Parenting Tips for Your 35-36 Month Old Toddler
It’s important to talk with your child not just to him. That means commenting on what he is doing, listening, and asking questions. If your child is excited about a lady bug in the garden, it’s a great idea to ask your child where he thinks that it came from, if he has ever seen a bug like that before, and let him tell you about his ideas.
Focus on his interests and encourage him to talk with you – even if you can only spare a few minutes. In talking with your child, you show you care about his thoughts, experiences, and needs, and that you want to learn more about them.
Parents can be so busy that they find themselves only talking to their children. They give directions, such as “do this, don’t do that”; tell the child “not now,” and give the child information such as “The cat is black”. They don’t take the time to notice their child’s interests and encourage the child to carry on a real conversation.
It’s important to have these conversations in which each of you talks and listens to the other. Asking a question, like “What do you want to do with that box?” or asking your child to tell you about his visit to Grandma’s will help start a conversation. By talking with your child, you can increase his confidence and his language skills. He will try hard to learn to talk and listen well. You may even learn something new about your little one!
