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Around the age of two a child enters a phase in which she suddenly has to deal with his impulses
Desires and needs in the world around him
This new period in his life can sometimes seem difficult for both parent and child
Specialists call this phase of self-affirmation the first adolescence
It is essential to meet it with success and ease because it is one of the most important in the lives of all human beings
The video cassette the wonderful terrible twos
Proposes to show parents in a simple and efficient way the actions and behaviors that will help them and their children get through this crucial stage
smoothly
To make using this video cassette easier each chapter is identified by a picture and a number that will allow you to easily
Retrieve it for future screenings the number and the title of each chapter also appear on the box of your video cassette
Frequently parents are uncertain how to handle new situations as they arise
This latest stage in their child's development seems to have suddenly transformed their precious angel into a miniature devil
It helps to keep two things in mind this period is temporary and shouldn't last more than one year and
Despite appearances the twos are a positive phase in a child's development
Video parents does not presume to replace the advice of doctors or specialists
But proposes a simple timely approach for families to integrate into the many daily life situations
They face as pleasantly as possible
Between the ages of 18 months and three years the child realizes. There is a great big world out there
He's eager to discover learn and taste these new joys
He becomes a super sleuth who scouts out searches and inspects everything he finds in his domain
One minute he may be content looking at books with his mommy
Then all of a sudden he's overcome by an urge to test the books binding or to tear the pages to see what will happen
Up until this point his caregivers controlled all situations
But now the child aspires to take control of his own young life
The sooner his parents accept and understand this the sooner the child develops a sense of his own power and self-assurance
But the smooth evolution of his personality is in jeopardy if all his attempts at self-affirmation are blocked or broken by his parents
Parents are justified in finding this period difficult often the child doesn't really know herself what she wants
But that doesn't stop her desire to do things alone and to believe that she's capable of doing them
And at this age she is usually unable to express her intentions so very often she ends up saying no
In his social relations the young child sometimes puts his parents in awkward situations
By shying away from other children or adults he already knows
He proves his independence through disobedience
Either by refusing mom and dad or doing whatever it is he wants to do
For the parents what's really at stake in this period is successfully fostering the autonomy of the child
While teaching her limits which guarantee her safety
These limits signify to her that she must learn to take others into account and to control her excitement sometimes
The child is not necessarily sure of himself even if he says he's not sure of himself
His quest for power often results in displays of stubbornness, being overly demanding or cranky
The need for control can rapidly transform him into a little tyrant
Take into account the phase he's going through and that his capacity to wait, share or part with things is minimal
For parents patience is an essential element for managing the behavior of their child
Even if this trying period seems unending as you're going through it, don't despair, it won't last forever
The two-year-old needs to find her bearings in any situation she encounters
She expects certain things
She always wants her stories to be told in the same manner, to find the same dolly in her bed
And to eat with the same plate at the same place at the table
In fact, she thrives on the security that all these rituals give her
Children are more or less easy to raise when they are young
Children are more or less easy to raise because of their temperament
It's up to the parents to figure out and understand this temperament
And to find the winning formula to nourish a satisfying relationship with her
At this age, everything he has to say is expressed through his body
And it is normal that the average child exhibits a certain degree of negativism and rebellion whatever his temperament
This should be interpreted as nothing more than a passage toward greater maturity and not his true personality
The child of two regards inanimate objects as if they were other people and treats them as such
She may talk to or cuddle up to a flower
In a supermarket or a department store, he may run down the aisles and reach for and take objects off the shelves
This behavior may bother his parents and possibly upset the store staff
A two-year-old who touches, twists or drops everything he finds within reach has little charm to them
Another characteristic of the two-year-old is the narrow field for comprehension and her immaturity
For example, she will struggle to close a door without realizing that there is something preventing it from closing
Her ability to see more than one thing at a time is minimal
He controls his physical capabilities well enough to give him confidence he is able to accomplish tasks that crop up in his perpetual research
He has become a curious little wanderer who has begun to steer himself toward the long path to self-autonomy when he will finally master his own life
When the child enters this period, she is not open to group relations and doesn't integrate easily into any social structure
Even if she likes to play with other children, her underlying tendency toward independence results in parallel play rather than actual interaction with others
In fact, in social relations, mother is her first choice and she always needs to feel her presence
But often, mommy isn't in an easy position. She is indispensable in his circle of caregivers
and at the same time is his reference, his favorite toy and often his scapegoat
He experiments with his power and the limited control that he has over his particular independence on her
Fortunately, this doesn't last forever and the child will soon return to an attitude easier to handle
She needs help. She is not yet capable of doing things by herself
So mommy or daddy must know when to judiciously extend the help she needs and when to leave her alone to discover and accomplish things by herself
The child likes it when we actively participate in his games. He doesn't like it when we direct him or obstruct his activities
Instead of dictating what he should do, it's better to show him how to do things by example
At this age, he loves to imitate grown-ups and wants to do the same things they do
A close role with daddy is very important to the child
He represents a genuine partner who supports the child's self-assertion and self-sufficiency
and helps him to build a world beyond his mother
A child who has a good relationship with his father will also be able to separate himself from his mother more easily
will feel less powerless in her presence and less alone when she's not there
Before the age of two, people and objects which are not present in the world are not present in the world
People and objects which left his field of vision cease to exist for him
The child now holds on to the memory of people and objects with which he's familiar even when he no longer sees them
Exploration of the world is her main focus. Often, she is not content to only look
She must touch, smell, sense and feel
Nothing escapes her curiosity, often at the expense of the patience of those accompanying her
But his need for exploration is not restricted to the world of reality
He also explores his imagination, a world that only he can see and understand and doesn't yet have the tools to express
The two-year-old needs to control all that surrounds him, including his own imagination
In fact, the imagination is a precious tool for the two-year-old
This secret universe is impossible for her parents to visit
It's here where the child resolves internal conflicts and finds compensation for her frustrations
While he may already seem very clever and skillful, the child of two still lacks coordination
How this clumsiness affects him directly depends on his temperament
In some cases, he won't seem to notice at all
In others, he'll fly into a tantrum because what he wanted to do didn't happen
Don't dwell on these reactions. The child's physical aptitudes improve rapidly day by day
Frustrations born of learning are fleeting and it's not necessary to hold them in check too firmly
Through the strength of trying and repeatedly attempting the same activity, the child eventually achieves success
The biggest joys for her and her caregivers will come from successfully coordinated physical movements
Two years of age also marks the beginning of a need for freedom, most often expressed by the desire to play outdoors
Once a child begins to develop her capacity for speech, she has already developed her capacity to think
But while her ideas may be clear, finding the words to express them is still a little beyond her grasp
His difficulty in expressing himself can sometimes impede good communication between parent and child
Not being understood can bring on a tantrum, which makes the child feel cut off
and can subject him to his parents' impatience who don't understand why he's become so angry
Knowing how to listen is an art that all parents can develop. Don't push.
Wait for her to find the right word and reassure her that you understand clearly before reacting
This helps her to develop her confidence and eventually her capacity to communicate
Play constitutes an excellent medium to develop language in a two-year-old
Take advantage of any opportunities which present themselves to teach the child new words that may be useful in his daily life
The child must feel that he can pose questions continually and that his caregivers are always available to respond to him
This way, that child maintains the desire to express herself and to make herself understood to her caregivers
The child needs to understand her parents are there to listen to her and are available for her to draw on to make herself understood whenever she needs them
A two-year-old runs around non-stop, but through all this movement she learns
Physical activity like other forms of play is very important for her physical and intellectual development
He is preoccupied with his body. It's the focal point of his experiences and he measures himself by his physical successes and failures
In other words, whenever she achieves a success on a physical level, that success reflects on her sense of self-worth and value
The two-year-old continually challenges himself to test his limits and meets with greater or lesser success
He feels that he will end up accomplishing his goal and his distress at not meeting it right away is soon replaced by the joy of pushing his limits a little further each day
He knows that he is capable and that motivates and fuels his desire to continue
Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, there is little difference between the development of girls and boys
Generally, boys are bigger than girls, but girls are usually more advanced in motor skills and have a tendency to be more verbal
Parents need to closely monitor the neuromotor development of their child in order to be able to determine whether he may have a significant lag in development
For example, at two years he should be able to climb stairs one step at a time without help or turn a doorknob
Not all children develop at the same rate and there is no cause for alarm if the child lags behind by six months in a group of other children of the same age
In cases where a child's development lags behind longer than six months, consult a pediatrician
The child progresses in time due to his unflagging and continual experiments and also thanks to the support and encouragement of his parents
The attitude of the parents, the comments of his family and caregivers have a direct impact on the child's self-image and as a result on the development of his abilities
Positive comments yield a positive self-image
From the age of two years, the child actively explores his environment, not only visually, but physically
He flexes his muscles and perceives smells and sounds sharply
This time is ideal to help develop his understanding of time and space or in other words to nourish the roots of his intelligence
Around two and a half years she begins to see that events follow each other in time
She understands simple chronology, for example if she's told she can keep playing after eating
On the other hand, he is not able to differentiate between events in the immediate past and those that happened a long time ago
To help him acquire the notion of time passing, it's good to give him points of reference, like at noon we are going to eat
Or after you put your shoes on, we're going to the park
Or you can play with your truck again tomorrow after your big sleep
From two years on, the child also begins to grasp the notion of space
He knows what here and there mean and may ask where his car is when he doesn't see it any longer
At this age, she no longer ambles along at random
Once she sets off, it's toward a precise goal and she enjoys recognizing which street to take to get to the park, for example
Through play, the child of two easily comprehends the notion of movement
He is already grasped in front of and behind, above and below
It's more difficult for a child of this age to integrate the concepts of underneath or beside into her activities
But they will come with time and repetition
As well, the notion of numbers isn't yet very clear in her mind
But she easily distinguishes between singular and plural
Often when holding one block, she is able to say two blocks when presented with a second
Children do not all evolve at the same speed, but all require consistency and regularity
It not only gives them security, but greatly enhances their learning
To the best of your ability, schedule all the activities in the day in an order that's habitual and foreseeable
It's less frustrating for a two-year-old to know in advance how the events in a day are going to unfold
That's why whatever you do as part of the regular routine, it should be practical and easy to repeat from day to day
Beware of being too indulgent
Once something is introduced into a daily ritual, it is difficult to retract
Between 18 and 36 months, the child imitates the behavior she observes during the day in her play
And her sexual identity is acquired through this
The little boy then plays at being a man and the little girl at being a woman
Depending on whether the roles of the mother and father are stereotypical or not, children can learn to copy more than one behavior
If they wish, parents may favor those behaviors which are not predetermined
The little girl doesn't have to play with the dolly, neither is it forbidden to her brother
However, there are distinctive characteristics in children of both sexes
Little boys are generally louder, provoke more quarrels, take more risks, and have more of an independent attitude
They are often more difficult to educate and may demonstrate a certain lag in their learning in comparison to females of the same age
Females are generally more hardy and more fit, but inversely may be more passive, obedient, and conforming
Contrary to boys, they are more interested in people than objects
They are more sensitive in their reactions to others and retain names much more readily
Scientifically, no difference in IQ has ever been established between boys and girls of this age
But while girls excel in the formation of oral concepts, boys tend to focus more on building and being physical
When approaching the age of three, children become aware of the difference between the sexes
Parents should understand that it's healthy and normal for their children to make this important discovery
It is also normal for a little boy to pull on his penis from time to time
Just as it is perfectly normal for a little girl to discreetly explore the sensations she gets from manipulating her genital area
The first signs of modesty coincide with the age of toilet training, which can be anywhere from 18 months to three years
A combination of instinct and dignity might make him demand certain personal requirements like the need for privacy
It's very important that the family respect his request for privacy and recognize that from now on the child is a person unto himself
Most children between the ages of two and three affirm their independence by saying no
Psychologists term this curious behavior as negativism
It's the terrible age when parents may question why they ever wanted a child in the first place
In fact, whatever the child of this age is opposed to matters less to him than the act of putting himself against his caregivers
He's testing his desires against those of other words, in short, asserting himself
Of course it's not always easy to stay calm faced with this attitude
But if parents react strongly to this transitory phase rather than discouraging it, they risk encouraging the negativism they find so disconcerting
Rest assured that the so-called little monster doesn't necessarily expect to be taken seriously every time he says no
At times he may simply be testing his limits, at other times he may be very serious
It is important to be able to distinguish the difference
There are simple tricks you can do to avoid these conflicts
Using your judgment you can turn a deaf ear to some of his nose
Next, don't ask him if he wants to do something, but direct him toward an activity
If he refuses, divert his attention by employing a little imagination and turning whatever it is you want him to do into a little game
It is particularly important to remember that learning how to give and take nos is one of the building blocks of self-discipline
And that the age of negativism is in reality an age of self-affirmation
Soon enough he'll be expressing his self-confidence with a resounding yes
His adverse behavior can touch all aspects of family life, getting dressed, bedtime, mealtime, party training
For the parents, striving to achieve a balance between allowing the child to develop his personality and teaching him to respect his boundaries and not to overstep them can be a real battle of nerves
These boundaries are important. They signify to her that she must take the needs or desires of others into account
The main reason for these limits is not to make the child feel guilty or learn that she has to submit
Rather they are necessary to help her better integrate into society
If at times attention is high, don't take his nose personally. He's not defying you or rejecting your authority
He's discovering the important process of self-emergence, whereas parents leave off and he begins
Some psychologists describe temper tantrums as a safety valve
Others say it's an easy way to express a mood or a frustration
Each theory is valid, but none give a solution to the problem
Should we repress temper tantrums, ignore them, or simply suffer through them?
There are times when no strategy is effective to deal with an actual problem
Why did he have a tantrum? What frustrated her?
Often the reason is not yet having enough vocabulary to express herself
So she throws herself on the floor, kicks her feet, or throws something
Most children succumb to one or two tantrums a week during this period
That can seem like a lot, but when we put it into perspective, from the age of two years,
the child is confronted with all kinds of limits imposed by his caregivers
He is obliged to adapt, change, and behave
He must share his toys, eat properly, not climb everywhere, tidy his things, and all the while stay in good humor
The question all parents ask is what do we do when confronted with a tantrum?
While it's true that children feel more secure in an environment where consistent, precise limits have been established,
most will test their ability to push these limits as far as they can go
When a child launches into a tantrum, be firm and let him know his behavior is unacceptable
The moment the parents begin to bargain with their child to get him to behave, problems arise
During the tantrum, parents must absolutely stay as calm and firm as possible
Next, remove the child from a public place. He needs seclusion and support in a more tranquil setting
It may take a little while for the child's temper to subside
Until that happens under no circumstances should you tolerate any battery
If he tries to hit or kick, hold his legs firmly without force to prevent him
When the child is finally calm, he'll need to be comforted
His parents' firmness has shown him these bullies are not a good fit for him
His parents' firmness has shown him these borders are not to be crossed
He now needs to know that his parents still love him
Constant or frequent tantrums can be a sign of great fatigue or a health problem
In this case, consult a pediatrician or a family doctor
But most often tantrums indicate that the parents haven't yet discovered the cause of discomfort to the child
Are there too many restrictions and limitations imposed upon him for one small child?
He needs enough attention, approval and affection every day
Because children at this age only have a few words at their disposal to express themselves
and because they don't yet speak very quickly, parents have to be very attentive
Parents can also discourage the conditions that set up tantrums
Warn your child ahead of time before you take him away from his game
Avoid overstimulation and assess whether your restriction is really necessary
This may ward off the frustrations that lead to tantrums
During the stage called the first adolescence, the control normally imposed by parents is translated into discipline
Of course, parental discipline is more than simply limitations imposed on a child
It's a learning tool that in the future will be the basis for self-discipline in the child
Some parents arm themselves with patience, subjugate their needs and cater to the child
Beware of excessive leniency. Letting yourself be taken advantage of is like setting a time bomb
with the explosion of an out of control child to deal with later on
We must delineate the difference between feelings and actions
A child can control his actions, but he can't control his feelings
For example, he can't keep himself from being frustrated, but he is able to control himself
and not kick in the midst of a tantrum or throw something when he's upset
At two years, the child is able to make a rough outline of reason between his desire and his anticipated results
For example, your child teeters on a chair to reach an object
without raising your voice, but with conviction. Tell him, if you keep doing what daddy doesn't want you to do
you'll have to think about it in the corner
Another example, if you keep making noise with your truck, I will take it away from you
By giving him a choice, he is obliged to reason things out and make a decision
To help him think about it, he must now know with certainty that if he chooses to be disobedient
the warning he's going to receive will be followed through with action
If he doesn't want to play nicely with his truck, it must be taken away from him without hesitation in a serious manner
Without a doubt, this will trigger cries and tears, but parents must remain calm and resolute
After a few minutes, comfort him in your arms
He needs to be told that you love him, but that he did something that he shouldn't have
That's why mommy took his truck away
You can add that if he behaves well, he'll get his truck back
Within a few months, the repetition of similar situations may allow the child to acquire the self-control needed
to be able to begin to control her impulses
By making peace without yielding, the child comes to understand little by little what is required
and what things are not negotiable
During this phase, when he experiments with his power over certain objects and people
it is important to help the child to discover that he also has control over himself
He can decide to obey
When he does, he joyfully learns the discovery of a new power, making his parents happy
A child doesn't learn how to obey by having someone break him
Rather, it happens by encouraging his ability to reason
and find acceptable solutions himself
It's not easy, and there's no magic formula
Each situation is as unique as each child
We must feel our way through, and remember that the child alone is not to blame when it comes to discipline
Parents represent authority, the supreme power
If they become angry over one annoying incident, the child has succeeded in manipulating them
The position of parental power is no longer as strong
She has found their Achilles heel
Authority, then, depends largely on remaining calm
Showing a bit of irritation won't be harmful if it doesn't happen too often
In fact, it may give the child the feeling that this time she has gone too far
If parents seldom get very angry, the child understands immediately that she's stepped out of line when they do
There are several essential rules which must be taken into account in disciplining your child
First, you must explain, but don't discuss
If the child protests or refuses to cooperate, continue to explain calmly
And if she doesn't comply, make her obey by guiding her to do what you want
For example, put her back into her stroller
Don't yell. This indicates that she has been successful in bothering her parents
Instead, talk gently to her, try to distract her, direct her towards something else of interest in a way that allows her to save face
Be careful about automatically picking on your child
At two years, she can very well tell the difference between a restriction and being bullied
In fact, being picked on too often can result in either automatic opposition and aggression, or the opposite, provoke passivity
The aggression, just like the passivity, are both disruptive to the healthy development of the personality and the future of the child
Among the different ways of making a child understand that he has misbehaved or gone beyond permissible boundaries is the old-fashioned spanking
Specialists argue over the instructive value of a spanking
However, it's widely accepted that spanking doesn't help him use reason to change a behavior
It only shows him that he's done something bad
The main impression he's left with is that mommy or daddy exceeded the threshold of their emotional capacity
Some specialists think that if the parents are particularly exasperated, a good spanking is better than yelling or unending reprimands
But beware, violence may teach violence, and it's better to look for another way to resolve discipline problems
Calm firmness helps a child to better understand what she should or shouldn't do
It also maintains a climate of confidence and of respect that will help the child realize sooner or later that these rules are there for her or her parents' safety and well-being
Threats from parents have to be followed through to have an effect
Once a child hears a parent say, if you keep doing that, you'll have to think about it in the corner, he has to believe they mean it
If he doesn't have confidence in what they say, he will no longer respect the limits they impose
Discipline is not merely approval or disapproval, it also involves appreciation
Too often a child attracts negative attention when he does something bad and indifference when he does something good
If he has to choose between negative attention or complete disinterest, he'll more likely choose the attention
Keep in mind that when he behaves well, the child needs to feel he's appreciated
And from time to time, parents must tell him or show him that they appreciate it when he behaves as they wish
Many educators and psychologists believe that imitation plays a major role in the evolution of the personality of a two-year-old
During this phase of her life, she has the tendency to imitate and to internalize the behaviors and attitudes of people she loves and admires the most
These people are the models she strives to resemble
Daily life in a family where there is only one parent often differs from that in which there are two parents
In the absence of the mother or the father, it's important that the child have male and female role models in her circle of caregivers
But nowadays, the process of socialization of a child has changed because of changes in the family environment
Parents are more and more involved in their professional or social activities
Although parents exert considerable power over the education and behavior of their child, television and daycare make up a large part of her socialization process
The child exposed to broad socialization acquires a great number of opinions, knowledge and behaviors outside of his home
Parents must be open to these new ideas and their impact on beliefs, attitudes and values
It's not always easy, but adapting allows them to accompany the child along his personal development
Children who are going through this period of self-affirmation need more than attention
They also need affection
The best way to give it to her is to participate or at least show interest in her imaginary world
Devoting some special time to your child, even if it's only 15 minutes a day, works miracles
This moment of sharing can also be wonderfully relaxing and fun for parents
The child will enjoy it immensely
Try not to be critical or to want to guide her, simply accept your invitation to enter into her world
Once the special time together has passed, the child will understand that her mother must return to her duties, especially if she promises that they'll play again tomorrow
The arrival of a little baby brother or sister can have a traumatic effect on a two-year-old
She can feel abandoned and forsaken, and it doesn't seem to help at all to explain the advantages of being older to her
All she sees is that everyone's attention is riveted on the baby and no longer on her
The two-year-old reacts to the arrival of a new baby in one or both of two ways
She immediately wants to become little again, to go back to being a baby herself
It's a defense mechanism. She wishes to go back in time so she can monopolize the love and attention of her mother
She may also put tantrums to the test, and can even show some hostility toward the baby
This is normal, as long as the child doesn't vent this hostility through harmful behavior or cruelty
Instead of distracting her from her feelings, let her express her anger and jealousy toward the baby
It will help her avoid feeling guilty and rejected because of her feelings
The child must nevertheless learn to share the affection of her parents
To help children deal with the jealousy they may feel toward their brothers and sisters, spend some time alone with each child every day
One infallible trick for gradually eliminating the jealous feelings in the family brought on by the arrival of a new baby
is to encourage big brother or big sister to participate in caring for the little one
Because a two-year-old has a great talent for imitation, most of the things that he learns come from the example of what he sees with his own eyes
If the family meal is one of the good times during the day, take advantage of it to help her learn certain things
Don't tell her what to do. Let her absorb good table manners, for example, by having daddy and mommy demonstrate what's expected of her
It's good to help the child acquire new tastes. If she likes to eat, she'll more readily accept new foods, especially if you start by simply putting them on the table
But if she doesn't seem to like one thing or another, don't insist or take it too seriously. Her interest will perk up sooner or later
If there is a time in the day when the child strives to demonstrate her ability to make choices, it's during the ritual of getting dressed
Even if it seems insignificant to you, this moment is of great importance to the little explorer
When she says, I can do it, she's building her confidence, which is the basis of good self-esteem
To help her do this, yield to her choices of clothing, if they are not incompatible with scheduled activities or the season
Offering too many choices can lead to frustration for both parents and child. Let the child make a choice from a limited selection
For example, she gets to choose between two or three outfits that she likes
Two years old also marks the age of the beginning of the first sleep problems
Establishing a calm and agreeable nighttime ritual can considerably help the child understand that it's time to end his day and get ready to go to bed
The child who spends his day stressing out his parents will generally have difficulty calming and preparing himself for sleep
In fact, more often than not, she knows that she exasperates her parents and worries about their anger toward her
Her anxiety is transformed into fears. She's afraid of a wolf, afraid of ghosts or thieves
To calm her, you must prove to her that her bedroom is a place where she's protected from wolves, ghosts and thieves, and even from her parents' anger
Some children may sleep while making rhythmic movements with the head or the body
Most of the time this occurs in boys, and two-thirds of the time it's normal
In the majority of cases, physical contact with the parents before sleeping can diminish this behavior, which disappears in time
Night terrors can have a great impact, even if parents don't scare easily
The child cries, kicks or punches, and even though his eyes are wide open, he doesn't recognize mommy or daddy
This happens generally three hours after falling asleep, and here again it occurs more frequently among boys
To deal with this, turn on the light, stay calm, and try to gentle him little by little without getting upset
Afterward, don't try to talk to him about it. He won't be able to remember it
Nightmares can happen at this age. They surface later in the night during the phase that specialists call deep sleep
The child cries, is anxious and recognizes her parents, and it's enough to reassure her calmly and tenderly and help her go back to sleep as if nothing had happened
Some children are allowed to sleep in their parents' bed. This may be an effective short-term solution, but in the long run it can be worse
The child may unconsciously get the idea it's dangerous to sleep in his own bed, and it can also be a hard habit to break
The mouth is a veritable tool for exploration for the two-year-old child
When she was a baby, often the answer to her needs was the breast or the bottle
Since her birth, suction has signified something that both soothes and pleases, so it's not surprising if she wants to continue to pacify her needs and pleasures with her thumb
Some children suck their thumbs for many years. While there is nothing abnormal or disturbing about it, long-term thumb sucking can cause a deformation of the teeth or the palate
Up until the age of three years, there's no serious risk
It's never too early to start practicing good hygiene. At this age, the child's teeth are particularly prone to bacteria, so brushing is important
If a regular routine is established early, it will be easier to maintain throughout her life
At this age, many children are making the transition to being diaper-free and are able to use a portable potty or the toilet
If you would like to start potty training your child, there is a cassette in the Video Parents series called The Perfect Guide to Potty Training, solely devoted to this subject
If you want your child to do things by himself, help him by making it physically easier. Can he reach his toothbrush? Is the towel rack his size?
Building his independence relieves parental responsibility somewhat, and it helps to arrange things so that we don't have to tack on another be careful every time the child tries to do something himself
To get a child used to making a contribution around the house, don't ask the impossible of him. He must be able to reach the doorknob to go to the toilet by himself
And she'll have a tough time hanging up her coat if the hook is too high
Generally, we must remember that a two-year-old child wants to become independent and make his own choices. It's a normal phase in his evolution
Of course, parents are still responsible for the child's health, safety and well-being
But the more he learns how to sort out details for himself, the less his parents will run up against his increasing sense of autonomy
A two-year-old sees no difference between playing and learning. His experiences and his education are part of his daily life, and he thinks of them like a game that entertains and gives him pleasure
At two years, the little explorer exhibits scientific tendencies. He continues to place objects in his mouth, but he now tries to see what they taste like and what he can do with them
He messes things up, measures their weight, lets them fall or crushes them just to see what will happen. In short, he initiates basic experiments
When she lets an object fall, she studies the laws of gravity. When she's in the water, she experiences being wet. When he throws a ball, he sees that it rolls, and when he pushes a block, he realizes that it doesn't roll
He doesn't know the properties of solids and liquids, is unaware of space and geometry, but he discovers them all the same
At the same time, she learns about shapes, their similarities and differences. She's really in the process of accomplishing an essential intellectual process. She sorts, compares, rejects, and regroups
If we show her a puzzle, she's able to put the pieces in the right place. But she'll not yet be able to classify things that are pretty, round or heavy. These concepts restrict her to a world that is concrete, visible and immediate
Play prepares a child for social life and forms her sense of justice and order. The way she acts in play may reflect the way she'll act later in work and in her relations with others
At two years, her imagination and fantasies are relatively poor, but she develops them through the course of play. In playing with the baby or with mommy, or in imitating her father and mother, a two-year-old creates an imaginary world in which she can do anything
At this age, the best toys are those found in nature. Sand, stones, wood and water make marvelous construction toys. These types of toys have the added benefit of helping him to practice to better control his muscles, his hands in particular
The real value of these natural, non-structured toys is in the excitement of creating play ideas and games herself. Don't forget that a child likes to clean up after getting dirty, or after playing with water. Never miss an opportunity to encourage this good habit, which, if initiated later, will be without a doubt more difficult to develop
More structured toys made with lots of detail can't be used for anything other than what they're supposed to be. A fire truck, a doll, or a telephone aren't made to represent something they're not. These types of toys allow the child to play at being in the real grown-up world, imagining she's already a big person for the moment
Children of this age love to play with adults, but grown-up interference in play must be handled with care. When the child has taken advantage of adult help in their first imaginative games, a precedent is set. This intervention has a considerable influence on their subsequent creativity. The right suggestion, the right word or moment can help or hinder the child to enrich each of his play experiences
A two-year-old child loves modeling clay or dough, even if she doesn't make anything concrete. The material, the dough itself, interests her. She loves to mold it, squash it, roll it, feel it, and give it shape.
She also loves to paint
And to draw
The child learns, discovers, and experiments by drawing. Even if at this stage the drawings hardly seem representative of anything, some of the elements which he composes can be revealing of secret thoughts he hasn't yet learned to express.
When she gives her drawing away, the child sends a message. A cool reception or a lack of interest can make her upset. Parents who do this miss an opportunity to connect with their child and receive a non-verbal I love you.
Soon the child understands the lines and strokes on the paper are the result of her coordinated movements. Then she begins to draw purposefully and finds meaning in all her subsequent artwork herself.
The choice of colors, even how they're used and how much space is covered on the paper, can reveal some information about the child.
Generally, a dominance of warm colors reveals a rather extroverted temperament.
Cool colors express a more timid or reserved temperament.
The child who entirely covers the page often takes up more space in the house.
Then one who is content to draw in one small corner of the page.
With the aid of a specialist, drawing is one way among others to better understand your child and gently enter into their subconscious world.
Most new moms and dads don't know much about parenting, but upon the arrival of their first baby, they find themselves face to face with the enormous question, what does it take to be a parent?
Loving your child, understanding him, keeping him safe, satisfying his needs. This is more or less what each parent tries to do.
Without claiming to replace the advice of doctors, psychologists, and other health and child behavioral specialists, the Video Parents series offers parents of today a simple and concrete approach to help them to find useful answers and practical information, effective for the multitude of questions that are posed to us in this marvelous occupation of parenthood.
Inquire about other cassettes in the Video Parents series.