Toddler

Those sweet months of snuggling your tiny helpless baby in your arms went by in a flash, didn’t they? Now you have a spirited little person who is moving faster than you can keep up as he explores and discovers how his body works - as he climbs and jumps off whatever he has climbed on - and how things work – from how the dog reacts when its tail is…

Developing a love and respect for nature as a child makes us more likely to value its conservation in future. All aspects of our society – finance, politics, insurance, education, medicine, engineering and science, the arts and even defence – need leaders who value and care for our environment.

If your toddler (over one year) nurses at night and you are OK with this, go with the adage, ‘if it’s not a problem for us, it’s not a problem’. However, if you are feeling that you would like to stop night feeds or if your toddler is nursing what seems like ‘non-stop’ all night, there are kind ways to night wean, gradually, with love.

After two little boys who had been fairly easy to teach about using the toilet - boys can have so much fun peeing on rocks and trees in the garden as they learn how their bodies function - my daughter simply didn't give a damn about peeing in the toilet. Until today.

Managing feeding times can be especially difficult when you have a newborn and toddler because it takes so much time in the early days, so here are Pinky's tips to make it easier:

Although breastfeeding a toddler isn’t everybody’s cup of tea (or drink of milk), if you choose to nurse beyond babyhood (whatever that means is relative to the culture we live in, the world average age of weaning is somewhere between four and seven years) you can expect some strong reactions.

Parent preference is a normal stage of development for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and it isn’t just about exerting control. At this stage, the frontal cortex is not yet fully developed and they can only manage to focus on one relationship at a time.

If you are all played out, but your child isn’t, and you don’t want to resort to TV, it’s OK to cheat. If you are feeling desperately in need of some time out (for yourself, you cant lock your kids in a cupboard) , try these:

Reading aloud to your kids is a great investment of your time. You are creating fond memories for them, you are bonding with them and you are helping with their literacy skills. Win, win, win! We enjoy seeing teenagers and grown adults recognising a book from their childhood like they have found a long lost best friend! We are often asked…

So what difference does having your child choose a word make? It makes a huge difference. They own it, and from that, they expand their vocabulary, increase understanding and comprehension, spark engagement and calm their emotions. They receive continual positive messages throughout the day, and it gives you another word to use besides 'good'.