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Your 23-month-old

Larks and nighthawks
When is it time to go to bed for the night, and when is it time to greet the day? This is an area where toddlers and grownups don't always agree: "civilized" is in the eye of the beholder!

Larks are the little guys who are up with the first glint of sun or, in winter, long before it. If you're an early riser yourself, this won't be much of a problem, but otherwise? It’s time to examine your toddler’s sleep schedule and develop coping strategies for those pre-dawn wake-up calls.

At the other end of the spectrum are the nighthawks who stay up later than other children and sometimes even outlast the adults. If your little one is seeing you off to bed each night, it’s time for a bedtime intervention from The Sleep Doula.

Find solutions for other toddler sleep issues.

Hunger strikes
Bet you wish you had a dollar for every meltdown that might have been avoided if you realized you were dealing with simple hunger. But it can take you by surprise. Toddlers have smaller tummies and are easily distracted, so they don't always take in enough calories to last them from one meal to the next. And while they may know they feel depleted and cranky, they don't recognize that these feelings mean "hungry!" Finally, the toddler's famously strong will might make him refuse food even when he needs it.

How do you solve this problem? Offer snacks throughout the day. If your toddler is into "no" these days, don't even ask if he wants a snack. Just slide something tempting in front of him. He will probably dig in without even remembering to protest.

Little roughnecks
Toddlers are very physical creatures, with limited verbal skills and poor coordination. This means pushing, hitting, over-enthusiastic hugs and even unintended collisions are common behaviours. If your child is rough with the other kids at daycare, it doesn't mean he's destined to be an aggressive kid. But calm, vigilant supervision and adult coaching are important to keep everyone safe and to help him learn to express desires, frustration or excitement appropriately.

Handwashing 101
Did you know that handwashing is one of best ways to protect yourself and your family from the spread of viruses and germs? Among other times, be sure to scrub up before handling food or eating, after changing diapers or using the bathroom (or helping your child in the bathroom), and after wiping a nose or taking care of someone who is sick.

Now here's another one: Did you know that there is a right way to your wash hands? The Canadian Paediatric Society offers these guidelines:
• Wet your hands under warm running water.
• Scrub with soap for five seconds, washing all surfaces — backs of hands and between the fingers.
• Rinse under running water for five seconds.
• Dry your hands on a clean towel.
Your little one will learn to enjoy a good scrub too, if you start by taking his hands in a soapy pair of yours. This is a habit you do want your child picking up!

Toddler Birthday Party
However you celebrated your toddler's first birthday, one thing's for sure: you understood a whole lot more about what was going on than he did. This time around, he'll have a better idea what it's all about.
That doesn't mean you have to go overboard. In fact, children this age do best when they're not bombarded with too many people, sweets, treats or activities. Get our tips for toddler party perfection.

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