Going from baby to toddler is big step for our kids. They start talking, eating, and sleeping (usually) better. For us, things were going good and Avery was doing better with the big three, but then, something happened, she began to regress!
After looking into it a bit (i.e. Googling), it’s apparent that toddler regression is a thing. As a matter of fact, our little crazy clones go through many regressions from birth to, well, uh….we have some years…..
Seeing as to how we are just under 2 years into the parenting game, I’m sure there are plenty more signs we have yet to experience, but until then, here’s the 3 we have dealt/are dealing with.
- Sleep
Sleep was the first thing that started to wane for Avery. We had a good thing going. She’d move around and talk to herself when we put her down for the daily nap and nighttime, but never really make a big fuss. But now, starting a couple weeks ago, she gets upset and will scream and cry for what seems like forever before entering a slumber state.
When she’s not crying, she’ll give her chill-inducing demon stare directly into the monitor camera.
Sometimes I think the crying is better…
The Baby Sleep Site describes sleep regression as:
… a baby or toddler, who’s been sleeping well, suddenly (often without any warning) begins waking frequently at night and/or refusing to nap during the day. These regressions usually last for a period of time (anywhere from 2 – 6 weeks); then, your baby or toddler’s sleep should return to its normal patterns.
I’d put major emphasis on the “should” part of this explanation! Here’s a list of symptoms/reasons our kids regress around the 2 year mark:
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Growing sense of independence (18 month olds are learning to exert their own wills, and are likely to resist doing something they don’t want to do — like going to bed)
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Awake time is getting longer (this explains why your 2 year old’s sleep schedule may suddenly start falling apart)
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Separation anxiety may resurface (separation anxiety tends to improve after 18 months, but it may suddenly re-appear when your toddler is about 2)
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Naps may suddenly stop (we usually advise parents to treat their 2 year old’s naptime resistance as a phase, and to avoid eliminating naps altogether)
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Big transitions may be happening at home (many 2 year olds are facing transitions like moving to a big kid bed, awaiting the birth of a new sibling, or potty training — and all of these transitions disrupt sleep)
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Nighttime fears appear at this age (your imaginative 2 year old may suddenly feel afraid of the dark, or of monsters in the closet, and that can affect naps and bedtime)
For us, I’m thinking the nighttime fears from a growing mind and separation anxiety are high on Avery’s list. We need to keep that naptime just as much as Avery, so hope that doesn’t go quite yet!
2. Eating
Next to go was our accepting eater. We would give her a book to read and most days she’d accept whatever we had for dinner that night. And *gasp* Going Mom and I could even hold a real conversation some of the time!
But that’s gone now. We have to change our eating game plan several times for each meal, even bite, since she simply refuses the same food she used to happily consume. Avery is even back to throwing food on the ground, which hadn’t happened in a while.
Much along the same lines for sleeping, I blame that darn sense of growing independence as the major culprit for her acting out when eating.
Yeah, I didn’t ask her to eat the apple, she wanted it right then and there. But if were were at the dinner table and that same apple was on her high chair tray, it’d be on the ground. #firstworldproblems
3. Back talk
When they know “no”, it feels as if everything falls apart, true? Kelley and I paused and grew silent the first time we hear that small, but oh so powerful word escape our sweet girl’s mouth. We tried so hard to avoid using the word, but somehow, some way, it must’ve slipped….a lot.
Damn….I mean shi…I mean crap! Yeah, probably happened similar to that.
We tried to simply ignore it at first, but her use of “no” only grows more frequently each day. Just like that damn independence! I tell ya, it’s a troublemaker! It’s so bad now, that even her animal sounds all come out as “no”.
So yeah, I think it’s safe to say we have a toddler regression on our hands. I guess, according to my Google searches, there will be more to come, so just like parenting as a whole, we’ll take it all in stride.
We’re not there yet, but I hear potty training regression is common too. Since we have yet to experience potty training, besides that one day, I kept it off the list. If you’re dealing with potty training regression, feel free to add a 4th sign to the list and do some reading!
Are you currently or do you remember going through toddler regression with your kid(s)?
If so, do you have any tips to share or did you just let it pass?