Your 1 Year Old Toddler Week 11

Her Favorite Word May be “NO!” and That’s Completely OK

At this age, your toddler will understand many more words than she can say. As her vocabulary grows, she will look for opportunities to use new words – after learning to say “cat,” for example, she may yell “CAT! CAT!” every time she sees one. This will go on for weeks as she slowly builds her vocabulary.

The repetition gets old, but this is an exciting time of development for your child. Praise her for using her new words correctly, and avoid using baby talk. Look your child in the eye when she is talking, so she will learn how to listen when you are speaking to her.

Rhyming songs are ideal for this age. Favorites like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or “Row Row Row Your Boat” are excellent choices. She will chime in a word at a time until she eventually learns to sing the whole song. Toddlers love repetition, so be prepared to sing the same tune over and over until your voice gives out. In fact, this might be a good time to download some toddler music so you can just hit “play” repeatedly.

Your toddler’s favorite word may be “NO!” and that is normal. She is asserting her independence and learning limits. Toddlers feel big feelings and have strong opinions – give her (and yourself!) a lot of grace. It’s hard to be little!

Scary Mommy Tip: Parenting a child this age is EXHAUSTING. Give yourself permission to cry or hide under the covers with a glass of wine after your toddler is finally asleep.

HOMEWORK:

16 Tips For Surviving The Toddler Years

If I Had Known . . .

You Know You Have A Toddler When . . .