Toddler This Week: 18 Months, Week 4

You can practically see the lightbulb go on when your toddler first figures out how to fit the pieces of a puzzle together. Simple puzzles, nesting blocks, and stacking toys not only draw on your child's mental resources, they help refine his fine motor skills (which until now have probably taken a backseat to more physical activities like running and climbing). While your toddler will continue to burst with energy, he's also more interested in sitting still longer, especially when there's a problem to be solved.

Some days it may seem as though the littlest things set your toddler off. You serve his morning milk in the "wrong" cup and he throws it at you. Or he wants to go barefoot, even though it's raining outside, and screams his head off when you insist on putting on his boots. What's going on? Sometimes the triggers will be more obvious than others. He may be tired or angry. Or he may be frustrated by his inability to complete a task that he is determined to do, like putting a round peg in a square hole.

Tantrums tend to occur at the worst possible time for you. It seems like when your toddler blows a fuse you're either in a hurry to get out the door in the morning, at the grocery store with half the shopping done, or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. What do these situations have in common? They are times that a typical toddler might feel emotional overload, and like he doesn't have your full attention. If you are aware of the situations that trigger tantrums, you may be able to prevent many of them with minor adjustments or a little advance planning. Get out of bed 15 minutes earlier in the morning so you're not rushing around the house. If you must grocery shop with your child, do it when he is well rested and fed. Carry a favorite book or stuffed animal to doctor visits — anything you can do to keep him calm will help. Also remember that the occasional tantrum is a normal byproduct of toddlerhood and development.

There is no "yours" in a toddler's vocabulary — everything is "mine!" So your car keys, a sibling's beloved stuffed dog, his dad's boots, the slide at the local playground — all these things are, in the eyes of an 18-month-old, his. You can help your child understand what sharing means by praising him when he does give a toy to another child or lets another toddler go down the slide first. When reading a book or watching a video, point out examples of sharing. Try to avoid scolding him when he doesn't want to; sometimes just acknowledging how difficult sharing is will make him more willing to do so. You will have to be patient, and take comfort in the knowledge that other parents of toddlers are going through the same thing.

For a toddler, a favorite stuffed toy is a great source of comfort. He might also have some habits that soothe him — like twirling his hair, rocking, or sucking his thumb. Most children naturally outgrow these behaviors by the time they're 4, so there's probably no need for you to intervene now.

-BabyCenter.com