Child 1 to 2 years old

Your baby is one year and a month

By his or her first birthday, your child can take first steps and begin walking. But before he or she brings this process to perfection, his or her movements will be clumsy. The child puts his or her feet wide, twists the toes, and waddles. When a child finally learns to keep balance and coordinate movements, he or she will stand with more confidence, and his or her gait will be firmer. In several months he or she will hold a toy and carry it through the whole room, drag a machine, stride aside and back, and even throw a ball while walking. As your child gets more and more freedom to move, his or her wishes and possibilities to explore surroundings con grow. Before you have time have time to notice, he or she will have taken a remote-control box, screwdriver, and keys that you carelessly left on a table. Remember that the sharp corners of a coffee table, low bedside-tables, and floor plants can be in his or her way as well. It’s time to defend your child and house; don’t let him or her out of your sight and try to develop a safe area where your child will have enough freedom for new discoveries. You shouldn’t worry if your child doesn’t walk yet. Most children begin walking between 12 and 15 months, but some wait until 16 months or even longer. There are a lot of factors that have an influence on when a child begins walking: inheritance, desire, weight, bad experience (if a child fell down and was hurt when trying to walk). In one word, as soon as his or her wishes agree with his or her physical possibilities, he or she will make precious steps -- and in some time run.

Baby’s social development this month

The limits of a small world widen, and your child is happy of his or her independence and, at the same time, afraid of it. Now the child plays with toys in one corner of the room, but in a minute he or she comes up to you to make sure that he or she is protected. This time he or she will probably be attached to you too much and can become nervous if you leave him or her, even for a short time. Even though it’s normal for small children to have strong contradictory emotions, it’s also important to maintain his or her independence and accept the contradictory nature of his or her emotions (who blames a child if he or she wants to be big and small at once?), and embrace the child more often.

Baby’s intellectual development this month

By 13 months most children already pronounce their first words, although it’s quite normal if a child begins speaking in 18 months. So far he or she could use his or her own signs instead of words; for instance, “mmm” can mean “I want to eat”. Now your little talker can call his or her mother and dad, pronounce the names of his or her favorite animals, dishes, and drinks, and pronounce such sounds as “bow-wow”. At the beginning of the second year most children have a small active vocabulary and quite a big passive one. During the following months when communicating with people they will learn many new words.

Your baby is 1 year and 2 months

Baby’s physical development this month

Look at your tot and you’ll see a little scientist in action! By 14 months your child will like to pick up different objects in his or her “laboratory” (your house), examine and taste them. It’s quite possible that a regular check-up of lower drawers and shelves’ contents will become his or her favorite pastime. It’s such fun to take out all the clothes, pans, bowls, frying pans –- all that he or she can reach. And even though he or she is able to put everything in its place, this crazy thought never comes to his or her bright head. Moreover, the child will protest if you begin to tidy up a room yourself. Of course from your parental point of view, it’s inadmissible. After all, how many times is it possible to collect and throw about one and the same things? But for a child this game is nothing but a wonderful opportunity to develop motive skills and strengthen hand muscles. Very soon these small (and strong) hands will manage to wave, blow kisses, and paint a beautiful picture for you.

Baby’s social development this month

Your child becomes more and more independent, and the word “no” is coming into his or her vocabulary. To the question “Let’s go home?” or “Will you help your mummy to take away your things?”, or even “Do you want ice-cream?” he or she can give one and the same question. The closer the moment of the so-called “awful second birthday”, the more often you may hear “no” from