moment to focus on something good might just make your heart do a little flutter, and it feels great.
Your baby and responsive feeding – advice from Lucy Upton, Paediatric Dietician and Feeding Therapist
How much a baby or child is feeding, eating or drinking can be a big source of anxiety or worry for parents. It can be easy to get caught up with totting up milk feeds, volumes in bottles and comparing portion sizes when you start solids. Whether a baby is ‘getting enough’ is something that most parents worry about at some point in the early years.
What is responsive feeding?
Adjectives – what are they and why do we need them?
Adjectives help us to describe things and differentiate between things that may be similar. Your toddler might already be using some.
Sentences with adjectives are more meaningful
Is your toddler talking about themself in the third person?
The answer is most likely to be yes! Learning to use pronouns is quite tricky. Toddlers learn from the words they hear and so speak in the way they are spoken to. This often means they can get confused when learning to use pronouns.
What is a pronoun?
Just how does singing together build your toddler's resilience?
Your toddler's approaching that time in their life when they recognise songs and start singing along. It can be a fun time where you sing together and discover some new favourites. But did you know that while your toddler learns new songs and tries singing some of the words, they also build resilience?
Resilience is built by being surrounded by a loving stable environment, and singing together is ideal for providing time that feels safe and enjoyable for everyone
