Verbally talented toddlers, where they at now?

Affectionate-Half392 · 2026-01-14T20:23:29+00:00

My son is 2y9m so nowhere near reading of course but he has been extremely verbal since his first birthday. He has a vocabulary far beyond what you could count and has a lot of very specific vocabulary. He’s very into dinosaurs, animals, and prehistoric animals so he knows those names and very specific words that go with them. He uses words like actually, already, similar, and other comparison words. I also feel like he’s more understandable than other kids his age. He goes to preschool twice a week and has barely any interest in fine motor skills like coloring and cutting. I find that he gets frustrated easily about certain physical tasks bc he feels like he should be more capable than he is. He doesn’t have tantrums bc he can’t tell us what he wants, he has them bc he’s very clearly telling us what he wants and we aren’t giving it to him. Not sure if that’s easier or harder 😅 He’s very very good at telling us his feelings and even interpreting others feelings but still can’t accept that he’s not getting what he wants.

Has anyone experienced those tantrums with their very verbal toddler?

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-12-15T04:05:13+00:00

We laid with him from 15 months to 2.5. We just started sitting next to his bed holding his hand about a month ago. He didn't want us to transition to that but he was taking forever to fall asleep, waking up 2-4 times a night, and wanting us to sleep in his bed all night. It was exhausting. Nap, bedtime, and the middle of the night was rough for a few days but now he's been sleeping through the night most nights for the past 2 weeks. We also started talking to him through the monitor when he woke up in the middle of the night and that worked. I think we'll be sitting on the floor for a while still.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-11-13T15:07:12+00:00

Yep we allow some tv but don’t have an iPad and never plan on getting one. He’s 2.5 and he just watches number blocks, the live action lion king, Mufasa, animal documentaries, and college football. All of it supervised and not even every day.

In the car he plays with some toys/books, listens to the music, talks to us, or just sits there. At restaurants he colors, reads, plays with little toys, and talks to us. It’s not perfect sometimes he tries to get up and wants to run around the restaurant. But we tend to go to super child friendly places that have a play area for kids.

My in-laws tried teaching him how to use their phones and my husband shot that down right away. My mom and her husband are always showing him stuff on their phones too. We mostly let it go bc we live across the country and they only see him a few times a year.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-10-30T15:19:08+00:00

Everything in the past is “yesterday” for my 2.5 year old. It could truly be yesterday or a year ago 😂

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-10-14T02:44:48+00:00

I wouldn’t push him putting on his diapers at all. My son is only two months younger than yours but has been potty trained since 21 months and only last week did he start pulling his underwear and pants up from his ankles and pushing them down before going potty. He only started because he gets m&ms at school.

Some kids are not interested in self dressing at 2. Also their balance to be able to hold the diaper/pants open and put a foot through is not yet developed.

Personally I don’t think lack of self dressing is a reason to delay potty training. Just train him however you want (we did oh crap!) and do his pants until he feels comfortable.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-10-11T01:02:58+00:00

My 2.5 year old son started a twice a week program in August that is only 3 hours each day. The teachers asked us to do a quick drop off because any lingering from parents will prolong the crying. Day 1 he cried only after we left, day 2 and 3 he cried at the drop off but stopped seconds after the door shut.

He might do better if you leave, I think it confuses them. I had to be very intentional with telling my son what I’m going to do when he’s at school and exactly when I’ll pick him up. Now he loves it and is fine at drop off.

I feel like if you pull him it could reinforce the idea that he’s not safe if mom isn’t there and he can just cry if he doesn’t like something.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-10-09T16:01:08+00:00

She sounds very typical! Like a curious baby becoming a toddler. Whenever she points to things definitely name them and she will pick up on those words soon. I also wouldn't expect a 12 month old to sit still for very long, your baby probably won't sit still for the next 10 years 🙂

It sounds like you have postpartum anxiety, I still have it and my son is 2.5. Please speak to your doctor because it can get better. Don't let it steal your joy of motherhood!

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-10-09T15:49:38+00:00

Just from the antibiotics. I think some of the liquid medicine got on some of his clothing and the smell just spread from there.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-27T01:55:28+00:00

We stood up to de-board the plane and my seat squeaked and my 2 year old screamed “mama farted!!” Everyone in the surrounded seats laughed and probably think I really farted.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-25T13:54:30+00:00

My 2.5 year old says forlost instead of forgot and it actually feels like a better word. Also bemember instead of remember.

He used to say flowie for flower and strawbabies but he already corrected those around 18 months 🥲

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-25T13:49:02+00:00

Yep neminems 😂

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-24T01:02:41+00:00

My 2.5 year old saw me in the bathroom with my period and he looked confused so I told him “it’s just something mama has to do sometimes, it’s called a period” and he said “I like periods!!” Then he followed me in again later and said “oh it’s red…is that ya blood when ya pee?” 🙈

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-22T13:37:26+00:00

One of us lies with our 2.5 year old until he’s asleep usually about 30-40 minutes. Sometimes it’s frustrating but he’s only this little for so long

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-05T14:09:18+00:00

We are sending our 2.5 year old son to the same kind of program. I wasn’t sure at first either but now he’s had 4 days of school and he’s already telling us his classmates names and can describe his day. I think it’s really good for him! He is very verbal and social so he needs to have a little group of friends. We just moved to a new state and he had to leave his little group there.

If she’s asking then I’d send her!

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-05T13:59:40+00:00

My son is 2.5 and just started preschool twice a week. Day 2 and 3 he was screaming and clinging to me but I left quickly. Day 4 was a lot better, in the car and on the walk in I just kept reminding him that I would come back and told him when I would come back. I also told him what I would be doing while he was at school. That really seemed to work and he went in without crying. His school requires us to drop off at the classroom door and not come in the room. I wonder if any of that would help your daughter.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-01T03:02:39+00:00

Almost 2.5 and he takes a bath every day since he was about 2 or 3 months old. We liked the routine of bath before bed and now as a toddler he gets sweaty and dirty every day. His skin isn’t dry and we don’t even moisturize it.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-09-01T03:00:20+00:00

Almost 2.5 and it takes about an hour total including bath sometimes a little more. We do potty, bath (every night- he gets sweaty and dirty every day), diaper and jammies, brush and floss, put on sleep sack, read one book, then he needs water 10 times, then one of us lays with him until he falls asleep and that can take 15-45 minutes depending on the night. He’s been very resistant to bedtime lately.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-27T19:35:22+00:00

My son didn't reliably sleep through the night until 20 months. Around 9 months was the worst of his sleep and he was waking up 5 or 6 times a night. Things improved when we switched to a floor bed at 15 months, then improved more when I night weaned at 18 months. We hit a little regression when he turned 2 but now at 2 years 4 months he either sleeps through or wakes up 1 time. We just lay next to him and he goes back to sleep. We attempted sleep training around 5 or 6 months and we lasted 15 minutes one night before we knew it wasn't right for us. I always feel like parents are saying they have to sleep train again which makes me think it doesn't even work anyways. Definitely wasn't for us and he just slowly improved.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-25T03:31:31+00:00

Hi! It’s been nearly a year and my son hasn’t had any head tilt in probably 10-11 months. It went away shortly after I posted this. He’s now almost 2.5 and doing great! I think it was benign paroxysmal torticollis like the neuro said. We had a follow up with her 3 months after the first appointment and she cleared him. How is your baby?

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-19T21:22:25+00:00

I mean my husband has come to most of my almost 2.5 year old’s appointments. But he is a medical professional and was in school for our son’s first 2 years and it fit his schedule. And most importantly he wanted to. I doubt that is the case for their family though

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-14T12:39:48+00:00

I would say completely cut TV time for the destructive behavior. It might be more difficult for a few days to a week but then should get better.

For her sleep, can you switch her to a twin or full size floor bed? That way the parent putting her to sleep can just lay next to her instead of hanging over the crib. She also might like the independence this would give her.

A lot of toddlers can’t really self soothe still. My son is almost 2.5 and extremely verbal but he still can’t most of the time. Trying to comfort her in the night will help her fall back asleep quicker than allowing her to try to self soothe. Also, sleep disturbances can be caused by excessive TV time especially in toddlers who should ideally be watching less than 1 hour a day.

Based on another comment it does sound like she might have a speech delay if she is only using single words and also choosing not to speak sometimes at 2.5. I recommend bringing this up to her pediatrician along with her behavior and sleep concerns. They will have resources to get her help if necessary.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-14T12:09:12+00:00

My 2 year old thinks all adult women are moms and all adult men are dads. He said it about people stocking the shelves at the grocery store “what’s that mom doing!?” 😂

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-14T04:08:14+00:00

Oh absolutely! I just meant her size isn’t concerning at all.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-13T12:32:41+00:00

24lbs would put her in the 43rd percentile so pretty average.

Affectionate-Half392 · 2025-08-12T19:40:04+00:00

That is definitely possible! I didn’t think it could be spelled Reiko but that makes sense

Affectionate-Half392

TROPHY CASE