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When it comes to growing up, little ones make the transition from being babies to toddlers in a blink of an eye. From sleepless nights and fussy babies to being mobile and having opinions, parents are never sure where the time went and when their babies got so big. And while it is clear that babies are no longer infants, it may not be as clear as to when they officially become toddlers. Because of this, parents may be confused as to what to officially call their little ones.
Many believe that babies become toddlers as soon as they start scooting or crawling across the floor. Though it would seem that when babies are on the move that it would be an appropriate time to call them toddlers. However, if any of this movement is done before the first birthday, then babies are still considered babies. It is not until they are a bit older that they are able to hold the title of toddler and have the personality to go with it as well.
Here is the official age that your baby is a toddler.
Happy Birthday Has Been Sung
Babies are still considered babies until they have their first birthday. At that time, little ones can be called toddlers.
According to PregnancyBirth&Baby, when the day comes to sing Happy Birthday for the first time, babies become toddlers. They will retain this title until they are three years old as they learn to navigate the world around them in a more independent fashion.
They Are Living Up To Their Name
Many times, people believe that their babies are toddlers because of how they are beginning to walk or toddle around. And if little ones are over the age of one, that is exactly why they are given the name as a result of how toddlers get from Point A to Point B.
According to KidsHealth, as toddlers are moving around and exploring the world, via their not-so-steady walking, they are also emotionally, socially, and developmentally growing. This can be seen in how much more independent they are becoming though wanting to try new things and examine everything in detail. And as their walking skills become stronger and the desire to explore calls to them more, it is not unheard of for toddlers to want to run off from their parents in search of a new adventure.
There Are A Lot Of Opinions
Where babies used to go with the flow and do what their parents said, there are now a lot of opinions, especially when it comes to appearance and doing things independently.
According to Professor’s House, kids should absolutely be able to have opinions. But just because they have opinions does not mean that they have the right to argue or to debate. This is seen most often when toddlers want to choose their own clothes and have too many options. As such, by giving them two options to choose from, not only do toddlers get to have their opinion but parents do not have to fight to let them have that opinion. And because of this everyone wins.
“No” Is Heard Often
As the independence grows from babies into toddlerhood, the phrase that all parents begin to hear several times per day is that of “no.”
According to Today’s Parent, toddlers saying “no” is how toddlers will not only state their distaste for a particular situation but also test their parents as well. This is why as soon as it is learned, parents will hear it ad nauseam until toddlers learn rules and how those rules help them to navigate the world around them.
Therefore, it may not be fun to constantly hear “no” from toddlers but if they are saying it, they are developmentally right on track where they should be. And fortunately, the consistent “no’s” are just a phase.
Pushback Can Be The New Bedtime Norm
Once toddlers realize they have some power with saying “no” that may transition to the bedtime routine as well. And when this happens, there might be pushback to going to bed for fear that toddlers are going to miss out on excitement by going to sleep for the night.
According to Parents, when toddlers get into the frame of mind that they do not want to go to bed, it can take time for them to finally go to sleep. However, once they do go to sleep, they will sleep better during toddlerhood than they ever did as babies, giving Mom and Dad a break, at least at night.
Source: PregnancyBirth&Baby, KidsHealth, Professor’s House, Today’s Parent, Parents
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