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The Secret Lives of Toddlers: A Parent's Guide to the Wonderful, Terrible, Fascinating Behavior of Children Ages 1 to 3

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Why do they rub food in their hair? Why do they want to hear the same book over and over? Why do they love being naked?

Between the ages of one and three, children can be delightful, affectionate, intelligent explorers of their newfound world. They can also be holy terrors. Grounded in up-to-date research, The Secret Lives of Toddlers demystifies 52 common behaviors of toddlers, while helping parents appreciate the miraculous development of their children.

An entertaining, reassuring guide to toddler behavior, this book shows parents how to get through their kids' toddlerhood with affection, humor, and authority. With explanations from pediatricians, child development experts, and behavioral psychologists, parents will learn

- Understand the world from a child's point of view
- Learn which bad behaviors need intervention and which can be ignored
- Cultivate good manners and reward good behavior
- Reduce their own frustration
- Play, speak, read, and interact with their toddler in healthy ways

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2004

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Jana Murphy

11 books1 follower

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Кака с книги.
393 reviews57 followers
September 22, 2020
Тази сладурска книжка е леко четиво събрало най-често задаваните въпроси относно малчуганите (от 0 до 3-4-5 години) и техният начин на действие, комуникация и аргументиране. Книгата е писана и издадена между 2000 и 2010г. и е малко остаряла в някои неща, но е забавно и интересно четиво за майки, бащи, сестри, братя, лели, чичовци, баби, дядовци, учители и всички, на които им се е налагало да гледат малко "дяволче" за повече от половин час.
Profile Image for Carrie.
255 reviews
September 25, 2010
Why toddlers do the things they do... and what you do about it.
I liked that each question is addressed and answered in a couple of pages. Because, let's face it, at the end of the day, a couple pages is all i have left in me.



Q:Why do toddlers put things in the VCR/DVD/Toliet?
A: Intense interest in cause and effect
WYD: Feed curiosity by teaching how to use things, supervised

Q:Why to toddlers always want what what the other kids have?
A: Raw social skills.
WYD: Play dates of no more than 2 kids. Put away favorite toys ahead of time. Introduce "turn taking" with a timer (easier to understand.)

Q: Why do toddlers repeat the worst things you say?
A: Curse words are often said loudly and at a different pitch. Their isolation in our language makes them easier to mimic. Also, they illicit a powerful reaction.
WYD: backtrack by following an accidental offending word by something equally interesting like "sugar-booger" or "scooby doo!". Rhyming takes the offending word out of context and makes it sound silly.

Also: why do kids play with the box instead of the gift? Why do they love to play outside? Why do they say "mine, mine"? Why to they love to be naked?




Author:Jana Murphy
Publisher: Pergee
Copyright: 2004
Genre: Parenting
Pages: 215
Date Read- 11/10-12/3/10


NOTES:
Toddlers discover they do have a choice and the experience of expressing their preferences can help them to feel more independent.

Best advice:
1. Follow through and keep your word.
2. Teach courtesy, respect and manners by modeling them at home every day.
3. Control your temper. Show that everyone gets angry,by telling them you are mad, why and WHAT you are going to do to make yourself feel better about it.
4.If your child is doing something you do not like, do not laugh, cry or talk about it in front of them. they watch and listen to everything that you say.
5. Your child was BORN with a personality and you have to respect that part of your toddlers character is wired in. Work with those early indications of personality to make life easier for everyone.
6. Let your toddler try. Unless they are in imminent danger, let them discover their own limitations, strengths and abilities to make things happen on their own.
7. No parent is perfect. When you make a mistake, apologize.
8. You have 2 windows of opportunity to really play: when you ARE a child and when you HAVE one. Do not get so busy in grown up life that you miss this time with your child.
9. Take a time out. Setting aside time for yourself is just as important as making time for those things with your child.
10. Watch them sleep. After a long day of busy toddler life, it is a great reminder of how vunerable, special and dependent on us they are.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Emily.
1,089 reviews28 followers
July 24, 2012
A very easy to read book about Toddler basics. The book is divided into questions, with 2 or 3 pages devoted to answering question (Why do toddlers bite?) and another page or two giving some concrete advice with a quick paragraph explaining the advice (How to prevent biting, Don't bite back, etc).

I'd recommend to folks who don't have much time and have a specific problem they're looking for some help addressing. I read the whole thing, but think that most of the situations won't come up. (Or maybe I just hope that!)
Profile Image for Lara.
193 reviews
July 10, 2008
This is a quick and easy reference for parents, whether you decide to read it from cover to cover or just flip to the sections that are important to you at the time. The answers are often common sense, but still a good reminder. The book helped remind me to not take anything too seriously -- so what if they go out in stripes and florals together!
Profile Image for Jenny.
377 reviews19 followers
December 30, 2009
This is a quick reference and probably best for first time parents with an overwhelming habit of thinking "Oh he's doing ____, is that normal?" Look it up in this book and figure out what to do. As another reviewer said, nothing terribly new in the way of advice but nice to have it all there in one quick guide.
8 reviews
Want to Read
September 12, 2009
interesting information. can read 2-3 pages at a time to learn about specific things like, why do toddlers love to read the same book over and over or why do toddlers eat a ton one day and not at all the next? it is midly amusing but 100% accurate for commiserating with toddler parents.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
37 reviews
March 2, 2011
Wish I'd had this when my son was that age. Of course, I'm glad I've got it now, as he still rubs food in his hair, likes to be nekkid, and wants to hear the same story over and over... two years old, three, six - what's the diff? /grin
Profile Image for Jennifer.
157 reviews11 followers
June 3, 2013
I'm not a parent, but most of my friends have toddlers. I wanted to understand what goes on in their little heads, and I feel I have a better grasp of that now. Since I won't be putting the suggestions into practice, I can't speak for the tips.
Profile Image for Elyssa.
849 reviews
October 14, 2007
This is a helpful guide for looking up your toddler's seemingly odd behaviors and learning that it's all part of their developmental process.
Profile Image for Tisha.
1,456 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2008
The tips were pretty obvious. There wasn't really anything new in here.
Profile Image for Becky.
411 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2012
Good read. I needed to read this 1. to assure me that Brady is a normal two-year old, and 2. to relax and let him discover and learn (and not fixate on the mess being made).
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews