What’s in a name? How your toddler’s name shapes who they are
Did you spend months before your baby was born choosing a name? Perhaps you’d had a name in mind for you baby even before pregnancy – or waited a few days after they were born to choose one that was just right for them. However you chose their name, and even if you now call them something different a lot of the time, names are an important part of who we are.
Sociologists are becoming increasingly interested in names, and how these relate to people’s experiences and how they are perceived. Taking a quick look at statistics about names in England and Wales you can see that there are trends in the names we use.
Balancing your toddler’s needs and your own – our tips for when you need some quiet time
Today’s generation of parents are more aware of the importance of good mental health and wellbeing than any other. You know that your toddler needs your calm presence when they’re overwhelmed – and you probably won’t be using the naughty step anytime soon! Does this mean you can’t let them know when you need some space? We’re here to tell you why it’s ok to tell your toddler you are having some time doing something else – and how to do it in a gentle and reassuring way.
Your toddler learns a lot about the world, not from what you say but from what you do. They will watch you and copy your actions, whether that is pretending to make a meal, take a selfie or message a friend. They will also notice how you look after your wellbeing and respond to your emotions and copy that too.
Your toddler: the great pretender!
It's possible that pretend play is starting to become a regular part of your toddler's fun. As they whizz round the house, starting one thing and then another, you might see signs of new thoughts and ideas weaving into their play. It’s around now that your toddler’s understanding of the world is beginning to grow and expand, and they’re increasingly able to absorb the things they see and hear around them.
For the most part of their lives, your toddler will have spent their time playing with you and other family members.
Associative play – a bridge towards making friends
You might not remember how you made friends when you were little, we kind of just know we had them. Becoming friends is a long, steady process, with ups and downs along the way. Your toddler won’t know what a friend is just yet, or what it means to be friends, but they are beginning to show interest in others who enjoy doing the same things as they do. What a great start for them!
Having the same interests helps your toddler create connections with others
A deeper look into how your child 'learns how to behave’
As you follow your child’s journey in the app, you will find lots of activities, tips and information linked to supporting their behaviour. We thought it might be helpful to have a bit of an overview of the skills involved in ‘learning how to behave’ and some practical ideas about what you can do to help.
Social, emotional and cognitive skills and ‘learning how to behave’
Build your toddler’s self-esteem every day
We know parents have an important role to play in building children’s self-esteem – and your toddler is amazing (of course!), but is it possible to praise them too much and if it is, what can you do instead?
Psychologists Eddie Brummelman and Constantine Sedikides have looked at how we develop our sense of who we are, and what parents can do that raises self-esteem (without encouraging narcissism).
Five books about families
Looking at books can be a great way to chat about all the things families enjoy doing together, and about who is in your family. Here are some stories we love.
One Family by George Shannon and Blanca Gomez
Not just a ‘well done!’ – positive parenting is more than praise
Researchers have found that positive parenting practices support young children to develop self-regulation and social skills – but what are exactly are they?
You might have read articles, or heard people talking, about self-regulation (noticing and regulating our emotions, thoughts and responses). This is often something that comes up in relation to emotions. But developing self-regulation is also linked to cognitive and behaviour skills.
Boundaries and choices – some tips to find the balance for you and your toddler
Your toddler will be much more aware of their own wants and needs now, including their desire for autonomy. It's something we all have: to feel we can make decisions about the things that happen to us. Fulfilling their need to be in control is important, but may also cause frustration for you both. Balancing choices and boundaries can help
Give choices when you can
Sharing could make your toddler feel happy – but only if you don’t make them do it!
Most of us experience our toddler either snatching a toy from another child, or having their toy taken – followed by someone being hit, crying, shouting or screaming. What is great to hear if you’re wondering about helping your toddler to share, is that researchers found sharing makes children happier – but there are a few things that need to be in place for that to be the case![1]
Sharing when there are lots of something might be easier at first
