Things to Teach Your Toddler
As the parent of a toddler, you'll find your emotions consistently changing between frustration and elation on a daily basis. One minute, your little one does something so adorable that you have to tell someone about it and cannot help but giggle. The next minute, she throws a tantrum and you find yourself wondering if she is possessed. In between these precious moments, your toddler is a sponge who is soaking up the world around her. This gives you the opportunity to lay the groundwork for her childhood by teaching her a variety of important skills.
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Healthy Eating Habits
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Your toddler has probably been eating table food for a while, but now is the time to teach him healthy eating habits that he will carry with him for life. Exposing your toddler to as much unprocessed food as possible will help learn to like and try different things. Teach him that candy and common processed foods for toddlers such as chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese are unhealthy. You may get some resistance, but if you are consistent, these habits will become second nature and your toddler will be eating Brussels sprouts by the time he is 4 years old.
Vocabulary
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Reading to your toddler is one of the most effective ways for you to teach vocabulary and instill a love for reading. However, for a more focused approach, pick a specific word group to work on, such as parts of the body or numbers. Whether you choose to use flashcards or objects around the house, you can teach your toddler colors, animals, fruits, vegetables or anything that interests him.
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Sharing
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Normal toddler behavior includes selfishness and possessiveness. To help your toddler transition into a pleasant child and an adult that interacts well with others, you must begin to teach your toddler about sharing. Toddlers are not capable of true sharing because they do not understand the concept of ownership. Explain to your child that she is not giving her toy to someone else, but instead allowing that person to look at it. You may also teach your child to share at mealtimes and snack times by asking her to give you a piece of something on her plate. Your consistency helps your child to understand that sharing is normal and expected behavior.
Good Manners
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When a person has bad manners or no manners at all, it does not necessarily reveal his true personality. However, bad manners are not socially acceptable. Although it's important to promote independence and individuality to your toddler, he must also understand that humans are social beings and there are certain social norms that should be followed. Teaching your toddler requires a two-sided approach. First, you must lead by example by saying "please," "thank you" and "excuse me," and exercising proper etiquette whenever possible in front of your toddler. Additionally, you must reinforce your example by insisting that your toddler does not chew with his mouth open, says all the "magic" words, waits his turn to speak and any other manners that you deem necessary.
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