Things You Can Do

Spend Time with Your Children
• Try to set aside time each day to give your child your full attention.
• Play and be active together.
• Listen to your child and respond promptly.
• Remember that your child has her own unique personality. For more about toddlers’ temperaments, visit www.preventiveoz.org.
• Be supportive of your child’s make-believe games and doll-play. These are great ways for both boys and girls to learn social skills.

Guidance
• Learn about child development so you know what to expect. Call National Parent Info Network. Visit www.npin.org.
• Set an example of how you want your child to act.
• Set clear limits that fit your child’s age and abilities.
• Limit rules to important issues.
• Remember that it is normal for your toddler to say “no” a lot.
• Give a limited number of acceptable choices. This helps your child learn to make decisions and makes it easier for him to do what you want. For example, ask, “Do you want to wear your blue shirt or your red shirt?”
• Begin toilet learning when your child is ready.

Encourage Early Learning and School Readiness
• Provide opportunities for your child to play with other children.
• Surround your child with language. Talk, read, sing and tell stories together. Visit www.npin.org or www.readcalifornia.org.
• Give simple explanations for the ways things work.
• Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer. This encourages your child to talk.
• Encourage your child to work through problems before you offer help.
• Allow your child to make discoveries.
• Limit TV. Children under age 2 should not watch TV. They don’t learn from TV—they learn from you.
• Make sure your child eats healthy foods and gets plenty of sleep and exercise.
• If your child is not learning language or has problems communicating, call California Early Start.