Emotional Life of the Toddler

Last month's book club meeting was held at Madelyn and Naomi's house. It was a lot of fun for holly to play with new toys, they were slightly familiar from several weeks earlier when we were there for another play date, yet still novel.It was also fun for her to play with a lot of babies she doesn't see that often, but also have some familiarity to them. Here she is playing blocks and Samantha, the other older child in the group is close by.The book we read that month was called "The Emotional Life of a Toddler" and I really loved it. I will admit there were a few chapter's I skipped so that I could "Finish" it before book club, but I read the ones that were most pertinent to Holly and I.For example, I read with relish the chapter's on the Active Baby and on "Health Anxiety" but I skipped the one on the shy quiet child, since that isn't my reality. I really felt like the chapter on Active babies could be a play by play of my life with Holly.And it affirmed for me not only some anxiety's I had been feeling but didn't realize, but also that what I was doing was at least according to this book all the "right" things. One of the things that I hadn't realized had to do with Judgement.Not often, but sometimes I am in groups with other seemingly more "well behaved" children. The moms can sit in a circle and chat and there children play together quietly, unattended in the playroom, not getting into any trouble.Mean while, my child is running circles around the room, opening every cabinet drawer, knocking everything off the shelves, trying to climb up the stairs, onto the chair, up to the table, and well you get the picture.I subconsciously feel like, these moms must think I have a wild child that needs to be tamed and how is it there kids do so well unattended, I haven't sat down for 5 minutes yet and I can't be part of the conversation, I'm too busy chasing my child.So the book talks about this, and it was so reassuring that things won't always be that way, and that really I need to harness and indulge that energy in all the ways I have been. It talked about being motivated by movement and all that.Our meeting was great. We had a lively conversation and I would highly recommend the book to anyone who is a parent. Holly had lots of fun playing with Madelyn and the other kids. Also, if anyone knows what that rattle thing she is holding in the picture above is, let me know - It's an instrument I think and I want to get her one.