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Getting to "I Did It!"
Encouraging Toddlers to Be Independent By Shannon McKelden
"I have a rule in my house," says Hazel Larkin of Dublin, Ireland. "As long as the child dresses herself, then I have no business to comment on what she is wearing, as long as it is weather-appropriate. I am not entitled to comment on her [color] co-ordination. She has saved me a job. If I want her dressed in matching stuff, then it's up to me to dress her."
Osborn believes there's nothing wrong with parents doing things for their toddler even when she could do them herself. But a parent who insists on doing it all may unwittingly denya child the opportunity to learn. "[A] toddler will develop more skills more quickly the more opportunities she is given to practice them," she says.
Dr. O'Connell says toddlers are great mimics, and this is a good place to start teaching them. "When they are beginning to feed themselves, you can help them grasp the spoon or fork with the correct end, point toward their mouth and they may even need a little assistance in hitting that target," she says.
Other tricks include dressing them in elastic-waist pants when they seem interested in helping remove their own clothes. "Some toddlers may need help figuring out how to pull down their pants, but will master it quickly when they are ready," Dr. O'Connell says. "Of course, this new skil will lead to the challenge of keeping the pants on, but it is one of the first steps toward being able to toilet train!"