Are you worried about the cost of Christmas this year? As magical and exciting as the holidays can be, they can also be ridiculously expensive.

There’s a certain pressure placed onto parents to ensure their children have the perfect Christmas. So, if you’ve got a very limited budget it can extremely stressful and upsetting to find you can’t spend a fortune on Christmas gifts.

The good news is, toddlers are really easy to buy for. They are young enough to not know the difference between an expensive and a cheaper gift. They’re also easily pleased so they may be just as happy with an empty box as they would with what’s inside! 😉

If you’re struggling to come up with budget Christmas gift ideas for toddlers, here we’ll look at some great options available. [Read more…]

Toddlers are known for their frustrating and often embarrassing habits. One habit in particular many parents struggle with, is thumb sucking. Whether your little one has naturally developed the habit, or whether they started using their thumb as a substitute for a pacifier, it can be really difficult to get them to stop.

The main concern parents have is that their little one’s habit will cause problems with their teeth. It can also potentially lead to issues with speech development, though this is pretty rare. So why do toddlers suck their thumbs and how can you stop it? [Read more…]

Do you find it hard to keep your toddler entertained? There’s only so many times you can play the same games over and over again before you start to feel like you’re slowly going insane. When the days are dragging on and you’re struggling to think of new and exciting games you and your little one can play, the ideas below may just save your sanity… [Read more…]

All parents worry about whether their child is developing correctly at the right speed. During the toddler years, you start to really notice significant development changes. It’s important to realize that each child develops at their own pace so there is no strict rule on when they should be doing certain things. However, there are a few things you can watch out for that could indicate motor development issues.

Remember, the 10 signs listed below are a guideline only, and have nothing to do with your parenting skills. If you are concerned, it is highly recommended you seek advice from your pediatrician or health professional. [Read more…]

Are you struggling to deal with your toddler’s behavior? It’s no secret toddlers can be little terrors sometimes. Once they hit two years of age, their own personality starts to really kick in and they’re not afraid to show it!

While it’s great to see your little one developing into their own unique person, it can be really difficult transitioning from parenting a sweet, innocent baby to a mischievous, hurricane of a toddler!

However, one thing that’s going to make it one hundred times harder is trying to change their personality. This is a common mistake many parents make, but what does it mean? Could you be trying to change their personality without even realizing it?

Here we’ll look at the different toddler personality types and why accepting, rather than challenging it, is key to making your life easier. [Read more…]

As a parent, you’re presented with a lot of challenging and often embarrassing situations along the way. Nothing can really prepare you for these situations, but it can be helpful to learn more about what sparks the behavior.

Many of the most embarrassing problems begin during the toddler years, when your little one is developing into their own, unique person. While you hear a lot of stories from other parents about the cringe-worthy things their toddlers have said in public, one problem you don’t often hear about is the sudden and constant need for toddlers to undress.

That’s right – toddlers love to get naked! Once they’ve figured out they can undress themselves, keeping them fully-clothed can become a constant battle that you just can’t seem to win. Not only is this embarrassing if they insist on getting naked in public, but it’s also potentially messy if they aren’t toilet trained!

So why do toddlers love to get naked? [Read more…]

Is your toddler shy around other people? Toddler shyness is actually really common, but that doesn’t stop you worrying when your usually bold and forceful child becomes a nervous, shrinking violet around others.

It can be really upsetting to witness your little one getting distressed in social situations. It’s difficult to know how to handle the situation and if you should acknowledge it at all. Some parents even start to avoid potentially distressing situations so their toddler won’t get upset. So what exactly is toddler shyness and how should you handle it? Even if your toddler is extremely, painfully shy, don’t worry – we can work through it.  [Read more…]

At what age should you start teaching your child to be independent? Well, according to many experts it begins in the toddler years.

For many parents, letting their child, especially their toddler, make their own decisions feels a little scary. Surely at this age they aren’t the best judge of what they should and shouldn’t be doing?

You’ve spent the past couple of years feeding, dressing, bathing and generally taking care of your little one and letting go of that mindset is hard. To you, they will always be your baby, even when they are mid-tantrum, or running around causing havoc, surely there isn’t a lot your toddler can do for themselves anyway? Well, you might just be surprised! [Read more…]