In thinking a 5 yo is not "a toddler"

[Greythorne]

i have a friend who describes her DD - aged 5 and in equivalent of YR - as "a toddler".

AIBU in thinking toddlers are tiny people who are toddling about, learning how to walk and run and scoot, not 5 year olds who can read and write their own names, get themselves dressed, ice skate and ski?

I occasionally forget myself and refer to 3.5yo DD3 as a toddler. She's not, she's perfectly capable of walking and running, she does not wear nappies and she will be going to school in September. She does not want to be referred to as a toddler. I do not want her to be a fully-fledged school girl this year. I am not sure how we resolve this, but I am sure that I would not consider a 5yo a toddler.

a 5 year old is not a toddler!

However, my DS is 9 and in my eyes still a baby!! My mum used to say that I would always be her baby no matter how old I was.

Still, I wouldnt refer to him as a baby in public :)

I would say a toddler is about 18 months to 3 max.

A child of 5 not sitting properly at a table and using a knife and fork independently has been babied... and if mum is still referring to said child as a 'toddler'... then there's your answer. Some parents just don't want their kids to grow up and baby them far too much. I see this every day (am a CM to babies and toddlers - aged 0-3 yrs).

A 5 year old most definitely not a toddler.

However, I have come across people with 2 year olds who are 'babies' and I don't mean in the term of endearment way. One it particular comes to mind using it in the I have a baby way.

My dd is 5 and I would not refer to her as a toddler, she is a little girl now.

Although both her and my 7 year old get called baby. Actually my mum still calls me baby sometimes too

A 5 year old is so not a toddler; any self respecting 5 year old would be horrified to be described as one.
I think babyhood (is that a word?) ends at 1, and toddlerdom ends at 2. THen it's bratdom between 2-3.

But there are plenty of threads 'my DC's teacher makes them ask to go to the toilet and sometimes they have to wait if it's nearly playtime' or similar and loads of people wade in with 'YANBU! They're still babies at 6 really!' blah blah blah - am I imagining that? (I've probably chosen a bad example, but still......

ASbyatt - no I've seen that too!

But it all depends on the expectation doesn't it?

I'd agree 5 is not a toddler.

But are you sure she didn't say tiddler, as in 'only little'?

It's quite a common phrase - there's even a book by the Gruffalo woman (whose name has escaped me at the moment!)

'are you sure she didn't say tiddler, as in 'only little''
..or tot .Which around here seems to apply to kids up to about Y1 and Y2

I'd say baby up to about 15m and toddler up to 3

a 5 year old at school isnt a toddler and really shouldnt be treated as one , TBH i think toddlerdom finishes at 4 i see toddlers us 3 and under , ,maybe people like to keep their children little for longer its not doing them any favours imo ,