When a child turns two, they experience drastic changes in their physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, language, sensory, and motor development. From a bubbly, easy-to-deal-with babe, you’ll notice you have an adventurous, experimental preschooler in your home instead.
While growing at a rapid rate, they are also experiencing intense brain development. This means taking steps to become more independent than you might like as a parent. It’s a great yet overwhelming experience that might merit you to wish time went by slower.
The “Terrible Twos” stage comes with big feelings, strong conviction to get what they want, and new words. You’ll never see it coming, but before you know it, your little one has a mind of their own, and they know exactly what they want and how they want it.
Wondering what is going on with your little one at age two? Here are some for starters:
Socio-Emotional:
- They are starting to develop self-awareness, and are observant of the things that people around them do.
- They are becoming more social with other children, but still “parallel playing,” rather than playing directly with them.
- They are more inconsistent or impulsive, as they’re learning the “cause and effect” of their actions
- They are more possessive, and protect what is theirs. The word “mine!” may come by more often.
My little two-year-old, Seve, is an observant boy who has finally learned the concept of the word “mine.” When people try to “steal mama away,” he runs and hugs me quickly, letting them know that I am his. It’s an adorable and heartwarming thing for me, until it’s time to care for his little sister. Then, I calmly talk to him and let him know that “mama needs to take care of baby sister, too.”
He is more aware of himself when other children are around, too. When playing with his toys, he acknowledges the presence of his playmate, but without actively playing with him just yet. They are playing beside each other, but not together.
Mama and Seve at his 2nd Birthday PartyCognitive:
- They are able to sort things by their colors and shapes
- They are able to hide things, and they will find it
- They are understanding concepts such as hot/cold, day/night, big/small, tall/short
- They can understand simple signals and symbols such as “yes” and “no.”
- They understand simple instructions
- They play pretend
Seve loves to play pretend, mimicking his favorite animals, and pretending to eat or drink with his favorite toys. He loves to hide things in corners, and comes back for them after a couple of minutes when he remembers them.
At night when he’s brushing his teeth, he loves to sit by the shower, yelling “cold!” when his skin touches the tiles. He knows that his sister is “small,” and that his daddy is “big.”
When asked to hug his little sister, he finally knows how. When he wants a bottle of milk, we ask him to open the refrigerator, and he can get it himself!
Oh the wonders of terrific twos – they come with heartwarming stories of our little boy slowly becoming independent, and knowing how to navigate his own little world.
Seve at 25 monthsLanguage:
- By 24 months, they are saying at least 50 words. They know the names of the people around them, their favorite things, their favorite food, and more!
Remember – even when your two-year-old is fighting for your attention, experimenting with the things they see at home, and experiencing a wide range of emotions in a day, this is a normal stage of development.
At this age, they are supposed to test the boundaries, explore, and try new things. This can be maddening for some parents, or for some, it could be a beautiful time to watch your child blossom to be their own person.
Seve at 2How difficult the “Terrible Twos” can be all depends on your attitude as a parent. Here are some ways you can make things easier for both you and your child:
- Be sensitive to their readiness for independence.
- Appreciate their want and need for independence.
- Give up some control and assure them that you are there to help.
- Tolerate their anger towards you while understanding and acknowledging this big leap in development.
- See the situation from your child’s point of view and empathize.
- Keep a consistent schedule.
- Provide them with a safe, childproofed environment.
- Be forgiving of yourself and your child.
Seve Enjoying the Breeze OutdoorsYour child isn’t trying to be “terrible” on purpose. In fact, there are just some things they need from you:
They need you to validate their sudden urge for independence – teach them and guide them as they explore! They need your assurance that you are with them, and that they are safe following your daily routines and schedules. Most importantly, they need your empathy. They need you to understand that they don’t mean to be “terrible,” but they are simply just going through a lot in their little bodies.
There are many things you and your family can do together to conquer this stage with ease. Here are some fun activities you can do together:
- Involve them in daily activities, like sorting the laundry, cleaning up spills, and pouring water into cups.
- Praise good behavior more than scold bad behavior, so they begin to learn the concept of “right and wrong.”
- Read to them
- Play outdoors
- Do puzzles together
- Talk to them like how you’d talk to adults
- Create art projects together
- Play pretend
Seve Squeezing Himself Into a Side Table – Like a True “Terrific Two!”At the end of the day, whether you’re dreading or enjoying the “Terrific Twos” stage, it is not meant to last forever. Hang in there, savor the feelings, and make the most out of it, as one day, you’ll look back and realize that it was such a quick moment in time that you wouldn’t mind reliving.
