So my Munchkin is almost 2 now. What new things have we gone through? There is a major leap in independence and she wants to do almost everything by herself (or at least give it a shot). This is also with choices; she wants to make her own decisions with her basics needs like clothes, shoes, food and more. We have been experiencing this for sometime now, however, suddenly it’s a big leap and it now happens even more. Well, we do respect her choices and decisions and try to accommodate them as long as it’s safe for her.

Two Year Olds can be Tricky!

It is not always easy to deal with a 2 year old – they can be very tricky. One moment they are laughing and the next you will find them crying. What we can do best is acknowledge their feelings always. It’s okay for them to cry, give them a hug if they need it, and let them know it’s going to be okay. A lot of times, too many options overwhelm them and so they are unsure and that eventually upsets them. Hence, when giving choices keep it as two or maximum three.

Language and Writing

At this age (more often earlier) they are extremely interested in Alphabets and Numbers and would probably ask you what they are called. It’s best to not start teaching these to them yet and divert them. Ideally, you start with sounds and then move to the Alphabet. At 2, they are still too young to start learning the Alphabets and Numbers and most often just rote-learn them, which actually does not help. (I hope to do a detailed write up on this topic soon).

Writing too, should not be introduced for a long time. Yes they definitely want to and it’s best to allow them to scribble as they wish preferably with chalk on a blackboard or with thick crayons on paper.

Surroundings

They are able to understand a lot more now and express themselves well. It is a good time to take them places or to events where they can view various portraits, handwork, décor. We recently went to a mall, where they was an exhibit of artwork and My Munchkin was extremely fascinated by the things she saw.

Culture

A great time to start introducing our culture and festivals to her. Since it was December, the Christmas festivities were in full swing. We tried to take her to as many places as possible where she could simply take in what she saw, ask questions and understand the basics.

Apart from this, as mentioned there was a wedding in our family and we were away for some part due to that. My Munchkin had a blast with all the fun, laughter and love around. It was an experience in itself for her to try and understand things going on.

So this month and the holiday season was pretty much full of fun with both Christmas and the Wedding.

What did you and your Munchkin do during the holidays?