These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

Parenting Home

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

Show Your Toddler Love and Respect

Last Updated: September 14, 2009

View as web page


Parenting Tips for Your 17-18 Month Old Toddler

We feel better about ourselves if we think we are important to others. This is also true of toddlers. They are forming opinions about themselves. Whether they feel loved, capable, and important depends on how they are treated by people who care for them.

Show your toddler you care about him and respect him. Let him know you love him just for being himself, not for what he does. Tell him you thought about him during the day while you were gone. Tell him that you like his smile, his laugh, his toes, and ears.

Show him you’re proud of all the things he is learning to do. Tell him how much you enjoy doing things with him. Don’t think he knows all this just because you take care of him. Take the time to put your feelings and affection into words. Loving words that come from the heart can never be said too often.


Learn more about Your Toddler: 17-18 Months from Just In Time Parenting. You can also go to our Resource Links for additional information on child care and development.


Note to Parents: When reading this newsletter, remember: Every baby is different. Children may do things earlier or later than described here. This newsletter gives equal space and time to both sexes. If he or she is used, we are talking about all babies.
References: These materials were adapted by authors from Extension Just in Time Parenting Newsletters in California, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

Browse related Articles by tag: parenting, parenting enewsletters, 17-18 month old child


Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.