Isolating two yo

What do you do when he hits and shoves other children? Have you tried taking him away every time until he calms down and then bringing him back in to apologise?

OP, have you spoken to your Health Visitor or GP about your concerns?

I can only imagine these pandemic babys born in 2020 that are now unsociable toddlers that don't know how to share or how to behave and be civilised 😬

Socialisation is how kids learn. You dont learn anything from being separated from others except for "the world revolves around me and I make the rules"

Your kid sounds like she could use contact with kids that are maybe a year (or 2) older than her so they can teach her how to socialise and behave.

It depends imo. If you are a sahp but you and DC have a daily outing to a playground, one o clock club etc that's one thing - I think it'd be fine. Stuck mainly at home with one parent for company? Likely not fine.

i think 2 is ok
but playgroups start or used to start at 2 and a half
so by 3 better to be socialising.

Of course you have to put in the effort. At some point he'll be going to school (I assume). If he's had no contact with other children before that he's not going to have a clue how to share, play, etc.

I wouldn’t say biting is normal either. My dd has been at nursery for 2 years now and has only been bitten once, and hasnt bitten anyone herself.

A year ago when she was almost 2 when out I couldn’t tell which similar age kids went to nursery and which didn’t, it didn’t really matter at that age. Now she’s almost 3 I can really tell. Socialisation at that age is so important.

Biting other children isn’t normal behaviour for all 2yo’s.

Playgroups were normal in the 60s.

Lots of Reception/Y1 children are struggling socially at school due to both Covid/lockdowns and the Tories pulling the plug on funding for Sure Start, etc. Small children need to learn social skills as well as academic, physical and other skills.

Yes it would, very harmful.

They learn so much through exploring, play and socialisation with others. If they’re not at nursery then parents need to take them regularly to play groups or baby groups.

Don’t ever isolate a child.

But at that time staying home was the norm, so you were all on a level playing field which is why it wasn’t damaging. But now the norm is to attend playgrounds or childcare so those who don’t could be at a disadvantage. I don’t think it’s always a disadvantage but it can’t be.

When I grew up (mid 1950's onwards) most children did not go to nursery/playgroup but were at home with mum who were mostly SAHP. If it was damaging then most of my generation would be damaged which I would say is not the case.

It won't do them any harm.

Studies have shown that in infancy, the most important and crucial relationships for children are positive ones with their caregivers. They learn everything they need to from you.

3 years onwards are when children should be encouraged to socialise.

Yes- 100% that is damaging.
Toddlers especially need to learn how to make friends. Research says if you can't make friends by age 4 then you'll have lifelong problems

It’s important to mix with other children too so they pick up all the normal childhood illnesses. It builds up their immune systems.

This is true to a point but i do think that we tend to live much more isolated lives nowadays which changes things a bit.
It was perhaps more common to live in more extended families with more siblings, cousins, grandparents and neighbours involved than we do nowadays.
I believe playgroups and some time spent in nursery or preschool to be beneficial to children.

From what I’ve read the year older than my DD so now 5 year olds have suffered the worse from lockdown so that would be that age, I think it depends on if we are talking about closer to 24 months or 36 months, if it’s the latter I think they are more need of being with other little ones.

Tbh I think that's normal to some extent - that's how they learn to play together, by doing it really really badly so adults step in and then eventually they can do it solo.

Your phrasing in the OP sounds very strange. Why is he being ‘kept isolated’? Your wording makes it sound very purposeful.

Playgroups/nursery school were completely common place in the 80s and 90s.
Baby and toddler classes might be a newly popular thing, they aren’t strictly necessary for development but socialisation is.
In the past there were more casual opportunities for children to engage with each other, people had a lot more children, they lived closer to family, neighbours were friends etc.

You sound like one of my DC 😵‍💫

I think up until two, spending time with other DC will benefit them, but I don't think not doing so will harm them iykwim. Mine have both been at nursery from about ten months and benefited from the social interactions. I think from about 2/2.5 they really would have been missing out without that in some form.

My initial reaction was yes it must be harmful but then I reread your post. I grew up in a very rural isolated environment. No play dates etc though I did have a sibling at home. Tried a local playgroup once and absolutely hated it. Went to school at reception and I think i turned out pretty normal. Need my me time but make friendships easily. And I never bit anyone!