Every new parent should be aware of how their child is growing. Keeping an eye on normal developmental stages can give parents a reliable gauge for determining the overall health of their child. Proper toddler development revolves around many factors, though parental understanding of this development is crucial for healthy toddler growth.
Informed parents are better parents. It is best not to leave your own understanding of your toddler’s growth to others; that is, do not just rely on anecdotes from other parents or your own intuition. Taking the time to truly understand what your toddler is going through and what you can do to assist them is paramount.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can keep yourself aware of your toddler’s development in order to allow them to grow up in a healthy way.
Be Aware Of Developmental Milestones
Being aware of the established developmental guidelines can be a good way of ensuring that your child is on track. These are usually presented in the form of an age range, as there is wide variability in when toddlers begin to display certain behaviours. As such, do not fear that your child is not thriving if he or she is “slow” to show certain signs. If you are truly concerned about your child’s development, consult with your family physician. They can tell you how your toddler is doing and what can be done to improve their condition.
Know What Your Toddler Needs
It can be difficult for new parents to understand how important a role they play in providing for a toddler. During the toddler years, you may see your child growing rapidly and beginning to make some small decisions for themselves. However, parents still need to take a proactive role in making decisions and caring for their toddler.
Fortunately, healthy toddler development revolves around a few key areas. These boil down to healthy eating, physical activity, and mental/self-esteem development.
Toddlers At Mealtime
After the age of two, it is usually recommended that breastfeeding is stopped. It is important to introduce your toddler to a variety of new solid foods and even cow’s milk, if your child can tolerate it. Make sure to eat with your child around the dinner table whenever possible. These positive rituals can make a big difference in setting a good example for your toddler.
You may notice that your child goes through phases where he or she only wants to eat particular foods. This is usually normal behaviour so be patient and make sure your child is still getting all of the nutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that they need.
Keeping Active
With the increasing amount of time that all of us spend looking at screens of one form or another, ensure that your toddler is experiencing the world away from the computer or tablet. Time spent in nature or even playing games indoors will benefit their mental development and will keep their growing bodies moving and developing properly.
While it may seem excessive from an adult perspective, healthy toddlers require anywhere from ten to thirteen hours of sleep each night. Be sure to set a healthy bedtime for your child so they can feel healthy and happy throughout the day.
Informed Parents Make For Happy Toddlers
Continue to inform yourself about your toddler’s development so that you can be aware of any problems or delays in their development. As a parent, you want to provide your child with everything they need to succeed in life. This all starts with a thorough understanding of how your child should be growing in the toddler years.
Hi Marysa,
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