I’ve recently received for review How Toddlers Thrive: What Parents Can Do Today for Children Ages 2-5 to Plant the Seeds of Lifelong Success. I haven’t had a chance to read much of it yet, but wanted to note it here. Clicking on the image above or here will take you to its Amazon page (affiliate link). The book’s product page says:

How Toddlers Thrive explains why the toddler years are different from any other period during childhood, what is happening in children’s brains and bodies at this age that makes their behavior so turbulent, and why your reaction to their behavior—the way you speak to, speak about, and act toward your toddler— holds the key to a successful tomorrow and a happier today. This provocative new book will inspire you to be a better parent and give you the tools to help you nurture your child’s full potential. Stop fighting with your child and start enjoying every minute of your time with them… while planting the seeds of happiness and success that will last a lifetime.

It sounds idealistic, but what parent of a toddler isn’t looking for more tools? It’s gotten 4.5 stars on Amazon thus far. I’ll read it as soon as I can and report back here.

I don’t remember where we first read this parenting advice, so I can’t guarantee its scientific backing, but here it is anyway.

When your (hypothetical) six-year-old child is talking and singing to himself in bed at night–after you’ve put him to bed–as long as he’s not keeping his (hypothetical) siblings up… let him talk and sing.

Why? Because he’s processing his day in the ways he knows how. And if this (hypothetical) six-year-old son is in all-day kindergarten this year and has just moved this summer, that processing time is important to his development and well-being.

So we let our (not hypothetical) six-year-old son talk and sing after we put him to bed, as long as it’s quiet, and as long as it doesn’t go on for more than a half hour.

More times than not, he’s done in about 15-20 minutes and then fast asleep. And we haven’t gotten upset or into a verbal struggle with him. And–most important–he’s had some added processing time before he goes to bed.

The 1.5-year-old

BAH-yull (bottle): that dispenser of water that also doubles as a cuddle friend in her crib, without which SHE WILL NOT GO TO SLEEP.

KEEEEEE-koo: cracker, anything crunchy, snack, food. Sample use in a sentence: “Mmmmm…. keeeeekoo.”

DAT/THAT: screamed loudly, the ever-shifting direct object of “I want.”

Potty: what she–of her own volition–sat on today to go poop. Way to go, kiddo!

The 3.5-year-old

Guy Gagné! Guy Gagné! (pronounced “Gee Gah-NYAY”): 5-time winner of the Indy 500 in the movie Turbo. Constant foil in his playtime sessions with cars.

No, I want to find it!: the protestation that ensues after he looks everywhere for something, can’t find it, asks us to help find it, and then we find it.

Butt: much to the dismay of his parents, his filler, go-to, and punchline, dozens of times each day. Sample use in a sent–no, never mind. You get the idea.

Good night! I love you!: his ever-effective method of melting parental hearts at bedtime, no matter how many times he has employed the previous lexicon entry in a day.

The 6-year-old

Knock Knock. (Who’s there?) Why did the chicken cross the road?: initial forays into joke-telling.

Let’s share: preface to his taking his brother’s toy away.

Come here, baby! sweet invitation to his sister to come play with him, which she adores.

“Tonight’s dinner: tacos… or if you want, chili… later, kisses”: one of many detailed signs he puts up around the house for various occasions.

Three kids six and under can be exhausting, but I cherish these little ones and their speech patterns.

Now I’m off to rummage the pantry for some keeeekoo.

My six-year-old suggested over the weekend that we make a birthday cake for Martin Luther King, Jr.

So today, while our 1.5-year-old slept, my wife and I and two sons all went into the kitchen together. We made a carrot cake. (The part of the cake that is not frosted is because of the lactose intolerance of our littlest one.)

We’ve also been reading a short biography of King to our six-year-old, which is geared toward children. You can find it here. In that story, Martin was also six years old when he knocked on the door of some neighbor friends (where he had gone many times), only to hear the mom say:

It was all right for you to play together when you were younger. But now you’re all in school. So it’s best that you go your own different ways.

Martin quietly asked, “Why?” “Because you’re colored and we’re white,” the mom said, after which she shut the door.

It’s been interesting talking with our oldest son about MLK (and he learned about him in his kindergarten class at school, too). It can be hard to gauge how much a child is absorbing in such conversations, but I’m encouraged that his primary response to learning about Dr. King’s life has been a desire to celebrate him. We even sang “Happy Birthday” tonight.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King! We’ll bake you another cake next year.

Tonight my wife and I (with her taking the lead) were talking to our six-year-old son all about angels, trying to navigate his series of detailed questions:

6yo son: “What can God do that angels can’t do?”

My wife: “Lots of stuff… [she elaborates]… God can do everything….”

6yo son: “So what does he need angels for?”

I: “They’re his helpers.”

6yo son: “They’re like his little elves… his flying elves!”