Every stage of parenting is different. As we prepare to fall head-first into the terrible twos, I’m reminded that I have to keep an eagle eye on my kid at all times – and if I’m honest with myself, it’s a lot harder than I expected.
Your little baby growing up means they’re also growing into some freedom. As your toddler gets older, their needs will change. There will be areas they need less help in, and areas they'll need more help with as they grow.
Electronics
With a growing toddler, all electronics need to be password protected, with parental control settings turned on. My son is always messing with the TV. He’s also always messing with the laptop. And, you guessed it, he’s always messing with the phone. It’s really easy to end up in some scary places on the world wide web – and it’s even easier for them to accidentally break your stuff.
Electronics help us with parenting in so many ways. Save your electronics by keeping your kids close and your gadgets closer.
In the restroom
Right now, we’re walking through the mysterious land of potty training. It’s exciting because it means the end of diaper land and stinky trash is almost in sight. It’s scary because now, my son is interested in everything in the restroom. He likes to stand on his potty and pour the pee out himself. He likes to go to the bathtub and turn on the water. And he wants to be the one to hold the wipes and tissues.
These things are cute, but they can also be dangerous. The closest water knob to him is the hot water. The toilet is yucky and germs carry all kinds of risk. As parents, we have to be hyper-vigilant about the unexpected danger that can happen during a short bathroom break. Keep an eye on that kid; you don’t want anything to happen in there!
Around other kids
Shockingly, the most significant cause for increased supervision in our household was peer interaction. For the first time on record, I found myself on the apologizing side of toddler brawl. I couldn’t believe my child, who had always been the victim in previous altercations, had thrown a water bottle at another kid’s head. I was embarrassed, I was ashamed, and I was frustrated. But I was also educated on the importance of watching how your child is interacting with other kids.
Children change, just because they have a history of being the receiving end of rough play doesn’t mean they won’t be the aggressor one day.
The number of reasons to be vigilant of your kid are immeasurable. By being an attentive parent, you are helping your child avoid harmful situations and keeping an eye out for the chaos that’s being overlooked by other parents. It’s not always going to be pushing or hitting – there are a hundred ways for a toddler to get into trouble – and still better safe than sorry.
About the author:
Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez is a writer who specializes in sociology, health, and parenting. Her work has appeared in Healthline, Yes! Magazine, HuffPost, Allure, and many other publications. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or check out her website.
