Toddlers

20 posts

Mercy For the Broken

Morning brought heavy hearts in America this Monday. At least 50 are dead and hundreds are wounded in Las Vegas and the numbers are still climbing. One man planned to destroy as many human lives as possible. As a country we are overwhelmed with grief, with anger, with sadness. And, once again the haunting question returns: Why? It will take days and weeks for the authorities to begin to give the immediate answers. But ultimately these reasons will not satisfy or heal the vulnerability of our hearts. Just knowing that individual’s motives and perversions does not bring wholeness and healing. It is important to find out the immediate whys. It is important to take better safety precautions. But these steps […]

Toddlers, Toys, and Debit Cards

Toddlers are people. This means they make decisions about what is important to them, just like you do. And just like you, their interpretation of their circumstances determines how they respond to problems they face. Let’s put this in perspective. You can’t find your debit card. Was it lost or stolen? Is your bank balance secure? Getting that card back is now your highest priority. But, suppose your helpful neighbor is visiting and says to you, “don’t worry, the card is just piece of plastic. Don’t get stressed. It will probably turn up in a day or two. It’s nothing to worry about.” You might look at that individual and wonder what planet she is living on. Your three year […]

Your Toddler’s Worldview

Toddlers and worldview are not concepts that seem compatible. The image of a three–year-old doing a google search about worldview brings humor. However, your toddler does have a worldview. It shapes the way he looks at his life. It shapes the way he looks at you as his parent. It may be limited, but it is a worldview nonetheless. He actually expresses his worldview constantly. This worldview is shown in statements like “I’m thirsty. “He took my toy.” “I want a cookie.” “I’m tired.” “I’m hungry.” “I don’t want to.” Do you see a pattern here? A toddler’s worldview begins and ends with himself. This should not be surprising given that the Bible tells you your toddler’s sole purpose in […]

Toddlers are people!

Toddlers are people. They may be small. They may have a limited vocabulary. They may be immature. But the bottom line is – they are people. This means they make decisions about what is important to them, just like you do. And just like you, their interpretation of their circumstances determines how they respond to problems they face. Let’s put this in perspective. Your toddler thinks he has lost his prized possession. This may be likened to the concern you have when you can’t find your debit card. Was it lost or stolen? Is your bank balance secure? Whatever the case may be, getting that card back is now the highest priority. But, suppose your helpful neighbor is visiting and […]

Making God real to your toddlers

How can you make God real to your toddlers? First, God must be real to you. He is always with you. Your heart should overflow with love for him. The next step is to talk about your God 24/7 as Deuteronomy 6:5-7 commands. You want to be so in love with God and his commands that this becomes the focal point of conversations with children. So, how does this connect with toddlers? In the crush of life it is possible to go hours if not days and not talk about God and how special he is. You do not faithfully represent reality if there are huge gaps of time when God is not talked about. (See passages like I Corinthians […]

Breaking News: Toddlers are People!

Toddlers are people. They may be small. They may have a limited vocabulary. They are immature. But the bottom line is – they are people. This means they make decisions about what they think they need,. Just like you, it is their interpretation of their circumstances that determines how they respond to problems.  If your toddler sees that a sibling has his favorite toy,  his immediate interpretation may be that something is very wrong with the world. Let’s put this in perspective. Your toddler thinking he has lost his prized possession may be likened to the concern you have when you can’t find your debit card. Was it lost or stolen? Whatever the case may be, getting that card back […]

What is important to a toddler?

Toddlers are people. If a toddler suddenly realizes that a sibling has his favorite toy, his immediate interpretation might be that something is very wrong with his world. The toddler may burst out crying or he may decide to retrieve his toy even if he has to fight for it. His response flows from his interpretation of his circumstances. For a young child, a toddler, being satisfied is important. Problems arise because, just as with older children and adults, things do not bring lasting satisfaction.    In order to give or receive satisfaction in human relationships, you must first be satisfied in your relationship with Christ. That means resting completely in Christ’s care for you. It means not judging the […]

Children and Announcements

“Mommy, I want juice.”   “Not right now, dear. Mommy is busy.”   “But mommy, I am soooooo thirsty.”   “I said, not right now. I have to take care of your little brother.”   “But I want juice. Please, please, please.”   “Oh, alright. But promise me you won’t ask for anything else for awhile, Okay?”   “Yes, mommy. Thank you!”   “Okay, here is your juice.”   “But mommy, it is not in my special juice cup…”   This is an exaggerated example of a Mom who has taught her child to make announcements to get what she wants. Already, this four-year-old has learned how to control her world. Young children need to be taught that this is […]

Don’t treat your toddlers as their sins deserve!

Psalm 103 mercifully proclaims that God does not treat us as our sins deserve.  It is this truth that sets Christianity apart from every other religion.  All paths, except the one leading to Christ, lead to some form of self-justification. This truth has important implications for parenting. It is important that children not be treated as their sins deserve! At first glance, this seems obvious. But, we must ask, how do our children believe they are treated. Words like accountability, responsibility, and obedience can come to be equated with fair treatment. (These words are wonderful words in their proper place.) When children sin they should be held accountable. This sounds right, but is it? In Psalm 103, David is rejoicing […]

Parents, do you love questions?

If you think that this sounds like a loaded question, you’re right, it is! Toddlers and preschoolers can be prolific question askers. However, it is sometimes a challenge to maintain a high level of interest and enthusiasm to a seemingly unending stream of interrogation.  By contrast, many parents are starved for questions coming from their teenagers beyond the standard ones such as, “can I have the keys?” (If you live in Europe, substitute train pass for keys.) I believe there is a connection with the wearisome, almost detached response frequently given to the questions of young children and the lack of sincere questions coming from apparently detached teenagers. I have several thoughts along these lines for you to consider, but […]