Watching your children grow is one of the most beautiful gifts that can exist. But everyone who is a parent agrees on one thing: Caring for a young child is complicated. The first years are the most important in the development of the human being. For parents it is a stage that involves a lot of care and even learning and putting into practice new things. Probably, more than once you have turned to your parents to consult on a matter related to the care of your children, since they have already gone through this experience.

We are sure that you are doing an excellent job as parents and that is why we decided to share a series of tips that can help you understand what is happening with your young children.

Children newborn to 1 year.

• When playing with your baby or trying to wake him up, be careful not to shake him, if you need him to wake up you can caress his feet or cheeks. This is because sudden jerking can cause bleeding in the brain and even death.

• Your baby will need a diaper change approximately 10 times a day. So we recommend that regardless of whether you want to use disposable or cloth diapers, be prepared with many provisions to avoid an accident.

• Diaper rash is very common in children, it is accompanied by reddened skin, spots, pink areas and blisters. To avoid this, use the cream recommended by the pediatrician, try to change your baby’s diaper as soon as he / she needs it and above all, make sure that the baby is without a diaper for a while during the day. This will give your skin a chance to ventilate.

• At about 6 months, your baby will start to feel discomfort in his gums because his first teeth will come out soon. It is very likely that you experience a fever, that you are irritable, that you do not eat well, that you want to nibble on your surroundings, and that you produce a lot of saliva. To survive this stage, experts recommend a plastic teether, a gentle massage and cold things that do not hurt your little one’s gums.

Children from 2 years to 6 years.

When a child turns 2 years old, he begins to realize the role he has in the family, he tries to do things for himself and becomes aware that there are rules that must be respected. During this stage, your child is likely to throw tantrums over something “irrational” or easily angry. So we recommend the following:

•Be patient. Remember that this is only a stage and that the changes your little one experiences are more common than you think.

• Establish and respect routines. Faced with a world full of changes for him, continuing with his usual activities will bring him peace. However, prepare yourself with an extra dose of compression for those difficult days when there are new activities such as the first day in kindergarten or preschool, the arrival of a little brother, leaving the diaper, etc.

• Let them know the world around them. It is inevitable to protect your little one from all the dangers in the world, especially since he will love to run, jump and discover new things. Try to be prepared with a kit with the most essential to heal scrapes, bruises or any superficial wound.

• Relaxation routines. As we mentioned earlier, children are discovering that they have responsibilities in their direct environment, so they are likely to experience stress (yes, children can feel it too). Even experts mention that parental stress can permeate the children, since if they listen to your work, financial or family problems, they are likely to start to worry. That is why you should create a routine where your child can have fun, such as: painting watercolors, singing, reading, watching an animated movie, family games, etc.

There is no manual on how to be a mother or father, that is why it is important that you rely on experts if you notice any strange change in your child’s behavior or if you do not know how to act in any situation. And you, how do you learn from the little ones?

References

Hoecker, J. (2019). I have heard many things about how terrible two-year-old children are. Why are two-year-olds so difficult? Mayo Clinic. Obtained from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/terrible-twos/faq-20058314

Martínez, M. (2019). How to enjoy and survive the terrible two years. Obtained from: https://mariana-martinez.es/blog/como-disfrutar-y-sobrevivir-a-los-terribles-dos-anos/

Dowshen, S. (2015). Stress in children. KidsHealth. Obtained from: https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/stress-esp.html

Teething pain. (2018). Healthychidren.org. Obtained from: https://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-care/Paginas/Teething-Pain.aspx#:~:text=Fiebre%2C%20v%C3%B3mito% 2C% 20diarrhea, increase% 20from% 20to% 20temperature% 20body.

Author: Nerissa Álvarez

Review by: Betzabe Guido