All You Wanted To Know About Managing The Toddler Years

Toddler years are easily the most terrorising  years of parenthood. Your baby isn’t a baby anymore, s/he has an opinion about a lot of things, wants to act like a grown up, shows signs of being rebellious, but still is a child. Managing a toddler needs patience and help. Here are some common toddler questions answered by veteran moms.

Q: I left feeding my twins as they are 1  and half year old. But my query is that they both wake at late night and cry a lot. They don’t take anything, I have tried to give cow milk, water or some solid food but they refuse to take it. Please suggest what should I give them before they fall asleep?

A:  Dr Gorika Bansal: Babies tend to get their molars when they are 13-18 months which hurt , more so at night. That could be one reason. Hope their weight is apt and they eat well as an empty tummy would make them fuss. Do not force feed. Give them variety of colourful foods, finger foods so they can self feed themselves . Have a set bedtime routine for both. Babies love a predictable routine. When they drift into light sleep and start moving and cooing then you pat them or sing a lullaby which soothes them and they drift off into deep sleep . There is another method called the Ferber method wherein you attend to the baby after a minute of crying so they learn to self soothe themselves . Hope this helps !

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Q: How can I easily potty train? My baby refuses completely to even sit on the seat, she cries like crazy if forced. Help!

A: Neha Vij: Here’s how I started – When he was 1 year , I could see how uncomfortable my son  was with the diapers. He used to hold back his poop and did not do it in the diapers. When I used to take him to the washroom, he used to cry a lot initially and would not do there as well. Then I made myself determined that I will train him. I kept him diaper free for a week ( while at home) and kept an eye on him throughout the day to check for potty expressions.

As he would begin to poop in his leggings, I would rush to the washroom and would hold him in that position on the adults potty seat. Within 10 days or so he was comfortable. But yes till the time child doesn’t speak or walk, you have to be careful and alert to watch his/her expressions and be super fast. Then at 13 months he started walking and would come to me running with those expressions. Slowly, he felt comfortable. It’s not like it was perfect all the time. At times I used to miss, sometimes he would do and then tell, but I always used to tell him firmly that you have to tell me when ever you have to do potty or you have to do in wash room only. It slowly got registered in his mind. Then slowly when he started to speak, he would use the word cu/cu for potty. So we would rush to the washroom. In fact he used to feel uncomfortable if we were late in taking him. Now at 1.5 years he is completely trained and knows he needs to pee and poop only in the loo and look out for us when he needs to do so.

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Q: My kiddo is very quick to pick up things. We take care what to speak in front of him but when he plays outside or meets new people we cannot control that environment. Recently my kid has started talking like when we scold him, “Ki ap chahte ho main mar Jau? Or main mar jaunga? “ I tried talking to him but somehow these lines have made impression on him how to handle it?

A: Asha Chaudhry: Everyone has been here. the best thing is to sit him down and talk about it and try and explain right from wrong. After that you have to ignore it. When we react immediately, kids feel encouraged. Once you have explained to him that this kind of language hurts you and saddens you if he still uses it u please don’t react, but be sure you’ve sent a signal that you are not happy with him. Do the blank wall. tell him if he uses this kind of approach you will become a wall. You’ll need to be gentle and creative about it. Also pls try to find out where he is picking it from – TV or other kids. try to distract him with a completely new activity like sports or art where he will get engrossed in something new and hopefully he will forget this latest catch phrase. My nephew was all of 3 years when he picked up desi gaalis from the watchman’s son of the same age. it would be very embarrassing when he would go to my dad’s (his nana) office and bako all those things.

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Q: Hi, my baby feels quite shy in front of others except me and his dad. Usually he talks a lot at home in my presence but he becomes dumb when meets others. Its the same behaviour at school. Please help me out.

A: Richa Chowdhary: Hey, it’s completely fine give your child little time take your child to meet his / her friends after school like play date also let your child play in park with our kids. Let your child be and you see what are his / her interests… Slowly they start opening up invite friends at home so your child can play and still  be at his own self.

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