Your baby, 20 months 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 and older

Parents and children form special bonds and should have a close and loving relationship. Children that feel secure, protected and cared for are more likely to display good behavior. When your child shows signs of distress, tend to their needs. This shows your child that you love him and care for him.

Children at this age enjoy learning about the world around them. Allow your child to play in the sand, water, dirt and even mud. Yes, it can get messy-but that is okay. Provide your child with a clean sandbox and keep it covered when not in use to keep dogs, cats and other pesky critters out. While bathing, give your child containers that he can pour water into. Allow her to play with measuring cups and spoons, sponges, washcloths, funnels and collanders during this time also. While you are outside, you may choose to give your child a bucket of water and let her `paint` the house, car and other thins with the water. Remember that children should not be left alone with water for any amount of time.

You may notice that your child is beginning to have temper tantrums. She may cry, hit, bite, kick, yell and throw himself on the floor. Sometimes, you may not even know what caused the ourburst. Sometimes children learn that by throwing a tantrum, they can get what they want. Other times, tantrums are simply your child's way of venting frustration or showing that she is hungry, tired or bored. Although there are no magical ways of handling tantrums, you can help your child (and others!) by remaining calm, keeping your child from hurting herself or others, removing your child from an audience and not giving in to the tantrum. Once she is calm, talk to her and let her know that even though it is okay to be upset, her behavior was unacceptable.

Your child might be ready to begin playing with other kids his own age. Keep your child's playgroup small-no more than four children for every one adult. Ask other parents to stay and play. Not only is adult conversation good for you, but the other children will feel more secure with a familiar face nearby. Allow the children to choose their own activities and do not force them to interact. Provide duplicates of toys, if possible, to eliminate arguments. Encourage sharing, but do not expect it. Try to ignore minor conflicts and respond tp bigger conflicts quickly and calmly. The key to a successful playdate is to keep the children busy with simple and interesting activities.

Developmental Milestones - 20 Months Old

Physical

• Climbs up stairs well
• May climb downstairs with some help
• Runs well
• Hops around
• Can stand on one foot while holding on

Intellectual

• Can say 15 words
• Likes nursery rhymes
• Asks questions
• Can draw lines
• Understands what they are used for
• Can feed herself well
• Goes to bed without complaining (too much

Emotional

• May be afraid of strangers
• Stingy with toys
• Loving and then rude at times
• May be mean to adults

Age Appropriate Toys

• Art supplies
• Books
• Ride on toys
• Pretend play
• Blocks
• Lincoln logs
• Puzzles
• Stringing beads
• Shape sorters
• Interactive educational toys
• Sand and water table
• Wagon

Comments:

Comments 1-25 of about 7170 for month 20
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shakes - Tuesday, 10 Jan
Its been 2 months since anyone posted so i dunno if anyone will even read this BUT my boy has done 2 poops on the potty!!!!!! yay!!!

princessjirehsmommy - Tuesday, 8 Nov
I allowed my daughter to have two dum dum suckers and that was it, the rest of her candy was given away. She was wired off of those two dum dum suckers, my friends andfamily said it was because I don't give her sugar at all for the most part lol-- I guess I'd have to agree! Maybe next year we will allow a little more.

gretch - Tuesday, 1 Nov
We had Rory dress up in his Lion costume and help pass out candy. He loved the dressing up bit. He played and played in his costume and was remarkably good natured about wearing it. He hates hats so all bets were off. He didn't really get the candy thing and we did not help connect the dots. Next year perhaps. Daycare had a Holloween day with costumes and music so that was the big day for him. Lots of cookies. That he gets!

lillhill79 - Tuesday, 1 Nov
I caved and let Cortlyn have one of the tiny mini snickers last night when we got home. I used the excuse that she stayed dry the whole time we were out trick or treating (more than 2 hours) She was so happy.

Luv2Bamama - Monday, 31 Oct
Lil; just tell yourself that you’re eating the kid’s Halloween candy for their sake; they don’t REALLY need the sugar, so you’re just “taking one for the team” :-) Last night my husband asked me how old does Colleen need to be before I’ll let her eat any of her candy and I didn’t have an answer. When are you guys letting your 20 (almost 21 month olds) eat candy? I won’t even let her have watered down juice!

lillhill79 - Monday, 31 Oct
Oh Karen, Expensive lesson learned.

lillhill79 - Monday, 31 Oct
I won't eat all my kids halloween candy, I won't eat all my kids halloween candy, I won't eat all my kids halloween candy! Anyone believe me? Anyone? Yeah, me neither.

Luv2Bamama - Friday, 28 Oct
Yes, we certainly laughed about it too after the fact, but still, beating up on the poor 70 lb dog?!! Fortunatally our dogs are pretty docile. Karen; I like the idea of the “no hitting things with a face” idea. I’m also wondering if it would be good to get one of those blow up weeble/wobble like toys and direct her to that if she wants to hit something. I don’t want to encourage hitting, but I also understand she doesn’t have the communication tools; so maybe if I can direct her to something safe and let her learn that she can hit/kick and push a special “anger toy” it will give her the outlet she needs to vent her frustration, and it will protect the family members from her blows!

lillhill79 - Friday, 28 Oct
Cort has decided that she doesn't like diapers or pull ups anymore, only her Dora big girl panties. That's fine while we're at home, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that to be a full time thing. but I guess if she's that ready, I can just start carrying lots of extra panties and pants. This is all going a little to fast for mom.

lillhill79 - Friday, 28 Oct
Luv - sorry, but I actually cracked up at the mental picture of her hitting the dog since she couldn't hit you. I feel your pain with the sassy little girls - I have not one, but two of them. Cort has always been very verbal and now she repeat every thing sister says, it's almost like that game that kids play to annoy you. I did have to put her in time out the other night for her yelling at me 'no, leave me alone' I figured it was something she'd picked up from other DD, but come to find out they're actually teaching them to say 'leave me alone' in her daycare class bc there's been such a problem with biting. I guess I understand that, but it's still not ok to yell it at her mom. Only now I'm afraid I'm going to send mixed messages if I tell her it's not ok to say and at daycare they're encouraging it.

Luv2Bamama - Friday, 28 Oct
So the hitting saga around our home continues…the other night little one got angry with me and went to hit me, and I explained that it is not ok to hit mama, so she walked over to the dog and smacked it! I made her go hug the dog and say “sorry” but this hitting thing is out of control! I think we are going to finally have to create a “time out” spot. I understand it is the age, but she is getting feistier by the day-heaven help me if this is a prelude to the teenage years!

lillhill79 - Tuesday, 25 Oct
Yay Luv. so exciting. Sometimes God definitely has different plans for us than we have for ourselves. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes. I'm back to work and so far (knock on wood) this week is going much more smooth than last. One foot in front of the other. On another note, Cortlyn is almost completely potty trained (yeah!) To the point that she gets REALLY upset if she has an accident or goes in her pull up. Unfortunately she's also started using it as an excuse to not have to do things like clean up or get in her jammies - she start saying she has to go potty to get out of it. LOL, smart little monkey.

Luv2Bamama - Tuesday, 25 Oct
Big news at our house…Princess Colleen is going to have to share the castle with a baby brother or sister! We were not ready for another one right now, nor were we trying, but apparently the Lord decided that he didn’t care what our ‘plan’ was, he had something else in mind. I go in for the first ultrasound on Thursday—I’ll be 7 weeks along. We are both still shell shocked, but once that wears off, I know we are both thrilled to be adding to our family.

Luv2Bamama - Tuesday, 25 Oct
Lil—I’m so sorry about all your recent troubles; hang in there, you will get through it. Perhaps a few glasses of wine or a beer will do the trick! So difficult after coming back from your SF weekend! Karen; so excited about Emmett’s running and development; watch out, mobility is a different beast! How are the leg braces working for him? Charmed; I wish you the best in your relationship. There is nothing more difficult than caring for young children, being pregnant and not having a supportive partner. You are a strong woman and you will get through this.

RickettsRules (blue) - Monday, 24 Oct
I actually just read it Karen, I never thought about it before, but if someone else washed Jenny's mouth out with soap I wouldn't be very happy! If it was a really close friend or relative that knew us really well it might be OK?

RickettsRules (blue) - Sunday, 23 Oct
When I was a little girl, I had a friend over to play and she said bullshit. My Mum washed her mouth out with soap - I will NEVER, EVER forget it, and it wasn't even me who had their mouth washed out, hahahaha!

RickettsRules (blue) - Sunday, 23 Oct
Sorry to hear of your loss lil.

jwalden - Thursday, 20 Oct
Good luck lill- that sounds awful. So sorry to hear about your loss and praying for good news from the Dr.

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 19 Oct
Hi Karen. Hope you feel better! I've had one of those days too where you just want to scream. Ugh, can I please catch a break here soon? Here's just a glimpse into my week - Monday my cousin (31 years old) had gall bladder surgery, there were complications and he officially died this morning, DH is out of town (again) I broke my thumb on Sunday, and yesterday I took older DD to the doctor for some bloodwork due to a gut feeling that something just isn't right - they called me today saying her white blood cell count was way high, and her blood sugar was way low so they need to do more tests tomorrow before we leave town for the funeral. I think I'll go home and have a beer.

charmedby3tobe - Sunday, 16 Oct
Hello ladies, I haven't been around in ages! Hope you all remember me :) Braeden is now 20 months old, and doing great. He is starting to pick up new words almost every day, though most of them are very hard to understand. He starting to get into the temper tantrum stage though, and is also hitting a lot. He gets time-outs when he hits, and it usually makes an impact at least for an hour or so before he'll try to hit again. My oldest son, Damion will be 11 in January, and is definitely starting to hit puberty, with all the anger and temper tantrums that accompany that time in life! But when he and Braeden get along, they can have so much fun together. I am now 27 weeks pregnant with #3, and time is flying! This pregnancy is going pretty well, all things considered. My back aches sometimes, but it's not terrible yet, and I still have morning sickness, but I keep it under control with diclectin, I just can't forget to take it, or I'm praying to the porcelin gods! My husband and I separated for 3 months earlier in the pregnancy. He has been back for a month now, and things are not going great, so we will see. Hope everyone, and their little ones, are doing great!

jwalden - Thursday, 13 Oct
Jack runs, goes backwards, and side steps. The side step is new- but we've also been working on it a lot in soccer so I believe this is why he is doing it all over the house lately. He also has learned to jump up with both feet. He doesn't get high- but it is too cute to watch.

gretch - Thursday, 13 Oct
Rory walks backwards and runs. I have yet to see him side step. We jump in front of him and he thinks it is hysterical. We think it is hysterical watching him try to jump. He flings his arms and head up but nothing happens. He hasn't conncted to the need to lift off.

gretch - Wednesday, 12 Oct
I totally ignored Rory's bad words. As they seem a bit random - even tho used appropriately. I also totally ignore his tantrums. I walk to another room. Any attention I give him escaltes and prolongs the drama.

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 12 Oct
The good and bad thing about my older DD is that she is completely a little me. I'm talking completely. So I try to remember what disipline methods I hated the most (meaning the lesson stuck with me) and use those on her. I know she's the kind of kid who is always going to push her limits and see what she can get away with. That's why I feel with her it's very important for me to be strong and teach her who is boss without a shadow of a doubt. It's the only way I'll survive her teenage years I think. Cort on the other hand, I don't have a clue how to handle her. She's so emotional but so strong willed. We're starting to try time outs with her when she throws tantrums but she's such an emotional mess that she loses it and for the next hour she won't let me do anything but hold her and she hugs me and lays her head on my shoulder, so I end up feeling like a monster. I don't know, her tantrums are horrible but I don't know what to do about them.

Luv2Bamama - Wednesday, 12 Oct
Yeah, marathon mom amazes me-good for her! I thought I was doing good cauz when I woke up and lost part of my mucus plug and started having contractions, I made my husband get up and walk 3 miles with me. Then I quilted for the rest of the day, and met some friends at a local bar (I had soda water). I didn’t bother telling anyone (including hubby) my contractions were steady at 7 min. apart the whole time we were out. I needed that last adult night before the inevitable happened! 5 hours later I finally woke up my husband and informed him it was time to go to the hospital a few hours later Colleen entered the world and I have never been happier!

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