I can say 2 or 3 words.

I can point to one or more of my body parts when you call them out.

I can understand simple things you tell me to do.

I can walk well, stoop and get up again, and climb up stairs.

I can stack 2 blocks.

I can feed myself with my fingers.

I can drink from a cup.

I like to listen to you tell a story.

I let you know what I want by pointing, grunting, or pulling at you.

Let me eat with the family at mealtimes.

Make my mealtimes pleasant with small talk at the table. Be sure to talk to me too.

Give me 2 or 3 healthy snacks between meals.

Avoid giving me extra salt and sugar in my food.

I like to touch, feel, and taste my foods, so I may not be neat.

Let me feed myself at least a part of my meals.

Don’t force me to eat. Sometimes I want more, sometimes less.

Don’t give me bottles any more. I can drink my milk and water from a cup.

I should NOT have peanuts, popcorn, hard candy, gum, chunks of meat, raw vegetables, grapes, hot dogs, or anything else that could choke me.

Please! Don’t put me to bed with a bottle of juice or milk. Do not allow me to carry around a bottle or sippy cup with fluids other than water. These practices will ruin my teeth.

Please brush my teeth with a soft toothbrush and a dot of toothpaste with fluoride every day.

Start or keep up my bedtime ritual.

Don’t let me watch TV just before bedtime. It may excite me.

Some gearing down will help me get to sleep.

Please don’t start to toilet train me yet. It will frustrate us all!

I’ll let you know when I’m ready to potty train when I’m between 2 and 3. When I’m ready I will be able to hold my urine for at least two hours, pull my pants up and down, know when I’m wet and dry, and signal to you when I need to go. I should want to learn before starting to train.

Please use discipline to teach me and keep me safe. Please be positive.

Praise me when I do something you want me to do again or accomplish a new task. Help me to feel good about myself.

Let me make choices when possible.

Ignore undesirable or negative behavior that doesn’t hurt others or me. I may try to get your attention with tantrums; please ignore them and they will go away.

When I need limits set, offer alternative activities. Gently restrain me, remove an object from me or separate me from the object or from others until an unacceptable behavior is under control.

Encourage me to play. Spend some time playing with me every day.

Limit television. Don’t substitute TV for human contact.

Listen to me and show me you respect me.

Pick me up, hold me, hug, and cuddle me.

Help me to express my anger, joy, sadness, fear and frustration.

Read to me every day. Sing with me. Talk to me. Tell me about the items you put into the cart at the store.

Teach me the names of my body parts.

I enjoy toys and games that allow me to throw, kick, dance, hide and seek, play with dolls and imitate you doing tasks.

Consider a parent-toddler playgroup.

Continue having me play with blocks and using large crayons or felt tip pens with you.

Take me to the playground but watch me carefully.

Show affection for other members of the family.

Spend some time with each member of the family.

Parents need some adult time without me. That helps them to be more relaxed around me.

Always keep me fastened correctly in the car seat when I’m in the car.

Never leave me without adult supervision in the bathtub or around a toilet, a mop bucket, or pool.

Keep doors and windows latched and use safety gates above stairs to keep me from a fall. Lower my crib mattress and look for places where I might climb up and fall.

Protect me from burns by setting the hot water heater to 120° F. Keep me away from hot stoves, fireplaces, irons, heaters, matches, lighters and cigarettes.

Protect my skin from sunburn with sunscreen. Test it on my back for a reaction before applying it all over. Put it on 30 minutes before going outdoors. The sunscreen needs time to work on the skin.

Keep all medications, poisons and toxic household supplies in locked cabinets.

Put the poison control center number near the phone (1-800-POISON-1).

Choose my baby-sitters and day care carefully. Never give them permission to hit me.

Teach me to be careful around dogs and other animals that might bite.

Please don’t smoke around me. Keep the car and home as smoke free zones.

Keep small objects or toys and all plastic bags and balloons out of my reach so that I won’t choke or suffocate on them.

Swimming lessons are not recommended for me for two reasons: my parents may get a false sense of security because they think I can swim and I have a higher risk of getting infections from dirty water or getting sick from swallowing too much water.

Never swing me by my arms. It could dislocate my elbows.

Go upstairs one at a time.

Kick a ball.

Say 15-20 words and two word phrases.

Be able to make or imitate horizontal and circular strokes with a crayon.

Be able to stack 5-6 blocks.

Be able to follow two step commands.

Follow simple directions.

Imitate adults.