{"id":52901,"date":"2018-10-09T12:07:04","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T12:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/your-toddler-22-months-old\/"},"modified":"2018-10-09T12:07:04","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T12:07:04","slug":"your-toddler-22-months-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/de\/your-toddler-22-months-old\/","title":{"rendered":"Your toddler: 22 months old"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"EBIKES\"<\/a><\/div>
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\n Photography by Nicole Duplantis\/Clothing provided by babyGap and Joe Fresh <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Does any of this sound familiar? Your toddler wants to open the front door by themselves but can\u2019t quite manage the handle yet. You ask if they want help, they yell \u201cYes\u201d and you open the door and hold it open for them. Cue the wails because they<\/em> actually wanted to hold the door open for you.<\/em> (Did we mention it was raining?) Of course, when this happens, you may easily earn a big grin the very next day for doing the exact same thing. The day after that, you may be the worst parent ever for even offering to open the door. Negotiating toddler independence and dependence<\/strong> can be a wild ride, to say the least. Their bodies sometimes haven\u2019t caught up with their brains, so while they may know what they want to do, they may not be able to do it or have the words to express all those feelings. Living in the moment\u2014that is, responding to their needs on that particular day\u2014is often your best option. Be patient and keep reminding yourself that it\u2019s just how toddlers learn.<\/p>\n

22-months-old development & milestones<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meeting other people <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Figuring out how to interact with others is definitely a biggie when it comes to toddler behaviour. When you have friends over for a meal, your toddler may be smiley, outgoing and eager to show them their favourite stuff or they may be shy and clingy. Both reactions are totally normal. For the shy guys, give them some calm reassurance and let them come around<\/strong> to visitors on their own.<\/p>

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Bad behaviour<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you\u2019re out taking a walk, running errands or spending time at a playgroup, some seemingly random outbursts\u2014like hitting you<\/strong> while you\u2019re chatting, biting a friend<\/strong> or tearing up pages in a book\u2014are part of the deal, too. Kids this age aren\u2019t mature enough to understand the impact of their actions, but you can help them understand that hitting and biting hurts or that books aren\u2019t for ripping. Giving them a calm, firm \u201cNo\u201d and redirecting their behaviour<\/strong> (leaving the playgroup for a while if there\u2019s biting and saying \u201cLet\u2019s look for a book about trucks and you can show me how you\u2019re gentle with it\u201d) are ways for both of you to keep your cool.<\/p>\n

Learning new words\u2026including swear words?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"A
\n7 genius comebacks for when your toddler asks why<\/span>
\nThe exciting language-building skills<\/strong> continue. Kids this age like to name body parts and are usually up for a game of \u201cWhere\u2019s your belly button\/toes\/nose?\u201d Sometimes they can also match up names to pictures of family members, so pull up some pics on your phone or take them to look at the family portrait gallery on the wall. Your toddler can start to understand nuances now, like how \u201chot\u201d is different from \u201cwarm.\u201d They often get a kick out of complicated words (this helps to explain the fascination with dinosaurs), even if the words are garbled, toddler-style. And\u2014FFS\u2014toddlers occasionally start to repeat swear words they\u2019ve overheard<\/strong>, like from those guys playing football at the park but also, um, in your car or house. Try not to overreact (or laugh). Forbidding potty mouth talk<\/strong> just makes it that much more interesting. Instead, calmly tell them \u201cWe don\u2019t say those words,\u201d which, of course, means you have to watch your mouth, too. Or just ignore it totally if you can and they should lose interest.<\/p>\n

Make-believe <\/strong>and water play <\/strong><\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve probably noticed how much your toddler enjoys repetition, too, especially when it comes to certain books, songs, games and outfits. And this love of \u201cAgain, again, again!\u201d is how they fine-tune their skills and abilities. They also start to get into simple make-believe games<\/strong>, so they\u2019ll have fun dragging a basket and \u201cshopping\u201d for cans of tomato paste and boxes of rice in your pantry or pretending to be a snake or kitty, complete with sound effects. Water play, whether it\u2019s inside with the sink or tub or outside with the hose, a puddle or icicles, gets the big thumbs up because it engages their senses and offers such a huge variety of things to experience (bubbles, waves, drips and splashes). While water play can yield shrieks of joy<\/strong>, it can also be really calming. In fact, a bath at bedtime helps to drop their body temperature a bit, which usually encourages sleep. (Of course, if bathtime is too exciting, save it for a non-bedtime routine.)<\/p>\n

Haircut tips<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Has your toddler had a haircut yet? Even if they have had a few cuts before and were chill about it, the wiggly, active toddler stage makes hair appointments a wee bit challenging. A few kid-approved ways to make it through without tears or scary scissor slips<\/strong>: Ask the stylist if you can bring bubble solution, stash a change of clothes in your bag to help avoid the tickly-bits-of-hair-down-the-shirt situation and provide entertainment like \u201cItsy Bitsy Spider.\u201d With any luck, it will all be done in five or 10 minutes!<\/p>\n

The power of protein<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some toddlers are happy to chomp on a honey-garlic rib or dig into a bowl of baked beans, while others aren\u2019t too sure about this whole protein thing. It\u2019s important for your toddler to get some protein<\/strong> in their diet because it is a key source of iron and supports muscle growth and development. You don\u2019t have to get too hung up on quantity, though, because they don\u2019t need a huge amount\u2014half a hard-boiled egg, \u00bc cup of hummus and a tablespoon of nut butter over the course of a day is fine. Consider protein-rich Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, mini fish patties or meat cooked in the slow cooker so it\u2019s very tender, too.<\/p>\n

Your life after baby<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The dirt on who does what<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Household chores are often a source of friction (read: yelling, sulking, passive-aggressive ignoring) for couples, and adding a cute but messy kid to the mix can ramp up the drama even further. Let\u2019s face it: It\u2019s still usually mama who\u2019s taking on the heavier domestic load. Figuring out why the sight of an empty diaper box or half-full sippy cups everywhere can trigger such intense emotions can be a big step in learning how to deal with it as a team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Back to work after an extended mat leave<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve taken time away from your career to be at home with your kid and want to get back into the workforce, it can be a tricky situation, as employers may assume that you\u2019re out of date or less dedicated (insert eye roll here). However, there are strategic steps you can take<\/strong>, both while you\u2019re on leave and when you\u2019re job hunting and interviewing, to make landing that new job a reality.<\/p>\n

Stuff no one tells you<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When kids snore<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When your sweet little toddler starts snoring like a 50-something trucker, you have to wonder what\u2019s going on. Sometimes snoring is just snoring, but it may also be a sign of sleep apnea<\/strong> if your toddler\u2019s tonsils and adenoids are partially blocking their airway while they sleep, which can lead to many night-time wake-ups and an exhausted kid. It\u2019s a good idea to get it checked out.<\/p>\n

Toddler games to play when you\u2019re sick<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"A
\n14 fun games to play with your kids while lying down<\/span>
\nHow about if you <\/em>are the one who\u2019s exhausted? Sure, your toddler feels a little bad that you\u2019re sick today, but really, that\u2019s no reason not to play<\/strong>, play and play some more, right? That\u2019s your cue to get slacker creative: Break out some toys that were in storage (it\u2019s good to rotate them to keep the fun fresh), a great big empty box or a stack of scrap paper and crayons so your kid can play while you supervise from the comfy couch.<\/p>\n

Just for fun<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Backyard <\/strong>playset <\/strong>hacks<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whether your playhouse is in the yard or the living room, why not make it even more awesome for your toddler? Easy hacks include adding a mailbox (complete with junk mail or a letter or two actually addressed to them), planters for real or faux flowers and a personalized sign for the door.<\/p>\n

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Read more:
Your toddler: 23 months old
What to do when your toddler\u2019s afraid of the dark<\/strong><\/p>\n

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