Interestingly enough, the term toddler comes from the 19th century and is derived from the Scottish verb ‘toddle,’ which means “to run or walk with short, unsteady steps”—quite an accurate description of one- and two-year-olds. Just like how memes capture the essence of everyday life, the term “toddler” perfectly encapsulates this charming yet clumsy stage of early childhood development.
“Toddler’s vocabulary is expanding as well as being able to reference themselves along with “mommy” and “daddy.” They are also able to start seeing themselves as individuals amongst others,” says Child Development Specialist Ilene Beth Miller, M.S. Ed., to Bored Panda. “This stage for toddlers centers around a sense of self. Behavior can be misinterpreted, and thus the “terrible twos” are a result of what parents may make reference to,” explains Miller. At this point, toddlers typically start playing with peers, know more than 200 words, and use two to three to form a sentence. They also begin displaying problem-solving skills, understand cause and effect, and learn their first name and age. Miller also mentions that something else parents might expect is their kid always saying “no.” “The child is starting to realize that they have some autonomy and independence,” she says. Toddlers can exhibit more aggressive behaviors like screaming, running away, shoving, hitting, biting, and pulling hair, too. “These are the “by-products” of a toddler learning how to explore the world, lack of self-control. They are learning language skills in addition to how they process feelings that are bigger than themselves at that moment,” Miller explains. Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
