How Toddlers Thrive

January 6, 2014
Child psychologist Klein, director of the Barnard Center for Toddler Development, has a keen understanding of what makes toddlers tick. Here Klein explains why parents should try to see the world from their child’s point of view (“Parenting POV”). The toddler years, the author asserts, are a perfect “lab for later”—a time for planting seeds that serve as the foundation for adulthood. Raising toddlers, Klein admits, can be frustrating; toddlers seek independence, while at the same time, they want to stay close. But she also maintains that these years can be calm, fun, and enjoyable when parents learn how to provide a balanced mix of guidance (as opposed to control), limits, love, and comfort. Covering such topics as sleep, toilet training, eating, getting dressed, tantrums, play, and managing transitions, Klein helps parents understand their child’s perspective. For example, a toddler experiences sleep as separation, but this doesn’t mean parents can’t set guidelines and establish rituals. Klein also explains how well-meaning parents may inadvertently “shame” their toddler, thus sabotaging development. Parents of the 2–5 set will find plenty of practical ideas and strategies to make the preschool years less stressful, creating what Klein describes as a relaxed and loving “toddlertopia.”