2 Tricky Things About Raising Toddlers

How many of these have you experienced?

1. Toddlers Have No Sense of Time

Any parent who has lost their cool over a toddler not understanding that you “need to leave N-O-W” knows that they just don't understand the concept of time. What you probably didn't know is that they don't have the brain structure for it. According to Dr. Tovah Klein, “Because toddlers lack this sense of time and their brains are still developing, they have not internalized the skills that adults (well, most, anyway) use to help them manage time, control their impulses, express their needs, thoughtfully plan their actions, and cope with stress.”

Toddlers exist in the present. So when you say “we're leaving in five minutes,” they just know that they're not leaving now — which is why their answer to how much longer they want to do something is usually five minutes — it's a placeholder. Repetitious routines and use of sequential language (first, next, then, etc.) helps teach younger tots the concept of time, but they may not fully grasp it until the later elementary school years.

2. To Them, the World Is All About Power and Control

Take a step back and think about the world from your toddler's perspective. They have little say in what they do, what they eat, where they go, etc. Parents have all of power and control. So what can a child control? The clothes they'll put on, the food they'll actually eat, if and when they'll use the toilet, when they'll fall asleep, and what they can and will say — the areas where parents tend to have the most trouble with their kids.

According to Dr. Tovah Klein, they're learning to make decisions during this stage and parents should give them as many places to have control as possible. So if your child is giving you a hard time about getting dressed, ask her which shoe she wants to put on first, the right or the left. If she's a picky eater, always make sure there's one thing she likes on the plate. Giving her options, but not a ton of them, will help her feel like she's in control of the situation.

You can see the rest of this list on Pop Sugar, especially #5. You definitely have to check out #5. It's what makes it all worthwhile. When you're finished, leave a comment and share what no one ever told you about raising a toddler.