You are here: Home / Archives for Toddlers

Independence One Toddler Step at a Time

January 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Tiny Baker

As a parent, one of your main goals should be to have your children go on their own and embrace the world without you needing to be there.

Every time my daughter accomplishes something that gives her more independence, I get extremely happy.

Coaching her to build Courage

I don’t want to overprotect my daughter because I know it can halt her growth in many aspects. I want her to build the courage to do things and not have to wait for anyone.

I want her to pave her own path.  Only then can she change the world by making sure she guides herself and expects more of herself every day.

Progress Makes me Smile

On multiple occasions I have seen how my daughter opens the iPad and searches for her favorite applications. Other things she does are related to self sustaining herself in the future from attempting to put on her clothes, to cooking with her mom by cutting mushrooms, and even making cupcakes or muffins; she is always seeking ways to do things on her own.

She will ask for help when she does not get the result or can’t find something. For the most part she is exploring and observing what she wants to learn and do next..

I smile when I see that she has discovered something new to do on the iPad or that she figured out how to put on a piece of wardrobe. On most occasions her mom and I have taught her how to do certain tasks but  most of the time she has figured it out on her own by observing me like inserting her favorite movie into the Blueray/Dvd.

I remember reading in Steve Jobs Biography (Affiliate link) that one of his goals was to make the iPad and iOS devices very intuitive and easy to handle. I wonder what other things can we do during our days with our daughter that things can be intuitive and she can learn on her own vs. us taking her over every detail.

I have to tell Steve that based on my personal experiences with my daughter, I can’t see how they could have made it any easier it is our job now to get into that kind of thinking where critical tasks that our kids need to learn can become second nature to them early on.

As I see my daughter exploring new things and with progress, we are committed to keep the momentum going.

Everything will be Under Control, One day…

One day I want her to say Dad I have everything under control.

But until then I will handle the next task at being independent; potty training.

P.S. Thanks Aaron Manley (owner of  Motorphilia) for helping me understand this a lot better in a simple 45 minute conversation on your long term goals as a parent almost a year ago. 

Recommended Reading

Filed Under: Family, Papá Heroes, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Toddler Tantrums

June 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There comes a time in every parents life where they have to deal with tantrums. Once you are a parent you understand a bit better on how sometimes getting control of a situation seems to be easier said than done.

The only valuable advice I can provide other parents is to keep calm. Similar to other situations in life, keeping calm will help you deal with a toddler tantrum a lot better.

Most of my daughter’s tantrums are triggered by the fact that her geeky parents (especially me) want to immerse her in technology. She has been playing with an iPad since she was three months old.

We would be able to take away any item (or gadget) and our daughter would move on and go to the next thing.

Lately she has been throwing small tantrums when she wants something and does not get it immediately. I did some research in trying to find a solution and I found two articles which where very helpful. Our common sense has been to remove her from the situation that caused the tantrum as quickly as possible; we also confirmed this is a good approach.

Before removing your child from the situation it is critical to identify if the child is:

  • Hungry
  • Tired
  • Over-Stimulated
  • Frustrated
  • Pleas for Attention

Dr. Sears recommends keeping a tantrum journal to see what sets him off. Maybe an application like Evernote on your phone can facilitate making note of these.  (Reference – http://www.parenting.com/article/ask-dr-sears-intolerable-toddler-tantrums)

Independence vs dependence.

In my case, my daughter’s can-do attitude only worsens the situation when I try doing stuff for her. She reminds me that I am there to help her. That way she learns how to do it and it becomes beneficial to all parties.

“Ayuda”

One of the first words we have been helping my daughter understand is “Ayuda” (which means help in Spanish). This might be a way to defuse the situation and allow her to ask for help before she becomes frustrated.

Tag Your Teammate

I remember when I watched the WWF (now WWE) when I was a kid. My favorite events were when it was tag team wrestling. When a wrestler got tired or into trouble, he would tag his partner who usually was in a better state to take care of business. On some occasions you might need the help of those who are around you. If you are a single parent, I tip my hat off to you. For single parents maybe a family member or close friend can come in an assist.

As other professionals mentioned in the sources we share below, they emphasize that tantrums are a completely normal part of the Toddler’s development.

Any tips on how you deal with your Toddler Tantrums?

Would love to continue sharing ideas in the comments area!

External Sources

 

 

Filed Under: Papá Heroes, Parental Advice Tagged With: , , ,