Living with Ones and Twos (continued)

Once you and your child have both calmed down, you can analyze the situation. Does the child always have a tantrum when she is hungry or overstimulated?... on days when her nap is short?... or at night when bedtime is delayed? If you can see a pattern in the tantrums, you may be able to change a child’s schedule and avoid at least some occurrences. However, you probably won’t be able to avoid them all. Do the best you can and, remember, if not encouraged, most children outgrow temper tantrums within a year or two.

Making a Difference

Living with ones and twos can be frustrating, delightful, exhausting and exciting – but never dull. Oneand two-year olds are growing up and becoming their own people. They are learning from the world around them and especially from the adults in their lives. New brain research shows:

• Children's early experiences shape the way they will learn, think and behave for the rest of their lives.
• Early attachments strongly influence brain development.
• Children experience the world through their senses – seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting.
• The brain operates on a "use it or lose it" principle.

By providing infants and young children with positive emotional, physical and intellectual experiences, everyone who cares for infants and young children – parents, family, friends, caregivers – plays a crucial role in their development.

(This Handout is based in part on a workshop given by Meg Zweiback, P.H.N. & child care consultant.)

For more information, see our Handouts: “Setting Limits” and “Separating from Infants and Toddlers.” These and other Handouts are available by mail, at our office or by downloading from our website. BANANAS also has an extensive video lending library, including ...

• Once Upon a Potty for Him – a toilet training video for parents and children to watch together.
• Terrific Two’s – characteristics of twoyear olds and how to help them learn self-control.
• Developing Child – toddlerhood, physical and cognitive development.

For a full listing of our videos, ask for our video list or view it online.

Ames, Louise Bates; Ilg, Frances & Haber, Carol. Your One-Year Old and Your Two-Year Old. Dell Books, 1994 and 1993.
Brazelton, T. Berry. Touchpoints. Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1992.
Brazelton, T. Berry, Greenspan, Stanley et. al. The Irreducible Needs of Children. Perseus Books, 2000. Also see his other books.
Eisenberg, Arlene, et. als. What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Toddler Years. Workman Publishing, 1996.
Ferber, Richard. Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems. Simon & Schuster, 1986. There are many other books about sleep in
BANANAS' reference library.
Gopnik, Alison, et. als. The Scientist in the Crib, William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1999.
Leach, Penelope. Your Baby & Child. Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Also see her other books.
Satter, Ellyn. Child Of Mine, How To Get Your Kid To Eat & Keys to Toilet Training. Bull Publishing, 2000, 1987 and
1998.
Spock, Benjamin. Baby And Child Care. Pocket Books. Inc. 1998.
Weissbluth, Marc. Happy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Fawcett Books, 1999.
Zweiback, Meg. Keys to Parenting Your One-Year Old and Keys to Parenting Your Two-Year Old, Barron’s Educational Series, 1992 and 1993.

Growing Together Series funded by the Junior League of Oakland – East Bay, Inc.

BANANAS Child Care Information & Referral • 5232 Claremont Ave. • Oakland, CA 94618 • 658-7353 • www.bananasinc.org

© 1989, BANANAS, Inc. Oakland, CA. Revised 2002.