Your baby is becoming a toddler and continuing to grow and develop.
They will:
- start to comfort themselves but still need comfort from you to help manage their feelings
- continue to enjoy getting praise and attention from you
- start to test limits and may have temper tantrums, including becoming more difficult to put to bed
- start understanding that others might think differently to them
- have more interest in children their own age
- still find sharing toys with other children difficult
Having a nurturing relationship with your toddler shows them how to:
- make friends and express their feelings
- cope with frustrations
- trust others, show kindness to others and develop a sense of right and wrong
Help your child to build self esteem and confidence
Toddlers like to walk, move around more and explore. This is an exciting time for them. But they don't understand danger and may have falls or accidents. An adult should watch them at all times.
You can help your toddler build their self esteem and confidence by doing the following:
- Make sure they can see you - toddlers often look back at you as they explore their environment.
- Respond to them - when you respond to your toddler, it shows them that they are important.
- Have a daily routine - routines help your toddler feel safe and in control.
- Show kindness and affection - this builds trust and a sense of security.
- Play with them - toddlers should spend a lot of their time playing.
- Praise their efforts - this builds their confidence and encourages them to try new ideas.
During play, toddlers should try and do things by themselves, with some help from you when needed. This helps your toddler become confident in problem-solving.
Comfort your toddler if they are having trouble coping. Talk to them about their feelings.
