Ah, toddlers. There’s something incredibly special, and overwhelming, about the toddler stage. Although it lasts only a few years, it can feel like an eternity. Just when you’ve got a grip on the baby years, there are suddenly a whole new set of questions to ask, like: How do I discipline my toddler? When do we start potty training? Are routines actually important?
I’m here to help! Below, you will find 10 of my most popular articles on ParentData about navigating the toddler years. And feel free to ask a question if you have something else toddler-related on your mind.
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Is Gentle Parenting Best?
If your Instagram feed is anything like mine, you hear a lot about “gentle parenting.” It sounds promising. After all, based on the name, it would appear the alternative is something like “harsh parenting,” which I may occasionally veer into but would certainly like to avoid. Read more.
The Best Potty Training Advice
I have talked to many people about potty training over the years. I have toilet trained two children. I have done research on it, read papers, collected data. If I had to summarize these experiences in a single sentence, it is this: Why the f**k is this so hard? Read more.
Is Day Care Bad for Children?
Child care choices always rank high in parent discussion and anxiety. Does day care generate behavior problems? Is a nanny dangerous? Read more.
How Often Do Kids Get Sick?
How often is really normal for kids to be sick? How significant is child care attendance in driving illness? And, on the more optimistic side, do these early illnesses actually make kids less likely to get sick later? Read more.
No Option is Completely Safe
When pregnant, and then as a parent, there is nothing you want more than to protect your child. You want to keep them safe. That instinct is both natural and awesome. But it can also be counterproductive. Read more.
Learning to Speak
Listen to a conversation with Michael Frank, a professor at Stanford who works on the question of how children learn to speak. We talk about how language works, the difference between receptive and expressive language, and which language is the hardest to learn to speak (spoiler alert: it’s Danish). Read more.
Toddler Teeth
What do we know about the importance of tooth hygiene in very young children? Read more.
How Important Are Routines for Toddlers?
Kids can thrive in many different family environments. There is a huge range of good, productive, happy parenting — from the quite rigid to the very loose. There are two areas, though, where data is more supportive of the value of consistency and, to some extent, routine. Read more.
Why Is Bedtime Suddenly Impossible?
Every situation is different, but difficult bedtimes often happen as a result of a small moment that becomes a habit. The habit builds on itself and then is hard to break. Read more.
Are Disney Princesses Ruining Your Daughter?
What, precisely, do we know about Disney princesses and their impacts, nefarious or otherwise? Read more.
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