Our children are all geniuses, right? Of course they are! But is it o.k. when your two year old falls out in the middle of the floor while grocery shopping? Maybe not for you but according to the CDC’s Act Early site most two year-olds show defiant behavior. In other words, they do what they’ve been told NOT to do but it’s O.K. because it’s what they should do at that age. Get It? Things that children typically do at a given age in life are called developmental milestones.
Most children do about the same things as they mature so as parents you can find tons of clues about your child’s development along the way. DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES provide an idea about what you should expect in your child’s cognitive, social-emotional, speech/language, fine motor and gross motor development. Don’t worry if your child is slightly off schedule because children are not exactly the same. However, don’t take anything for granted As a parent, YOU are your child’s first teacher and if you have a concern, talk to your pediatrician during well-baby visits and annual physicals. If your child is in school, it’s a good idea to share things you notice with the classroom teacher too. Here are a few more examples of some 2 yr old milestones from HealthyChildren.org
Point to some pictures in books
Point to many body parts and common objects
Follow 1-step commands without a gesture like “ Put your cup on the table”
These developmental milestones are tracked by your child’s preschool teacher so make sure you’re in touch about her on-going process. Home, School and Community together make up your child’s environment so it’s important everyone is involved and in harmony. When everyone works together, children win.
