OK, so how much of a baby is your 2 year old???!

[meandjoe]

Odd question I know but I am basically just wondering how people generally see their 2 year olds. Can people talk to me about their behaviour and what hey expect of them with regards to day to day things like meal times, getting dressed, shopping etc. How much are they expected to walk and for how long? What disipline people use for tantrums etc. Why they have tantrums even.

I have no real concerns about my ds by the way. Just that even though he's talking and potty training, he still seems such a baby to me and therefore I maybe let him get away with a lot. I tend to have to remind myself that actually he's not a tiny baby anymore and tell myself he's a little boy now.

I still pick him up (usually) whever he asks. I still use the pushchair A LOT! I still give him a bottle every night although he drinks from normal open topped cups in the day. I still have to put him in the trolley when I shop even though most of my friend's little 2 year olds just walk nicely at their side . I still can't go out for a meal with him as he gets bored and wants to wander around.... all of which I thought was normal until MIL said how we gave into ds too much.

....But I do encourage his independance, he's not a particularly clingy or cuddley child and is happy to explore and play alone. I encourage him to pull his own trousers up, put his own shoes on (although he still requires assisstance), tidy his toys away etc.

So what can be expected of a 24 month old??

DS2 is our third DC.

He is two next month. Like our first two at this age he doesn't speak really at all yet, and is referred for speech therapy but because of them (both now ok speech wise and "top of the class") I am not worried. Understands everything.

I call him "the baby" to all and sundry. Note to self: need to stop this sharpish.

He only is out of pushchair if it is convenient for me; ie on the way home from school, on the safe roads. There is NO WAY I would let him roam around in the supermarket while he remains happy in the trolley. If he started screaming the place down and wanting to walk I would consider this issue - and probably have a home delivery rather than let him walk >

Not toilet trained. Not even considering it. Neither of the other two were until nearly 3. Although tried earlier. Again: bitter experience.

Tidy toys away: nope. sorry. I don't even try yet.

Restaurant: still keep in high chair. More or less content to remain in it but has older brother and sister to entertain and set good example supposedly

Thank you plonker I think they all sound perfect! All so different but so many of them have similar little traits! He also goes from 0-60 in seconds and has always been like this! He's still in a cot too.... another thing my MIL commented on although my Dad told me I was in a cot-bed til I was nearly 4! I can remember being in there so it must be true so I am in no hurry to ruin the fabulous night's sleep we all get!

she empties the dryer and then puts the wet washing into the dryer for me

she puts the cutlery in the cutlery bit of the dishwasher for

sweeps the kitchen floor

helps put the shopping away

she can be such an able, happy, helpful little thing

but is also such a definite tiny baby/toddler with not much reasoning, only wants what she wants..

its like she is an inbetweeny

sorry

DD is nearly 3.5 she can do tonnes of things but i must admit I dont remember exactly when she could do certain things, so i expect your mil has forgotten with time.

Oh and while a 2 dd would sit really well in restaurants and cafes she is now a PITA, not so much deliberatley naughty but a very short attention span and lots of questioning until its no fun

Ds is 2.5. He holds long involved conversations particularly about seed drills (Tractor Ted), breathing apparatus (Fireman Sam) and colours of houses (Balamory). He says why every other sentence. He sings nursery rhymes and is very chatty and funny.

He is getting there with potty training but goes hysterical "no no no!!" at the suggestion he should do a poo in a potty. Still nappies at night.

He likes to walk around the supermarket (and carry the basket) but for preference I put him in the trolley seat - never occurred to me this might be odd for a 2 year old; am quite certain I still got in trolley seat at 3 or 4. Won't go in a highchair. He has a low table and chair at home to eat in his playroom and in restuarants he sits in a normal chair.

He is very helpful and likes to do chores with me.

He can walk for England - absolutely miles. Loves it.

At bedtime still very clingy - I have to lie on the bed with him and hold him/stroke him until he is asleep. Sleeps in a full size single bed and has done since shortly before he turned 2. He hated his cot by the time we got him out of it. Sleeps a lot better but still wakes most nights and I either go into him or he comes in with us. Was BF until 21 months. I am a softy.

yeah true
bedtime
I lie with/bf her till she goes to sleep but it's not long unless she has a nap in the day

and the trolley thing
I still put dd2 (4.4) in the trolley when I am in a rush or just want it easier

No highchairs here now. DS is quite tall and refuses to go in trolleys and highchairs. It is a shame as I found them handy for toddler containment.

I thought we'd never get to potty-training as he was highly resistant to the idea, but about a month or so ago he declared he was going to use the potty instead of his nappy. Three days later he told me he wasn't going to wear nappies at night either. We've had no accidents. He did the same with breastmilk too. I breastfed him up until about 2 months ago when he told me that he couldn't do it anymore, and that was that.

He is a little character but very, very trying at times. To answer your original question; I don't see him as a baby anymore as I have a newborn. DS1 started pre-school in February and he seems very small there as he is the youngest. But at home he seems to be very grown-up indeed.

DS would still be BF now (nothing wrong with that obviously but I had decided I had had enough which after 21 months is a perfectly valid choice!) if he'd had his way, funnily they forget these things so easily - and he was a boob monster who seemed to live to feed - we were watching a calf feeding from its mother and I was explaining about how animals make milk to feed their babies and that humans do it too, and I used to feed him. He laughed like a drain and gave me a very grown up "oh come on!" sort of look. Obviously no memory of this at all. Only stopped seven months ago.

Have just re read thread properly - drawing shapes on command WTF? - and agree that all grandmothers are convinced that they had us potty trained by 1. I don't believe them - unless there has been some sudden mutation in human DNA in 30 years which means that 30 years ago that hormone which prevents night wetting kicked in at 12 months but has suddenly regressed to 2 or 3 or 4 years old.

DS is 3.1

I still pick him up if he asks to be picked up. He uses the pushchair everywhere unless in the supermarket where he sits in the trolley or if we are going to the park (10 minute walk) and then he might walk or go on his car, or if we have gone anywhere by car and don't have to really walk anywhere only from the car to the place and back again.

He started drinking from open cups in February/March and before then drank out of an Avent magic beaker.

I will take him for a quick meal at a family friendly place but wouldn't take him to a meal that I particularly wanted to sit down and enjoy cos he likes to keep walking around.

DD1 was 2 in Feb, also have DD2 who's just turned 1. DD1 will walk for a long way then ask to go in the bottom seat of the phil and teds if she gets tired.

Still in a high chair, for the last couple of weeks has started to be a pita at tea time and not eating a lot but is great at breakfast and lunch.

Was a late talker but can now communicate very well although fortunately still hasn't discovered 'why?'

Try not to pick her up too much as have a bad back at the moment but will always pick her up if she's upset.

She stopped having a bottle at night and in the morning about a month ago after she was told she was the big girl now, amazingly she accepted this without any problems art all and happily has an open cup of milk on the sofa at night but for the rest of the time during the day she has a beaker with a lid as likes to have a drink while playing with her toys and can't trust DD2w not to knockk if over.

She'll sit in a restaurant for up to an hour provided there is a large number of small toys / books to keep her amused but this doesn't happen very often as DD2 won't sit still for more than ten minutes.

She's not potty trained, no-where near ready, will deny having done a poo until she's blue in the face despite all evidence to the contary.

All 2 year olds are different, but although I don 't think they're babies anymore sometimes I don't always remember that they're not that old either.