Awww that’s my little girl exploring the playground on her own. It was a big playground with lots of different play areas and she happily wandered on her own. I kept a watchful eye but I let her play and enjoy herself. When did this happen?! Soon I will no longer have a toddler at home (a fact I’ve yet to accept), although I’m a bit sad about that I am also looking forward to the new experiences and memories we will have. I’ve known that Iyah is independent, even her teacher at school told me that she can do things on her own most of the time. Seeing her this independent tugs my heart a little bit, she no longer needs mommy to help her in everything she does. It’s bittersweet I guess, I’m happy that she is discovering more about herself and what she can do but I’m also sad that she’s moving farther and farther away from being my baby girl.

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From Babycenter…

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree again?! Oh yes. Reading the same book over and over provides a measure of comfort to preschoolers, who see the familiar characters and plot as an oasis in a world full of unknowns. But there are cognitive and language benefits to re-reading, too. Re-reading helps your 2-year-old connect the words he hears with the pictures he sees. This is an important kind of pre-reading that will be a useful skill in a few years when he learns to read. Hearing the same sentences again and again helps him decode grammar. Your child also gets a rush of confidence when you turn the page and he sees the expected next part of the story: “Yes! I knew that was going to happen!”

Let your child choose which book to read. If it’s the same old favorite, mask your boredom and read it once again. (Hey, at least most preschooler books aren’t terribly long.) He may well want to hear the same story several times in a sitting. Keep a wide variety of books on hand by making frequent library visits; eventually he’ll be ready to switch to a new favorite or expand his repertoire.

Your life now

“Pick your battles” means focusing on the big issues and ignoring the small ones or the ones you can’t win. Especially with a preschooler, power struggles can pop up like dandelions in a suburban lawn. Your child is learning to exert his will and preferences, and he’s also easily frustrated these days. You could be locked in continual conflict if you aren’t careful. Clearly define your limits and expectations. Decide which rules you care most about: no hitting and no throwing food, for example. These are the ones you should enforce consistently and ask all caregivers to insist on, too. But let slide things like how many vegetables your child eats per meal; you can’t force him to eat.

This is definitely true and this is what Iyah is doing now. She would choose a book and we would read it together (thank goodness for short stories). She would ask me to read the book a couple of times, this is not only in reading…sometimes she would ask me to sing a song with her over and over again too. Oh well it’s suppose to be fun to learn right…

from Babycenter….

A young preschooler wears her heart on her sleeve — and in her voice, her fists, her stamping feet, and her crocodile tears. You seldom have to guess about a 2-year-old’s emotional state. Expressing emotions is healthy, even when they aren’t happy ones. So don’t feel you have to rush in to placate your child at the first pout or sad sniffle.
Let your child know that it’s okay to be unhappy sometimes — it’s simply part of life. Swooping in to vanquish the unhappiness sends the wrong message — that it’s not okay to feel sad or mad. Solving every problem for your child also robs her of the opportunity to work through her feelings on her own.
What you can do: Label her feelings for her. “You’re so mad at Mommy because she said no park today!” Let her know you have the same feelings, too, sometimes: “It makes you feel sad when we say bye-bye to Grandma. It makes me feel sad, too.” If your child screams or hits when she’s angry or upset, show her acceptable ways to vent her emotion, like punching a pillow or stamping her feet.

Your life now

If you find yourself bracing for those fabled “terrible twos,” relax. It’s the second year of life (the one you’ve just passed through) that’s among the more challenging developmentally. The actual “twos” tend to be a bit calmer and even more fun. Now your child can move about with confidence and play with less assistance. She can make her wishes known better than before and understands even more than she can say. And her boundless curiosity is balanced at least a little by an increasing understanding of rules. Two-year-olds do test limits and disagree with parents, of course, but they’re also developing more of a desire to please you. They want to be good! They want to help! Routines and consistency in your responses help your child learn the ropes and keep everyday life running smoothly.

Technorati Tags: Baby Development (Articles), Babycenter