am i not doing things right?

Leanne - posted on 01/23/2010

I have to agree with what the other mums are saying. He sounds very normal (actually he sounds very much like my son) who is 2 on 3-27-10. Very difficult to get him to repeat words that he has said. He didn't have a dummy (Australian slang for pacifier) but is addicted to his sippy cup. Haven't bothered with potty training as he just pushes the potty around the house and getting him to share at the moment is impossible. He takes what he wants and then guards it with ferocity. I've started teaching him to take turns as he is just beginning to understand this concept. The main difference I've noticed between yours and my post is that my son is the youngest of three so it's not the fact that he's an only child that's the problem. I'm not worried and neither should you be. He is right on track.

Missy - posted on 01/22/2010

It sounds normal to me. The fact that he's learning lots of words is encouraging. The fact that he is learning so much may be why he doesn't repeat them very often. The binky can also stunt vocabulary so daytime use should be curbed. It sounds like you did a great job with that battle! It's also very common for early two's to be finicky about trianing. Just follow his cues- when he's interested be very excited for him and all that jazz. If he's not interested one day, that's ok , too. He'll get there. He's still young.

My daughter is an only child and she is , what I consider to be , a normal almost 2 y ear old. They don't know about sharing and so it's a long process to get them to understand that concept. Play lots of sharing games and schedule lots of play dates and that should help out.

Good luck!

Heather - posted on 01/21/2010

My nephew is 2 years 4 months and says some words and sentences, but for the most part, we can't really understand him. But with my 22 month old daughter, she's talking up a storm with a very extensive vocabulary. I have 2 younger brothers that were around 3 when they finally started talking plainly.

One thing that you have to remember, is that every child learns at different speeds. It's the same with older kids, teens, and adults. Being parents, you worry that your child isn't doing the same as another the same age, but give it time, and they will learn. And hey, one day your little one might be doing something that another kid his age isn't doing.

Kylie - posted on 01/07/2010

if your worried about the only child thing you could goin a play group or something my eldist loved going to playcentre and i made heaps of new friends, I wouldnt be to worried about words all my ds(born 2/3/08) likes to say is whats important to him. eg.ball (his most fav toy), mum dad food ray-ray(his way of saying brayden, thats his brother). some of the posts on here tend to make you feel like your child is abit slow compared to others the same age, but i bet there is prob things your child can do they may not. my son may not no his abc's and 123's, but he can throw a ball with explosive force, kick a ball like a pro and throw some of his balls and catch them again. as long as theyre happy that all that matters. p.s my little man has only sat and gone on a tolite once

Nicky - posted on 01/06/2010

I sometimes think my daughter (10.03.2008) isn't doing everything she should be by now (and the sharing / taking turns thing does my head in too) but really right now they are still just babies, not even 2 yet.

My little girl still has a bottle to go to bed, has 2 balnkies and a lu-lu and isn't at all interested in potty training. She knows it's there & knows what it's for but thinks it's much more fun to put the potty on her head like a hat and walk around the house.

However she is talking in 4 word sentences, sings, dances and can draw the most amazing pictures for her age.

My advice is just relax. Look at what he IS doing rather than what he isn't. the rest will come.

Dawn - posted on 01/06/2010

He's still really young for ALL that stuff. Give him a little time. My older two weren't potty trained until around 3 years old (my 3/15/08 baby is potty training herself right now--so it can happen, but isn't necessarily the norm). Sharing comes later, especially when they are the only child at home. Just keep working on it...you might try to "take turns" instead of sharing since this is an easier concept for them to grasp. The talking will also come...usually slower for a first born/only child at home since they just don't hear as much talking as a second or third child (who hear you constantly answering the older ones' questions!). Patience. He sounds very normal for his age.