How To Manage Toddler Development in 4 Easy Steps

I'm sure as a new toddler parent; you want to know what to expect with toddler development. As a toddler parent myself, there are even more developmental milestones you want to look out for in the toddler years. It can be a daunting task to keep up with them. Since your toddler is not going to the doctor often. You can feel more anxious about ensuring your toddler doesn't have a developmental delay.

Around 16 months old, I found out that my son had a speech delay. As I child, I had one, so it was not surprising to hear that he also had one. If you are looking for tips on what we are doing for his 2 year old speech, that post is a great option. You will learn quickly that children develop at different rates, and even siblings will also have different levels of development.

One thing to do is not to worry about your developmental concerns. Children born from late 2019 – early 2021 have had some language development delays because of the pandemic. That prevented many children from learning the language because of the masks. Some still have this problem to this day. Young children must also be in the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) stage. So that they might be doing things in daycare. For example, they aren't at home, which could mean they are right where they should be with their toddler development.

Older children also experience FOMO. But you will notice it more in your toddler, especially when doing group and social activities. 

This post is about toddler development.

Potty Training Toddlers

You read many things online about potty training your toddler in three days. But to be honest, the first step of seeing if your child is even ready for potty training is for them to show interest. My son started showing interest in the potty around 20 months, but your child might be different. One of the signs of my son's interest in the potty was to come into the bathroom when I was using it and mimic me on the toilet. He would want to use the toilet paper, put the paper in the toilet, and flush the toilet for me.

This is something that they should take at their own pace. You have until four years old to fully potty train your toddler, so don't feel pressure. Boys naturally take longer because they have more to do. So if you find it takes months for your son to catch on, you're right on time with your child's development.

Potty Training Tips

If your toddler is also in daycare, FOMO will also make them more interested in using the potty. I will say that once you start using the pull-ups or training underwear and putting them on the potty. You have to stay consistent with the training. Yes, it's more time-consuming, and in the early stages, you will miss when your child uses the potty, but you will catch on. For more tips on potty training boys age 2, read this post.

Were you interested in purchasing my favorite pull-ups in the video? Click here to see where I bought it and other potty training products.

You don't want to take potty training at a rapid pace because your child won't learn the necessary skills to understand why they need to use the potty and how to do it properly. Make sure your toddler is getting enough sleep during this time. Sleep regression can happen when toddlers learn new skills, so ensure they get at least eight hours of sleep. Of course, younger toddlers are still taking naps throughout the day, so that might be higher, which for young toddlers is still good and expected at the toddler stage.

Toddler Language Development

Toddler language development is a very close subject to me. As mentioned earlier in the post, my two-and-a-half-year-old has a speech delay. Around 16 months of age, our pediatrician confirmed that we would need to see a speech specialist. He wasn't growing vocabulary at the age range close to an 18-month-old. In this post about toddler language development, I share toys and steps to help improve it on your own and when to seek additional resources.

You might also find that if your child has issues with communication. They will have increased temper tantrums due to the frustrations of no one understanding how they are communicating. Even though your child may not be able to say certain words, your child is learning new words daily. The key is to remain calm and consistent with introducing new words to them. This also helps your child's social development because even though they might not be able to say the word, they can see your social cues, which is another great way of them “talking to you.”

Toddler Language

This is why you can't take all signs of defiance as bad. A child's brain at two is still rapidly developing, so give them grace. A lot of times, if you notice your toddler is behind in language skills, they may be delayed in cognitive development. You may want to see a specialist at this point to rule out anything more serious. In this post, I share how my son getting an infant frenectomy led us to a better understanding of motor development and a lot of other wide range of issues that might start in infancy, and you might not know.

If needed, you can always go through your state to test to see if your child can join their early intervention program to get the help they need as an affordable option if you qualify.

Toddler's Language

When I was younger, my mom used to say that when I started talking, no one would understand me except her and my dad. The same thing will happen with you and your toddler. When your toddler starts finding their voice, there will be words and phrases they say you understand since you are used to their voice and tone. As a parent of a child who has a child with a speech delay, when I hear my son singing a song, and I fill in the words, his facial expressions are priceless. Not only does it encourage good behavior and him to repeat the words, but it also lets me know those infant-toddler educators at his daycare and his speech therapists are working on getting him to speak.

You can do easy tasks to help your toddler find their voice: getting simple puzzles. I love a set from Amazon because you can use simple commands for your child to follow. Since my son goes to speech therapy at least an hour a week, we are working on budling language but understand that it will happen in their own time. Toddlers don't like being pressured to do things, especially if they feel there will be consequences. That's just how a child's brain works.

Learning the body parts is another easy way to help your toddler's language because it's words that you use daily. If you are looking for an educational toy with many ways to play with it, you should read my post about the Vtech activity desk, or you can watch my review below on my Youtube channel.

Were you interested in purchasing the learning desk in the video? Click here to see where I bought it and other toddler development products.

Developmental Stages of Toddlers

If your child goes to daycare, you will notice that your child is always learning new skills. Sometimes it will surprise you with everything they are learning. You will notice that after your toddlers start walking, they will seek greater independence from you. While it can be sad to see them growing up, it is also necessary. The best way to keep a check on what is happening is to have an open-door policy with your daycare. Don't look at it as a bad thing. Look at it as being an advocate for your child.

So that when you go to your child's doctor, you can let them know if something is off with your child's development based on what the center is recommending.

The pandemic making it hard for toddlers to get social skills. It can be one of the first things you notice in their development that might not be normal for their age group. Separation anxiety starts in this age range and is average. But if you find that your toddler can't adjust, it would be time to seek a specialist and healthcare provider. If you are unsure when to start daycare, this post gives you an excellent baseline of when you should, based on your family's needs.

Stages of Toddlers

Fine motor skills are also common milestones your pediatrician will point out that should be worked on as well. These skills are so crucial because this is where they tap into how to use base options daily. Like writing, picking up a penny, or even using a knife and fork. Introducing pretend play is also a good option for working on those fine motor and cognitive skills.

With all this new-found independence, you will notice your toddler wants to be included in more active play. Which will allow them to get in some physical activity and physical development. You always want to ensure adult supervision when your toddler is at play. A lot of playground equipment is not meant for children under three. So if you have your two-year-old on there, be mindful and watch them so there are no injuries.

This post was about toddler development.