Oh, how they grow so fast! No longer a newborn, no longer a baby. You now have a toddler on your hands! Toddlers are amazing little people. Everything in their world fascinates them and frustrates them at the same time. They yearn to be so independent, yet still need a lot of guidance from you as they try to overcome many hurdles such as potty training, giving up a pacifier, drinking from a regular cup, and learning how to do a little thing called sharing when playing with others. And do we even need to mention the temper tantrums?

Toddlers are very me-centered in that they truly believe the world revolves around them. They want everything done for them and they have a difficult time accepting the word "N-O." Since toddlers lack the skills needed for communicating effectively, they tend to scream, cry, throw things, or hit to express their frustration with your lack of cooperation. Even though this is the only way toddlers know how to show their disappointment or how much they disapprove, that type of behavior should not be allowed. It will be your job to find the best techniques for disciplining your toddler. Time-outs are a very effective way to curb some of that behavior and, in some cases, ignoring the behavior works very well too. When you understand the world from a toddler's perspective, it is so much easier to translate their needs and wants. Patience, patience, patience. It takes a lot of patience when dealing with your little toddler.

Keeping up with a toddler's high level of energy can be quite a chore. Toddlers want to be in the middle of everything so expect a short attention span with certain activities that are of little interest to them such as grocery shopping or sitting quietly in a doctor's office. However, they are likely to have a much longer attention span when playing with a ball outside or watching a favorite educational TV program.

I have compiled a list of articles at www.atoz-childcare-directory.com that are related to toddler care, toddler health, toddler safety, toddler growth and development, and toddler issues. These articles will help prepare you for this new leg of your journey. Remember chin up, deep breath, and dive in to toddler world. There is nothing better than seeing the sparkle in your toddler's eyes when you connect in so many new ways.

Lisa Russolillo is a mother of 4 amazing children (ages 10, 8, 6, and  2) and an in-home child care provider. If you would like more information about children, parenting, and child care, please visit www.atoz-childcare-directory.com to find many great resources. Child care providers can also list their child care businesses for free.