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Toddlers are unpredictable in public, try not stare

Toddlers are exhausting but adorable
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The Sticky Files

I am almost out of the toddler tantrum phase of parenting, which feels like a bit of a relief. My youngest just turned four, so I think she is no longer a toddler. But the terrible twos and then the threenager years are tough. It is a couple of long years where you feel like you have to walk on eggshells and negotiate with terrorists. (However, they are so super cute that you let a lot of things slide.)

Toddlers are busy learning new skills and emotions, but if they don’t get the right amount to eat or sleep, they are very unpredictable and are good at testing boundaries. Of course, this is normal, but that doesn’t make it easy. If the wind is blowing in the wrong direction or you pick out the wrong colour socks for them, it can be meltdown city. Sometimes you are afraid to take them into public. But you have to. Life still needs to happen. And you want them to experience different activities and actually be part of society, even if you want to hide them in the house.

If you haven’t had a small child in a while or don’t have kids, this is a gentle reminder to be patient when you see a toddler in the wild—I mean public—especially when they are exhibiting animal-like behaviour.

The other day at the pool, I watched another mom trying to convince her young son that it was time to leave. He didn’t want to go and let everyone know that. She looked at me and apologized. Why? No need. I just wanted to hug her and praise her for her patience. My kids never want to leave the pool either. I understand.

Last year, my then-toddler did the same thing (even though I gave her lots of warnings). She climbed out of the water and ran so fast around the pool deck. There are two rules at the pool that our lifeguards are good at enforcing: there is no running allowed, and your child must be within arm’s reach of you at all times. We were breaking both of those rules. The lifeguard blew her whistle and told me she was too far away from me. I quickly jumped out and ran after her. Then the lifeguard started yelling at me for running. What was I supposed to do? The gallery was full. There were swimming lessons going on, so the pool was surrounded by bored parents watching their kids learn how to put their faces in the water. But now they were watching me. I finally caught up to my child and picked her up, which she didn’t appreciate because she started kicking and crying. I had to carry her out surfboard-style and walk in front of all the other parents to get back to the change room. I was wearing a strapless bathing suit, and little did I know that in the pursuit of trying to tackle a wet, slippery crocodile, she had pulled on the fabric, exposing my left breast. It took me a while to notice. I knew motherhood wasn't glamorous, but this was next level.

I learned a lot that day. One: don’t wear strapless bathing suits with children around. And two: toddlers are crazy.



Marisca Bakker

About the Author: Marisca Bakker

Marisca loves the outdoor lifestyle Smithers has to offer
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