Toddlers

Visit our breastfeeding webpage for lots of helpful information.

If you are a parent or caregiver for a toddler child (18 to 35 months), use Nutri-eSTEP^® as a fast and simple way to find out if your child is a healthy eater. Nutri-eSTEP is a nutrition screening tool for toddlers and preschoolers, created in part by Dietitians of Canada.

Nutri-eSTEP^® contains 17 questions about a child’s typical food choices, eating behaviours, and physical activity and growth patterns. The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete and provides immediate feedback.

Learn more at Nutri-eStep.

Feeding toddlers can be challenging sometimes.

Now that your child is a toddler, they may be growing much slower than when they were an infant. Don’t be surprised if you notice some changes in the way they eat. This is all normal.

Your toddler may:

• seem very hungry at one meal and not at the next.
• eat a large amount of food one day and much less another day.
• not want to try new foods.
• have food likes and dislikes.
• want to be in control and may say “no” often.

Offer your toddler or preschooler a variety of foods from each food group found in Canada’s Food Guide in different flavours, textures and colours. A healthy balanced plate provides the energy and essential nutrients children need to grow, develop and be active.

Breast milk is still an important source of nutrition for your toddler until two years of age and beyond. In addition to breast milk, when your baby is between 9 to 12 months old and is eating a variety of iron-rich foods every day, you can offer homogenized (3.25% M.F.) cow’s milk. Give milk in an open cup. After the age of two, toddlers can begin to drink the same milk as the rest of the family. Learn more about transitioning your baby to cow’s milk (UnlockFood.ca).

Sometimes children are very hungry or not hungry at all. This is normal. Your job is to decide what, when and where to offer food. Your child’s job is to decide if he/she wants to eat and how much. This helps children to learn their hunger and fullness cues. Keep meal and snack times a pleasant family time. It’s also importanto to set a good example of healthy eating for your children.

• Provide a healthy meal or snack every two to three hours. Try for three meals and two snacks every day.
• Seat your child at the table for meals and snacks without any distractions (TV, toys, etc.).
• Let your child feed him or her self.
• Toddlers have very small stomachs, so offer child-sized portions; they may only eat 1/4 to 1/3 of what you might eat at a meal.
• Give food using a child-sized plate, utensils and cup.
• Offer the same food as the rest of the family and modify the texture as needed.
• Do not go back to the kitchen to get different food if your child refuses to eat.
• Give your child enough time to eat – about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Allow your child to ask for more food or not eat at all.
• Eat with your child as often as possible as children learn through role modelling.
• Don’t bribe, punish, or reward your child with food, or use ‘games’ or ‘tricks’ to encourage him to eat.

• Anxiety, frustration, stress, and anger can be triggered by a variety of things including new developmental challenges, life changes, stressful events, or unfamiliar or new situations.
• Toddlers may have difficulty identifying a strong emotion and may instead act out as they are unable to have words for what they are feeling.
• Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns and can affect young children.
• Parents play a vital role in helping their children manage anxiety.
• When coping skills and brave behaviour is rewarded in the home, children can learn to face their fears, take reasonable risks and gain confidence.
• Anger is a normal emotion. Anger management can help a child learn better ways to cope with their feelings.

1. Calm down before you act

When we get frustrated, we can react without thinking. If you react in ways that are hurtful, you can make the situation worse by scaring your child. Try to breathe deeply when you feel yourself getting frustrated. Wait until your body relaxes and you can think clearly before doing or saying anything.

2. Think about what you want your child to learn in this moment

Your child will learn how to deal with frustration by watching how you deal with it. Children who are spanked are more likely to solve their own conflicts by hitting others. To teach children how to be respectful and non-violent, you need to treat them with respect and interact without violence. Show them how it is done.

3. Consider your child’s point of view

Most of the behaviours that frustrate parents are normal reactions to hunger, tiredness, boredom, restlessness, fear, illness, pain, discouragement, frustration or stress.

• Has your child missed her snack?
• Was he up late last night?
• Did she miss her nap?
• Does he need to run outside?
• Is she getting sick?
• Is there stress in the family?

Ask your child if something is bothering him. When you understand the reason for your child’s behaviour, it is easier to handle the situation without losing your temper.

4. Think about your child’s stage of development

Babies are just beginning to learn about the world. They need to know that they live in a safe place. They often cry because they do not have words to tell you how they feel or what they need. It can be hard to figure out what they are trying to tell you. Babies never cry to make you mad. They just need to be comforted and protected. They need to know that they are safe with you. You cannot spoil a baby. When your baby cries, try:

• feeding her
• changing his diaper
• holding, cuddling and singing to her
• rocking or walking with him

If your baby cannot stop crying and you are feeling stressed out, put your baby in a safe place. Spend a few minutes alone until you feel calmer. Ask for help from family, friends, a doctor or other community resources.

* Remember, never shake a baby. Shaking a baby can cause serious brain injury and death.

Toddlers learn by touching and tasting everything. This is how they get to know the world. They are little explorers who want to know what everything is and how everything works. If a child’s hand is slapped for touching things, they will be afraid to explore, so they will learn less. To keep your toddler safe while he explores:

• Put dangerous things out of reach.
• Distract her with a safe toy.
• Use words like ‘hot,’ ‘sharp,’ and ‘ouch’ over and over to teach him about danger.
• Always make sure she is in a safe place where you can watch her closely.

Preschoolers want to do things for themselves and make their own decisions. They cannot express or control their feelings very well. When they get frustrated, they often have tantrums. Their emotions take over and this can scare them. Spanking will only scare them more and make the tantrum worse. Instead, you can:

• Stay close and keep your child safe.
• Take deep breaths.
• Stay calm to help your child gradually calm down.

When your child has calmed down, hold him gently and help put his feelings into words. “You were mad because I cut your apple and you wanted to eat it whole.” Show your child how to handle strong feelings without yelling or hitting. Teach her how to think of solutions to her problems. Help him to express his feelings using words. If something gets damaged, help your child learn how to fix it.

5. Create a loving and respectful home.

Adults are important role models. Children learn from watching how adults treat each other, as well as how they treat children. Talk with your child and explain things so she can learn. Show him and tell him you appreciate his efforts. Respect her need to grow, learn and explore. Teach him about safety and distract him from things that can harm him. Respect her need for sleep and healthy food, which greatly affect her behaviour. Have a daily routine. Last but not least, have fun with your child!

Parents are always learning. All parents need ideas and support.

6. Do not be afraid to ask for help

To find out where to find support in your community, ask:

• your family doctor
• your local public health department
• your family support worker
• child care centres
•  family resource centres
• child and family service agencies
• parenting programs such as Nobody’s Perfect
• First Nation, Inuit and Métis organizations and health programs
• multicultural or newcomer centres
• social media support forums

_{Source: Public Health Agency of Canada – Ways to Guide Your Child’s Behaviour}

 ^{Video courtesy of the City of Hamilton}

From Encyclopedia on Early Child Development:

• Aggression
• Anxiety and depression
• Attachment
• Crying behaviour
• Emotions
• Mental health
• Resilience
• Temperament
• Peer relations
• Sharing, cooperating and helping

Additional resources: