I absolutely love the toddler stage, specifically the early toddler stage leading up to age two. Most parents of toddlers would look at me like I am crazy, but I can't help it! I love it! I really don't even mind the terrible twos! (Though, if you think the twos are terrible just wait until you get to age three. Yikes!) Even when I worked at a daycare my favorite rooms were the toddler room, the two-year room (newly or almost two-year-olds), and the two-and-a-half room. This age is just so fun! And it just so happens that this is the age range that Client Two is in right now. Having been through it once already with Client One has only reaffirmed my love for this age since I have seen firsthand what comes next. (So far, it does NOT get easier with age.) But just in case you disagree, here are the top ten reasons why this stage is my favorite so far:
- They are still innocent. Toddlers screw up a lot. They dump boxes of cereal onto the floor and stick things into light sockets. They make messes and mistakes. But a lot of what they do isn't done out of spite or disobedience. They are still learning the difference between right and wrong. They are still learning how to follow orders and obey. So when they climb on top of the table and dump an entire bag of chips out onto the floor (true story) it wasn't done in purposeful defiance of you saying "No more snacks." I'm not saying they don't purposely start testing you or pushing the rules, but so much of their being bad is just from their lack of understanding and innocence. The deliberate evil is just around the corner, though.
- They make everything look cute.And I mean everything. It doesn't matter if they are covered in glitter or poop. You can dress them in anything and they can pull it off. And have you ever seen a toddler eat a cookie? I never knew someone eating could be so darn adorable. They are even cute when they throw fits. It might not be quite so cute when the fit comes in the middle of Target, but the little person throwing the fit still looks pretty darn cute in general, even if the situation sucks. It's this cuteness factor that keeps them alive.
- They still take naps. Oh, sure they fight naps a little better now, but they still take them. They haven't quite mastered being able to shake that nap completely. Sometimes, they even crash in public or in the car on the way home from shopping and they stay asleep long enough for you to carry them inside. And if you plan your day right, you can wear them out enough that they will crash and take an extra long nap. This gives you the chance to actually get stuff done. Unless you have another kid.
- They learn something new every day. Sometimes it's good stuff that they learn, like putting on a sock or learning not to run into the road. Other days, it's something that makes your life more challenging like learning to strip of clothes in the middle of Target or how to flush the toilet paper when it's still on the roll. But the best part about them learning something new is the look on their face of mingled surprise, joy, satisfaction and pride. I love how Client Two claps after accomplishing even the smallest little things like stepping into his shorts when he's getting dressed.
- They are slightly independant. They can do stuff. When they drop something on the floor, they can pick it up. When you get home and have to carry in an armload of groceries, they can walk into the house on their own. When it's time to leave the house you can say, "Go get your shoes!" and they just might run off to go get, or at least look for, their shoes. And when you drop something on the floor and don't feel like bending down to get it, you can have them hand it up to you. These little things that they can do can help to make life just a little bit easier. Sometimes.
- They still need you. Despite everything they have learned to do by themselves, toddlers still need you. They need you to buckle them in to their carseats and to help them get dressed. They can't prepare their own food or change their own diapers. They need you to order for them at restaurants and to communicate their needs to others. There is so much they still cannot do on their own, no matter how hard they try. But more than that, they need you. They can't live without you. They need you to give them quick snuggles before naptime and to scoop them up and comfort them when they fall down. They love their independence at the playground, but they need to be able to look up and see you. They need you there to keep them safe from the big, scary world around them.
- They speak toddler-ese. The toddler age is the age when kids learn to speak. Little by little more and more real words spill from their mouths and their meaningless chatter starts to make sense. Some words are too tricky for their little tongues, though, so they make up substitute words. "Bear" becomes "Bo" (that's how Client One's bear got his name.), and Dora (the Explorer) becomes "Ba-ba". Food is "Nom-nom" and the words for blanket is "bankie." These cute little words are all wrong but still understandable (to mom, at least). In between the real words and the made-up words is nonsense babble. Little toddler tongues practice with all the sounds in the words they hear and they string them together in their own little language. Sometimes, you could almost swear that the babble actually is a real language, since they speak with such precision and emphasis. All three of these methods combined make up the language that is toddler-ese and it completely adorable.
- They are fun to play with. Once they leave the toddler age and begin to creep into the preschooler age, they get bossy. They tell you how to play and make sure you are doing it exactly the way they want it done. When they are still in the toddler phase, everything is still fun. It's also easy to entertain them. They don't need something that lights up and talks to them in 14 different languages and uses the latest Android technology. Of course, they still love to play with things that light up and talk and sing, but other stuff is just as good. Want to play with blocks and then knock them over? Yes! Want to run around in a circle? Yes! Want to play a round of Peek-a-boo? Sure! And, oh my word, if you have some bubbles, you just made their day!
- They can eat on their own. Eating is an artform for a toddler. Sometimes they get it down pretty quickly and become eating pros. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer, but eventually, they can eat at least part of a meal all on their own. They can grasp little pieces of food and even dip them in ketchup to make them more desirable. LIttle by little they even learn to use utensils to eat things like oatmeal or soup. And while they are entertaining themselves by eating, you might just be able to get a bite in from your own plate. Granted, older kids can do this as well, but toddlers just do it in such an adorable way! Plus, toddlers are most likely still strapped into a highchair or booster seat, which means they can't get up and run away from the table like an older kid can. Win.
- The are the perfect mix of baby and big kid. There is still so much baby in them. They aren't quite potty-trained yet and so are still in diapers. They can't really speak complete sentences. Chances are they still sleep in a crib, at least at the beginning. They even still have some of that baby look to them. But yet, there is that hint of an older child lying beneath the surface. They have started developing a unique personality that bubbles out in everything they do. They can laugh and joke and play with you. They even have opinions and preferences. They can do little tasks on their own, and boy are they proud! They can communicate their feelings and needs. And then they still need you to rock them to sleep. They still need snuggles. It's that perfect combination that seals the deal.
