Inner Parents Guest Post: 5 Most Misunderstood Facts About Toddlers

When Inner Parents reached out to collaborate and work together, we were so happy to jump at the opportunity. Inner Parents is a website that provides top quality content for parents and really came together, when the founders noticed a vast of amount of parenting and pregnancy articles out there that were incomplete and out of date. Erica Johnson who is the main editor of Inner Parents and a very proud mother of two who’s passionate about the latest parenting tips & baby products, shares the 5 most misunderstood facts about toddlers below.

5 Most Misunderstood Facts About Toddlers

Being a toddler is a time of wonder and excitement, and sometimes it’s overwhelming and confusing. They develop the kind of confidence and curiosity they need to grow when we learn how to anticipate their behaviors and guide them to the best choices.

#1 Teaching Them To Share Isn’t Impossible
Toddlers who snatch and grab toys that aren’t theirs or refuse to share what they have with others are just acting out of natural instincts to protect themselves. Even though their self-interested defenses misfire and create a problem, they often just want to define the kind of boundaries we’ll be hoping to reinforce later on.

Setting up timers, labels, special areas or simple rules that they can explore and understand can help you teach them to think of sharing as just taking turns. If there are several small activities set up for them to use when it’s not their turn, it will be easier for them to associate the practice cooperatively.

#2 Floaties Aren’t Always Strong Enough
It can be hard to tell when it’s time to upgrade your pool gear to more robust options, but arm floaties aren’t always built for toddlers of a certain build or weight. They also aren’t always a suitable choice depending on the type of situation your family may be in.

For open waters and boating activities, life jackets will offer more security and comfort than inflatable floaties can handle. Water parks where a lot of play and deep water pools are present are another time where floaties may come loose or not provide enough safety.

#3 They Learn Fast But Forget Easily
Though young children have a huge appetite for learning new things and can pick up skills quickly, it often takes a great deal of repetition before it finally sticks. This can make teaching them manners or important safety lessons especially frustrating.

For as much fun and enthusiasm as they may show for a new teachable moment, it can be forgotten within minutes and in that time their mood might even shift so that reteaching it becomes a point of frustration instead. Work with their interests when they dig their heels in and shower them with praise when they succeed in order to encourage positive associations.

#4 They Still Need A Lot Of Sleep
Toddlers get all their energy from the long hours of sleep they need to function every day, and for most toddlers, they still need to get that from a daily nap in addition to their nightly rest. This can be difficult as they start to learn they can make certain choices for themselves, like refusing to sleep even though they may be tired.

Setting up special naptime practices or temporary areas that can spark their interest in cooperating with the plan works towards getting them back on track.

#5 Toddlers Are Old Enough To Regret
Known for throwing fits, a toddler’s tears may not always mean they feel bad for not getting what they want when they’re in trouble. It can be a sign that they see your disappointment even if they don’t understand it and that shocks them much like not getting their way upsets them, too.

These are some helpful tips with toddlers. I know that I am guilty of some of them but so glad that we were able to work with Inner Parents.