Toddler

Toddler

9 Tips for Planning an Affordable Disney Vacation

It may be the happiest place on earth, but a vacation to Disney World or Disney Land can also feel like one of the most expensive.

9 Tips for Planning an Affordable Disney Vacation

It may be the happiest place on earth, but a vacation to Disney World or Disney Land can also feel like one of the most expensive. Still, you want to give your children the most magical experience you can, and with careful planning, it is possible.

When we started planning our first trip to Disney it was disappointing to find that a lot of the tips we saw seemed to be for families who were within driving distance, which we definitely aren’t. However, three trips later, I can say I’ve culled some great budgeting tips both for those who fly and those who drive.

1. Consider an All-Inclusive Package

The Magic Your Way vacation packages roll lodging at one of the on-property Disney resorts, theme park tickets and a dining plan into one price. It can be customized to fit your family’s needs and includes perks like Extra Magic Hours and transportation to the parks and from the airport.

If you have to fly, the money you save on car rentals, tolls and theme park parking alone may make it worth it to spend a little more to stay at a Disney resort. Another nice bonus that comes with booking a Magic Your Way package is that you can book early and make payments (your vacation needs to be paid off in full 45 days prior to arrival). It’s like putting your vacation on layaway!

2. Plan an Off-Peak Vacation Time

Peak visiting times at Disney are around the weeks of Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, as well as during other common school vacations and midsummer. That’s when the crowds (and the prices) are at their highest. If you can manage to visit outside of those times, you’ll not only save some money, but you may also be able to take advantage of one of Disney World’s special offer discounts.

 

3. Look for Official Special Offer Discounts

Disney World and Disney Land frequently have special offers, which range from "free dining" with the purchase of a vacation package to room-only discount rates. They appear and change often, so even if you have a vacation planned, don’t hesitate to keep checking in with Disney to see if there’s a new offer that you can apply to your vacation.

4. Find Online Deals, Discounts and Newsletters

There are numerous websites devoted to deals and coupons for lodging and food in and around the Disney parks. The most well-known, MouseSavers.com and AllEars.net, not only always have discount codes for hotels, but also have newsletters you can subscribe to to get the most up-to-date information and deals.

5. Save with Disney Dining and Refillable Mugs

It may seem expensive to buy a Disney Dining Plan, but it actually works out well if you plan on eating in the parks anyway. Like Circle of Moms member Ronda D., we found that a dining plan saved "a ton of money." The meals are so large that our family of five often only got three meals to share among us. 

You can also buy a refillable mug at your resort for under $15 (it’s included with some dining plans), that can be filled unlimited times at resort drinking stations. Since each meal comes with a drink, our family simply got water bottles with the meal to take into the parks for later.

 

6. Fill the Fridge

Whether you have leftover food from meals or not, filling the fridge in your hotel room with food you bring or buy off-site will save money. Many families find it easier to have a quick breakfast in the room before heading out for the day or a mid-afternoon snack before dinner. You can buy food at Disney stores on-property, but it’s very expensive. If you don’t have a car, think about using one of the many grocery delivery services that cater to Disney guests.

7. Bring Your Own Gear

You can buy anything you need at Disney, but it’s expensive! Plan well and bring everything you think you might need, from dollar store rain ponchos to extra sunscreen to character T-shirts purchased more reasonably at a store at home. Don’t forget your own stroller, too. You can rent them, but your child is bound to feel more comfortable in her own and it will be so much easier to find in the parks!

8. Give Gift Cards for Souvenir Purchases

We’ve always solved the problem of haggling with our kids over souvenirs by giving them a Disney gift card ahead of time. You can also purchase Disney Dollars at any resort desk or at Guest Relations in the parks. The "dollars" come in denominations of $1, $5 and $10 and have pictures of the characters on them.

 

9. Visit Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a wonderful place to spend a lot of time and not a lot of money. There’s no admission, and as Circle of Moms members Beverly H. and Jennifer point out, not only are there lots of interesting shops to browse in, but with the giant LEGO statues, the interactive fountains, and the decor outside the Rainforest Cafe, there are a lot of great picture-taking opportunities — which makes for memories you'll value long after you've paid for your trip!

Image Source: Courtesy of WDW (Diana Zalucky, photographer)

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

Why Your Child Should Never Be Forced to Hug a Relative

As we head into the holiday season and into visits with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, there's one awkward situation that will arise in many families and that most parents will be unprepared to deal with: relatives who expect hugs and kisses from little ones — even when those little ones don't want to show them affection.

Why Your Child Should Never Be Forced to Hug a Relative

As we head into the holiday season and into visits with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, there's one awkward situation that will arise in many families and that most parents will be unprepared to deal with: relatives who expect hugs and kisses from little ones — even when those little ones don't want to show them affection.

To spare a relative's feelings, many of us will urge a small child to endure or even return this unwanted physical contact. But should we? What messages are we sending to our kids about their body boundaries when we do this?

How to Avoid Teaching the Wrong Lessons

A recent CNN article (I Don't Own My Child's Body) that explores exactly these questions is the subject of lively discussion on Circle of Moms. Katia Hetter, its author, asserts that, "Forcing children to touch people when they don't want to leaves them vulnerable to sexual abusers, most of whom are people known to the children they abuse."

Assuming that giving Grandma a kiss on the cheek could have anything at all do do with sexual abuse of a child might seem crazy at first blush, but member Nichole M. feels Hetter's connection makes perfect sense. "You're violating their comfort zone and the kids may learn to accept anyone into those uncomfortable spaces." Lisa E. also agrees, and shares how she's teaching her own son about respecting his body and his own physical space:

"The boundary we're teaching our child is to listen to his own 'gut feeling.' He tells us whenever he feels uncomfortable around someone (usually whispering so he doesn't hurt feelings). He never has to touch or be touched if he feels uncomfortable — family or otherwise. I will never force him to kiss anyone — even if a great aunt is visiting who may get her feelings hurt. Hugs and kisses are his to give and are not compulsory."

 

Hetter also reminds us that forcing our kids to be affectionate when they don't want to can impact their sexual relationships as teens, because it "teaches them to use their body to please you or someone else in authority or, really, anyone."

"Affection should never be forced."

In addition to preventing abuse, many moms feel it's important to try to understand how your child feels when a relative demands physical affection. Jenni D. references her own memories from childhood as a guideline in her parenting: "As a kid, I didn't like to be hugged or kissed much except by my mom, and hated when my grandma would force me to kiss her goodbye. As an adult, I love giving kisses and snuggles to my kids, but if they would ever seem like they didn't want me to hug or kiss them I would respect that."

As Jenni D.'s comment points out, forced affection between a parent and child is concerning as well. Stacey's kids became uncomfortable when her husband, who is their step-dad, became too demanding of hugs and kisses. In situations like this, members urge Stacey to have her husband back down. Lorena M. explains that "kisses and hugs should come out because one feels like giving them and not because they're pressured" A member who goes by "Dove" is even more emphatic: "Affection should never be forced." 

How to Head Off a Relative's Hurt Feelings

Toddlers often test our patience by refusing to do things that we actually do have to find a way to make them do, such as eating, bathing and behaving well. However, refusing affection should not be equated with bad manners or bad behavior. Hetter asserts that children can (and should) be polite and respectful while still maintaining their own personal boundaries: "Manners – treating people with respect and care – is different than demanding physical displays of affection."

 

A good first step may be to explain your policy to relatives. Adults, even close relatives, should be able to respect your decision. Hetter found that while it can be more work, it can also lead them to truly appreciate the affection they do get from your child. "I explain to relatives who want to know why we're letting her decide who she touches, and when she does hug them, the joy is palpable – Not from obligation or a direct order from Mom," she says.

Hetter also offers suggestions for greetings that are less intimate, and that are perfect for a child in the early stages of getting to know a new family member. Instead of kisses and hugs, encourage a handshake or a high-five: "When kids are really little and shy, parents can start to offer them choices for treating people with respect and care. Even shy kids can shake somebody's hand or wave or do something to communicate respect and care."

Far from disappointing, these alternatives can actually strengthen a relative's relationship with your young child, as member Angie S.'s story shows: "You could do what my boyfriend and our son do, they have a special hand shake. He will even stay awake, and when he hears his dad come home from work he'll come out just to do their shake."

How do you and your child handle social situations?


Image Source: thedianna via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

Why I Took Away My Toddler's Water Guns

As a parent, I'm unnerved by the amount of violence in society today.

Why I Took Away My Toddler's Water Guns

As a parent, I'm unnerved by the amount of violence in society today. So when my two sons started to shoot each other with water guns, fall over, play dead, and talk about killing each other, I took the toy guns away. And as a topical discussion on Circle of Moms shows, I’m not the only mom who doesn’t want her toddlers to play with toy guns.

Circle of Moms member Jo S. grew up around guns, so her knowledge of gun safety is up to snuff. Yet like me, she “can’t get over the nervousness” she feels whenever she sees a young child playing with toy guns. Jo's partner keeps paintball guns and a BB gun at his parents' home. He also has "an insanely immature obsession with Nerf guns,” and thus is trying to convince her to get their son a Nerf gun. But, says Jo, “I just can’t get over the whole idea that ultimately what a gun is for [is] to kill things."

September W., who also grew up around guns and has taken gun safety courses, is another mom who will not allow her two-year-old to play with toy guns. “Although water guns are fun on a hot summer’s day, you are still pointing and shooting at another person; just not cool in my opinion,” she says.

As I delved deeper into the question of whether to allow children to play with toy guns, I found that Jo, September and I are in good company in believing that toddlers are just too young for this kind of play. Here, as shared by Circle of Moms members, are three reasons why you might want to limit your toddlers’ exposure to toy guns until they are older.

1. Toddlers Don't Yet Understand Real vs. Fake

In the debate about whether children should be allowed to play with toy guns, Circle of Moms members tend to agree that there is a time and a place for guns, and that children should be taught the difference between real and toy guns. However, I’m not convinced that toddlers understand the distinction between toy and real guns, never having encountered the latter.

 

“A lot of toy guns nowadays look like real guns. A child could easily get confused and end up messing around with a real one,” points out Amie T., whose family hunts. That’s why she has decided to keep toy guns out of her toddler's toy box.

“Guns are not toys,” she says, noting that she is teaching her children about gun safety, how deadly they really are and to “never ever touch one without adult supervision." Allowing toddlers to play with toy guns de-sensitizes them to the dangers of real guns and children begin to think of guns as a joke, Amie adds. “It drives me mad when I see kids pretending to shoot people or thinking that it’s funny,” she says. She notes some children may not even register that water guns are meant to look like weapons.

September W. agrees, that “the way guns tend to be played with teaches children the opposite of what guns should be used for, since most times it's ‘shoot ’em up’ type play.” When her two-year-old is mature enough to understand the real purpose of guns, she may allow him to play with water guns and Nerf guns — but never realistic looking guns.

2. Toddlers Have Better Things to Do Than Shoot

Several moms question the wisdom in letting toddlers play with things as controversial as toy guns when there are tons of other toys and games they can play.

Monique C. and Kylie H. encourage moms to help their children find other fun, creative activities that stimulate their children's minds, instead of shooting. For example, Monique and her husband, an Iraq war veteran, encourage their four-year-old and one-year-old to color and play sports.

Louise B. recommends games that will nurture a growing toddler’s mind and motor skills, suggesting that parents teach their children to hit a ball, shoot hoops, draw, explore, play house, doctor, firefighter, etc. — instead of shooting at another person.

 

Another member, Joy, feels kids get more out of the kind of play she enjoyed as a child, when she “had trees to climb, holes to dig (to China), mud to make pies from, sprinklers to play in, forts to build,” and could just run around and play “chase.” She plans on keeping toy (and real) guns away from her son as long as she possibly can, saying, “I don't know at what age I'll be comfortable with him having any kind of gun, even a BB gun.”

3. Toddlers are Still Learning Self Control

Circle of Moms members generally agree that when you introduce toy guns to your children, it’s important to teach them not to point those guns at anyone. Yet with toddlers, many moms say this is an unrealistic goal given all the the media violence kids see and try to mimic.

Toddlers, who are still learning when and where it’s appropriate to run, jump, climb, do everything else toddlers are supposed to do, cannot be expected to exercise self control and not point a toy gun at another child or animal inappropriately, say Kori V., Layce, and Louise B.

Kori shares that her kindergarten-aged son was expelled because he was acting like he was playing with guns on the playground. While she had tried to teach her son about the acceptable way to play with toy guns and believes the school was being a little harsh, she nevertheless cautions against giving toddlers toy guns because they may not play with them appropriately.

Even Nerf “bullets” hurt, when shot directly at another child, Layce says, noting her step-brother used to shoot his Nerf guns at her and use her as “target practice” when they were children.

And although her son is way past the toddler years at age 7, mom Emile B. shares that her son is having trouble understanding that it’s not appropriate to pretend-shoot people.

 

“Many children do not have the proper sense of self control until the age of 16,” Louise B. says, thus arguing that it’s important that parents can help by not “indulging violence through play.”

Moreover, says a mom named Joy, “I worry that as hard as I try to shield [my son] from violence, he will be exposed to it (friends, etc, once he starts school), and I don't want to be that mom whose kid gets hurt or hurts someone else because he didn't understand that guns really can hurt and kill people,” says a mom named Joy.

The Gun Safety Test

The bottom line is that when it comes to guns — toy or real — children must be properly educated on how to handle them safely and be respectful of others. And because I used to shoot targets competitively and had to pass a gun safety test myself, I, like Circle of Moms member Kimbeley, will require my toddlers to prove that they are mature enough to handle guns.

Kimbeley suggests making a gun safety test that your child has to "pass" (questioning the use and rules of guns, who can shoot, and what you can shoot). “Once your child passes the test, you can give him a ‘gun license,’ which you can draw up for him,” she says. “If he then does anything with the toy guns that is against the rules (such as pretending to shoot you), then he loses his gun license for an x amount of time and he is not to use any toy guns during this time,” she explains.

This may sound a lot of work to moms who don’t mind if their children play with toy guns. But if you, like me, are doubtful that your toddler is mature enough to understand the difference between toy and real guns, and how not to point guns at people, the “licensing” system is worth the effort, Kimbeley says.

Image Source: carolynhack via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

Graco High Chair Recall

A high chair should keep your little one in a secure and supportive eating position...which is why Graco is recalling their classic wood high chairs.

Graco High Chair Recall

A high chair should keep your little one in a secure and supportive eating position...which is why Graco is recalling their classic wood high chairs. The company has received 58 complaints that the seats of these chairs become loose and detach from the base, and nine children have fallen so far due to this defect.

If you have a Graco Classic Wood High Chair from 2007-2010 (with any of the three wood finishes), contact Graco for recall information.

Read the whole story at The Washington Post>>

Image Source: Brody's Mom via Buzzillions

Toddler

3 Things I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Toddler

I consider myself a fairly smart and informed parent.  I keep up with my daughter’s pediatric visits, keep up by subscribing to e-newsletters such as WebMD and BabyCenter, and exchange developmental notes with other parents quite frequently.

3 Things I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Toddler

I consider myself a fairly smart and informed parent.  I keep up with my daughter’s pediatric visits, keep up by subscribing to e-newsletters such as WebMD and BabyCenter, and exchange developmental notes with other parents quite frequently. In addition, I thought the fact that I moonlight as a pharmacist on my days off from being full time mommy was an advantage of sorts. But even with my medical background, I was dumbfounded by three “toddler lessons” I encountered recently.

1. Holding Poop for a Really, Really Long Time

I did not discover how strong my two-year-old's will, determination, and sphincter muscles were until we started potty training. All of a sudden, my daughter went from going “poopy” three times a day to holding her bowel movements for seven days in a row. Yes, you read correctly! Apparently, all you have to do is encourage a toddler to poop in the toilet and she can go from a regular pooping princess to irregular royalty. At this point, going number two in the potty involves lots of water and prune juice, a bribe of goldfish here and there, an insanely quiet bathroom, and lots of prayers.

2. Hand, Food and Mouth Disease

Other than the “poop showdown,” we have a healthy and happy little person. She is up-to-date on her vaccinations and never misses a doctor’s appointment. What she did not have (back in June anyway), was the most tolerant immune system. You see, up until this past summer my daughter did not attend any child care centers or programs. She is our only child and  I was her primary care taker. Well, imagine my surprise when my daughter woke up one day with a fever and a sore throat and developed red pustule-like bumps on her hands, face and limbs. We took her to the doctor and it was discovered that she had Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Huh?!?  I had never even heard about this virus until a few days before her episode.

 

Apparently, the virus was making its rounds at her new school. Much to our dismay, all we could do is offer supportive care (ibuprofen for fever/pain, keeping her hydrated, ice pops for her sore throat, and keeping her comfortable.) No amount of antibiotics would help, as this is a virus. So if your toddler ends up with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, you just have to “ride it out,” so to speak.

3. Toxic  Synovitis

Maybe a week after the virus scare, things seemed to be back to normal. The fever was gone and my daughter’s sores were pretty healed. But one morning, as we called her for her regular morning cereal, she refused to go to the table to eat. She actually demanded to be picked up rather than walk to her chair to savor her favorite time of the day: Meal Time!

My husband and I gave in initially and carried the princess wherever she needed to go. But, once I had enough, I beckoned her to partake in some of her favorite activities with me: go to the park, play catch, all of which she either refused or tried to part-take in while on her knees. This paralyzed me with fear and I rushed her to the ER.  The diagnosis was toxic synovitis. Apparently, toxic synovitis is a temporary condition affecting children that causes inflammation of the joints. Symptoms include: hip, thigh and leg pain, which can cause the child to limp due to the amount of pain experienced. Younger kids may refuse to walk altogether, often resorting to crawling or walking on their knees. 

After a week of me carrying an extra thirty pound weight around and having her take some time off from school to rest her limbs she was back to herself. Our princess was rested, walking and “ready to go!"

Actually, we are still working on “ready to go” part.  She now goes poopy every two days.  Sweet victory!

Image Source: Karelnoppe via Fotolia

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

3 Signs Your Preschooler is Gifted

Thanks to standardized tests, it’s somewhat easy to tell whether a grade-schooler has above average aptitude.

3 Signs Your Preschooler is Gifted

Thanks to standardized tests, it’s somewhat easy to tell whether a grade-schooler has above average aptitude. But curious parents of preschoolers may have a more difficult time determining whether their children are "gifted," having fewer benchmarks against which to measure them. "Although I suspect my daughter is gifted, I am still waiting [until] she can be tested to call it officially," says mom Maggie J.

Nisreen V. also says her 3-year-old son shows signs of being a gifted child — he has an adult vocabulary and asks lots of questions — but she can’t really compare him to othe children his age because he's not yet in school. Once she does start sending him to school, she wonders, will the school help her figure it out?

Some Circle of Moms members with children who've been deemed gifted by their schools say parents of preschoolers indeed might need to wait until their children start grade school before they are labeled "gifted" (which often occurs in first or third grade). Yet, they nevertheless suggest moms keep an eye out for the following three signs that a young child is gifted — and offer advice on how every child's talents can be nurtured.

1. Your Child Learns Language Quickly

"My son, not quite three, recognizes all the letters, has most of the sounds, knows his colors, knows his numbers, counts objects, is starting to read words like ‘rattlesnake,’ has a huge vocabulary … and has incredible logic and reasoning skills," says Circle of Moms member Laura P. "I'm wondering if he is a gifted child, and if so, do I encourage this or let him be a little kid?"

 

Many Circle of Moms members of gifted children say Laura’s suspicion that her son is gifted is not off track. One of the first indications of their children’s above average abilities was the speed at which they learned letters and vocabulary. Mom Deborah C. says her daughter was the poster child for highly gifted kids and had advanced language skills. "Her first word was 'elephant,' right before she turned three months old. She spoke in sentences by six months, and by 18 months, her language skills were that of a four or five-year-old," she says. Additionally, her daughter knew all her colors, shapes, ABC's, numbers, opposites, and her left from her right before she was two.

Alicia T. says her son stood out as gifted because at three and a half years old: "He pretty much taught himself how to read phonetically. He also learned the alphabets of at least four other languages and how to count in several of them as well."

2. Your Child Has a Love for Learning

Gifted children sometimes experience frustration when they’re not learning, Alicia T. adds. For example, she says while the rest of her family may happily "zone out" watching a TV show, her gifted son prefers to watch YouTube videos on how to write letters in Hebrew or how to count in Japanese. Because of her experience, she suspects "a gifted child isn't happy unless he or she is learning something."

A gifted child’s inquisitive nature to learn new things often requires constant conversation and attention. Denise M. says it’s hard keeping up with her four-year-old son’s interests. 

Mom Michelle D. calls her son a sponge for knowledge. She says he loves to learn anything, and as a result, believes gifted children learn in a different style and thus need more enriched activities.

 

3. Your Child Exhibits Other Talents

Even if your preschooler doesn’t exhibit academic gifts, she could still be gifted, say Circle of Moms members Jami L. and Tegan D. Jami shares that her son didn’t learn to read until he entered kindergarten, but then he excelled by leaps and bounds. In nine months he was able to read at a first grade level.

Tegan D. says her three-year-old daughter can’t read yet, but she is emotionally gifted, sensing when her baby brother is nervous or frustrated, and exhibiting empathy toward animals. "Gifts come in all different shapes and sizes," Tegan says, "but the key difference is it's the ability to think beyond and differently to other children of that age."

Whether your preschooler is gifted or not, Hayley M. says you don’t need to raise your children any differently. "If he is gifted, then you don't have to encourage it; it's who he is!" she says.

Moms Megan W. and Debora C. agree, saying moms should encourage their children’s love for learning, but not push preschoolers to excel academically. "It is easy to think they need to get out into school ASAP,” Megan says, "but three- and four-year-olds need, comfort, stability at home, and opportunities to improve their play and socialization skills during the day."

Megan sends her son to preschool part-time to socialize. "I'm aware that he won't learn anything new there," she says, "but being around a group of kids his age and getting used to the ‘class’ structure is a good idea before formal school," she adds.

Praise your child for how hard he works, rather than for being smart, clever or good, Cathy M. advises. "That will help your preschooler to be more hard working, rather than give up as soon as things start getting tough," whether your child is gifted or not, she says.

 

And above all, as a Circle of Moms member who goes by "Flower Girl" says, a parent should respect the qualities that her child has. "Just because some children do not have a higher IQ doesn't really mean much. We should love our children for who they are."

Image Source: Courosa via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

What to Do When Your Toddler Doesn’t Talk

At 15 months, Jessica A.'s little girl isn't yet talking.

What to Do When Your Toddler Doesn’t Talk

At 15 months, Jessica A.'s little girl isn't yet talking. This worried Circle of Moms member is trying everything she can think of to jump start her daughter's words, including flash cards, the 'Your Baby Can Read' series, and consistently saying the names of all the foods she eats, "but we haven't gotten much out of it yet."

Whether a toddler is talking or not talking, or how little, are subjects of great concern for many Circle of Moms members. And like Jessica A., many are wondering what they should do about these concerns.

The good news is that every child starts talking on her own timeline, and there's a broad range for that timeline. One mom with a slow-to-talk toddler, Brandi H., says reassuringly that a bit of time is the trick: "My older boy had a hard time talking until he was about 26 months," she says. He only said 'mama,' 'dada,' 'baba,' 'baby,' and 'Lulu.' Now he's three and his doctor is impressed at how well he talks for his age. I also have a 16-month old boy who already has a 12-word vocabulary and has already said his first sentence. So it really depends on the child."

Karen H. says she was concerned, but waited until her son was ready to talk. "My son was the exact same way, but I chose to opt out of getting him checked out at two because I knew he was doing fine," she says. "It's almost like a light switch came on around his second birthday. The child is a parrot now. He's gone from only having a 5-10 word vocabulary to repeating everything we say and being able to now string four words together."

Brandi's and Karen's stories are among many that offer a reassuring bit of wisdom: above all, moms say, don’t lose hope — there are things you can do to help. Here are three that are key.

1. Consult Your Pediatrician

Emily D. and Louise G. both suggest trusting your gut and consulting your child’s pediatrician or a speech therapist. “Maybe he/she can help you eliminate any concerns you have,” says Emily. “That would be my first step, get an appointment for him to see the pediatrician and go from there.”

 

"Going from there" may lead you to an evaluation for Early Intervention Services, in which trained specialists will create a program for you and your child that will help address speech and behavioral problems. (For more information on EIS, read An Early Intervention Services Primer.)

"If you have any doubt about your child's progress you should definately get them tested. I know it was the best thing I did for my children who were both diagnosed with speech dyspraxia," shares Michelle J.

2. Talk to Your Child All the Time

Moms like Julie suggest that parents speak to their toddlers frequently in order to encourage their launguage development. "I'm having the same problem," she says. "My 17-month-old son only says mama, goggie (doggie), and sounds for other words, like dada for drink. I'm having his ears checked at his 18 month appointment. Until then, just lots of encouragement and different words that he can hear."

Michelle M. says talking is the strategy she would recommend as well. "There are a few things I believe helped my very chatty three-year-old," she says. "Since he was a baby, I've always talked to him in full sentences. When I ask him questions, I give him time to respond. I find that many people don't give them time to process what they want to say."

3. Read to Your Child

Reading is another important habit that will go a long way in improving your child’s language skills, say moms. When they are exposed to reading it helps them pick up on the way words ebb and flow, says Brandi H. "My older boy had a hard time with talking until he was about 26 months," she says. "He only said mama, dada, baba, baby and Lulu. Now he's three and his doctor is impressed at how well he talks for his age. Sit and read lots of books pointing thngs out to her when you are out somewhere and tell her what they are each time you give her some thing tell her what it is."

Can you suggest other ways of encouraging a toddler to talk?

Image Source: Philippe Put via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Toddler

Dad Slammed for Publicly Shaming His Toddler

There have been a rash of headlines in the last year about parents who've disciplined wayward teens through public shamings.

Dad Slammed for Publicly Shaming His Toddler

There have been a rash of headlines in the last year about parents who've disciplined wayward teens through public shamings. But as a recent incident shows, public shaming can backfire, bringing the weight of public opinion down hard on the parent instead of the child.

In the case in question, a father uploaded a photo of his toddler to Reddit in which she's holding a sign "confessing" the crime of pooping in the shower, and giving her dad permission to use the humiliating image in her high school yearbook. The photo went viral, and horrified viewers were swift to criticize the father for humiliating such a young child in such a public way. The father claims that the image was simply meant to make people laugh.

Read the whole story (Daily Mail)>>

What limits do you put on what you'll share about your kids online?

Image Source: Reddit via Daily Mail