Anyone who’s raised a child understands how hard it can be, particularly when they’re having their sixth tantrum of the day or tossing supper on the floor again. Even on tough days, meeting your child’s fundamental needs and showing them love and attention will help them flourish.
Your child’s lifelong health begins in these toddler years. The nervous system develops 80% before age 3! Giving your toddler a good start doesn’t require child development expertise. Here’s how to keep your child happy, healthy, and flourishing.
Give Your Toddler Love & Affection
Kids need love to thrive. Your emotional support gives your youngster a safe place to explore. Not merely touchy-feely advice: Love, care, and affection in the earliest years of life directly influence a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development, according to science. Touch and love help newborns’ brains grow.
How can you demonstrate love? Hug, touch, smile, encourage, listen, and play with your youngster whenever possible. Respond quickly to calm your kid. This isn’t “giving in”—it’s helping your kid regulate their emotions. Young children’s brains grow when they feel loved. Experts say love can’t spoil a kid.
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Meet Your Toddler’s Basic Needs
Your child needs food, sleep, clothes, shelter, and health just like you do—they simply need more assistance meeting them! Well-fed kids can focus on learning. However, toddlers are fussy eaters, making mealtime difficult. It’s normal to relax during mealtimes, but set positive examples by offering a range of foods and eating together.
Focus on your toddler’s nutritional requirements for a week, even if they just eat carbohydrates one day. You can’t control your child’s diet, but you can provide healthful food during an engaging meal and snack time. Your youngster chooses how much and which healthy foods to consume.
Toddlers require 11-14 hours of sleep daily for health and behavior. Your child’s brain cells form synapses during REM sleep. These pathways permit all learning, movement, and cognition. They help your kid grasp all they see, hear, taste, touch, and smell as they explore. To help your kid sleep, stick to a nightly routine and keep active (unless during nap time).
Your kid requires regular medical care. Frequent ear infections might hinder speech development and sap energy. Take your kid to the doctor often, update their vaccines, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Your toddler’s growth depends on a reliable, high-quality daycare provider if you work or require a babysitter. Find a caregiver or childcare facility to meet your toddler’s requirements while you’re away. Find an experienced, trustworthy nanny, relative, daycare provider, or other option. Choose a child-loving, energetic person.
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Encourage Your Toddler To Talk
Language skills develop in toddlerhood. Every day they converse and comprehend more. Your youngster may ask questions and use rudimentary words before their second birthday. After that, kids may comprehend jokes.
Avoid baby talk: Speaking appropriately helps your kid learn a language. Talking to your kid before
