Toddlers Made Easy with Dr Cathryn

Unrealistic expectations start early. Would you believe that most moms magnify what their toddlers can manage? Having unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment and frustration and cause unnecessary stress and conflict between parents and children. Parents with unreasonable expectations could even result in children having a sense of failure for not pleasing their parents. A national surv...

Would it surprise you to learn that pooping problems often prevail during the potty training process?  Toddlers love routines and rituals, so changing them could upset your child and cause problems. When a child who pooped perfectly well in a diaper starts experiencing problems while being potty trained, something about the process is likely upsetting them. It could be due to fear or anxiety. It m...

Did you know that setting limits for your little ones will let them know they are looked after and loved? Most parents find it easy to love their kids and ensure they are happy and self-confident. Yet many struggle with setting and holding boundaries.  Toddlers need boundaries to keep them safe and healthy and allow them to feel protected and secure in their world. Even though they are desperate f...

Did you know that encouraging toddlers to entertain themselves independently is essential for their evolution? I have often heard parents commenting that they cannot get anything done because their children will not play without them. Yet, it is essential to understand that playing on their own helps children develop confidence, build resilience, and increase their problem-solving abilities.  It i...

Did you know toddlers do not typically try to hurt the person they hit?  Your toddler is not a bad kid if they smack someone. Nor does it mean you are no good as a parent or indicate that there may be problems down the road. They are simply acting their age. Toddlers hit to express their feelings. Their brains are still developing. So they have poor impulse control. They struggle to articulate the...

Did you know that smiling, smirking, or sniggering is a common way for toddlers to cope with the stress of being scolded? It can be challenging for parents to deal with what looks like sassy behavior. But toddlers are not being purposefully rude if they laugh, cover their ears, stick out their tongue, or get angry and run away when they get criticized or pulled up. They tend to do that because the...

Did you know that spitting might simply be your toddler’s way of showing their singularity? Spitting is a pretty common toddler problem. It may seem gross to us as parents, but toddlers find it funny and love to watch their parents freaking out! That does not make them bad kids. They just enjoy feeling powerful.  Developmentally, toddlers are starting to realize themselves as separate people, and...

Does your toddler’s extra-enthusiastic, energetic, and excitable temperament ever exasperate you? Some kids are just naturally more intense, passionate, and emotional than others. Two-year-olds have limited self-control. So even though toddlers with big, exuberant personalities are delightful, their extreme enthusiasm can sometimes cause problems. They cannot restrain their energy, so their hugs a...

Is your toddler’s desire to delay dozing off driving you to distraction? Bedtime fears usually start at around two years and may last several years. They happen very commonly because children spend their days in imaginative play, and it is tough for them to turn that off at bedtime.  Even though there are many valid reasons for your toddler to fight at bedtime, you still need a chance to get some...

Did you know that you can reduce troublesome tantrums by tapping into what’s causing them?  Toddlers’ tantrums can be wild, irrational, and confusing. So it helps to understand that tantrums are a normal part of a toddler’s development because their brains are still developing. When a tantrum happens, the toddler’s right brain, which is the part that is emotional, impulsive, and tuned into non-ver...

Did you know that treating siblings as equals fuels friction and fighting?   Sibling relationships are complex. Observational studies have shown that   some siblings fight as often as eight times an hour! Yet those relationships are essential for shaping children, and from a developmental standpoint, sibling rivalry helps kids figure out their distinctive qualities.   Siblings support one another...

Do you dread the despair of difficult daily drop-offs? The woeful look on a toddler’s face when parting makes it hard for parents to walk away without feeling heartbroken and guilty.  Most children become clingy between eighteen months and three years of age, and all kids experience anxiety at some point in their early years. So it’s normal and expected for toddlers to feel sad and stressed when s...

Did you know that toddlers cannot comprehend the concept of sharing? Snatching toys and shouting “mine” is not a sign of selfishness in toddlers. It only happens because they have no idea what sharing is. Issues around sharing- or not sharing can cause a lot of uncertainty and embarrassment and may even lead parents to doubt themselves. That’s why we need to understand that toddlers are not being...

Are your toddler’s picky eating patterns perturbing you?  Fussy eating habits and mealtime conflicts can be very frustrating! Food battles can cause a great deal of stress and may even lead us to encourage habitual behavior we later regret. It is way easier to learn a good habit than it is to break a bad one! So, today, I would like to help you avoid the pain of picky eating issues by discussing w...

Are time-outs truly the best way to tackle your toddlers’ tantrums? Time-outs have been the go-to method for dealing with children’s undesirable behavior since the 1950s.  From the age of two, most parents start considering what works and what does not. Many parents tend to worry about being too hard or too soft on their children, getting them to listen, or even messing them up.  In this episode,...

Has your toddler been telling tall tales?  If so, don’t panic! All kids stretch the truth at times, and lying is a perfectly normal part of a toddler’s development. Even though it can be perplexing to hear your toddler tell unlikely stories, it is neither a reflection of bad character nor a sign of moral weakness! Lying is a complex skill. So, when two-year-olds do it, it is considered a sign of a...

Toddlers suck their thumb when bored, falling asleep, upset, and watching tv. It creates a yummy feeling, like a day at the spa. Over time, kids develop other calming skills and typically give the habit up.   But what if they don’t?  Most kids will stop sucking their thumbs around 2-4 years of age, or by the time the permanent teeth are ready to erupt. That is, as long as we don’t pester our kids...

No one wants their kids flinging toys/objects across the room. I’m not talking about a friendly game of catch. I’m talking about when the remote control goes flying because you said, “No, sweetheart, you can’t have cake for breakfast.” In this episode, Dr. Cathryn helps us understand why kids throw things and how to end this habit in ways that protect a child’s dignity, curiosity, and self-esteem....

Kids whine for many reasons, but driving you crazy isn’t actually one of them. Toddlers lack sophistication… and moaning and groaning is their way of saying, “I need you. Please take care of me.” Instead of viewing whining as a toddler trying to manipulate you, remember that whining is a toddler's attempt at trying to be seen and heard. They just lack the tools to do this.  So, how can we help our...

It’s so easy to get sucked into power struggles with toddlers. We get hung up thinking we need to teach our kids, “who’s the boss”.  So, what’s the best way to deal with power struggles?? Avoiding them altogether!  In today’s episode, we discuss simple, effective, strategies to avoid tug-of-wars.  Less fighting means you’ll have more time and energy to enjoy your little superstar.  INSTAGRAM Follo...

Accidents happen. When you’re potty training they’re likely to happen a lot. When we consider accidents part of the learning process, they’re easier to respond to gently. Today, we will discuss ways to respond to accidents that send the right message, “I believe you.” INSTAGRAM Follow Dr Cathryn on Instagram: @healthiest_baby TODDLERS MADE EASY course Check out our course:  Toddlers Made Easy Cour...

The problem with forced apologies is that it causes a child to feel shame without teaching them anything about empathy. And it often doesn’t even necessarily soothe the hurt child because they sense the apology is false.⁣ So, What Should You Do Instead? In this episode, dr cathryn discusses how to raise a child who shows respect and caring for others. And this includes research-based strategies on...

Parenting is tough. But parenting a little biter is even more challenging.  In today’s episode, we’ll look at how to find the right response to biting so your child learns more effective ways of managing big feelings. But hear me out… biting doesn’t mean your child is bad or spoiled. And no, you’re not a bad parent! INSTAGRAM Follow Dr Cathryn on Instagram: @healthiest_baby   TODDLERS MADE EASY co...

In this episode Dr. Cathryn revisits her last topic: using a gentle, no-stress approach to potty training. If this is your first time hearing about it, be sure to go back and listen to her previous episode where she goes over Part 1. INSTAGRAM Follow Dr Cathryn on Instagram: @healthiest_baby   TODDLERS MADE EASY course Check out our course:  Toddlers Made Easy Course   WEEKLY PARENTING INSIGHTS Si...

Tantrums are a normal part of raising a toddler, and sometimes there are things parents can do or say to make tantrums worse without realizing it. Listen in as Dr. Cathryn goes over what to avoid when your toddler is throwing a tantrum and what it is you can do to navigate them as a parent. INSTAGRAM Follow Dr Cathryn on Instagram: @healthiest_baby   TODDLERS MADE EASY course Check out our course:...