2 Things To Keep In Mind When You Have Toddlers

This first one is so true, don't you think?

1. It really is this hard. You're not doing anything wrong.
With my older two, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to make the difficult parts of parenting easier. Why were my children so rambunctious? Why did I keep losing their sandals/ sippy cups/sun hats/tiny toys? What could I do to get my kids to be calmer and more obedient? How could I get them to leave the park without tantrums or stay in their rooms during rest time? I was constantly evaluating and strategizing. Surely if it was this hard, I must be doing something wrong. There had to be a way to make life easier.

If I could go back, I would say, relax. Tantrums, running away, accidents, lost belongings, mischievous nap times… it's all a normal part of toddler life. I wasn't making life harder than necessary. Raising two toddlers really is just that hard.

2. Accept your kids' personalities now.
The first time around I had one cautious introvert and one thrill-seeking extrovert. I can't begin to imagine how much mental energy I devoted to trying to make my introvert more outgoing, and my daredevil more cautious. I can't tell you how many times I scolded one for exploring a new area too enthusiastically, while encouraging the other to get out and explore.

Five years later, I have one cautious introvert and one thrill-seeking extrovert. All of that energy did nothing but frustrate us all. The time I put into worrying whether one “should” be so intent on taking risks or the other “should” be having more fun at birthday parties, did not change who they actually are in any way.

Our children are given to us with their own innate personalities. We can't make shy kids love crowds, and we can't make thrill-seekers settle down. We just can't. I didn't fully accept my kids' personalities until a year or so ago, and it has completely changed my relationships with them. These days I have one toddler for whom all of life is a PARTY! and one who observes life from behind my leg. Only this time, I am encouraging both to be exactly who they are. Who am I to tell my EXCITED! kid to focus, or to tell my hesitant kid he needs to go and explore?

You can read the rest of this list on Huff Post Parents. When you're finished, leave a comment and share what you wish you would've know about parenting toddlers.