Dealing with an advanced toddler

Kaitlyn

Okay, I’ve seen posts about parents worried about their kids being behind. But what about parents of those with developmentally advanced kiddos? Looking for guidance and suggestions on how to <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glow.android.nurture">nurture</a> my daughters natural curiosity and independence.

Eloise is 16 months old. She started crawling the traditional, up on all fours, way at 4.5 months. Within the week she could get from crawling to sitting and back to crawling herself. She also crawled over to the stairs and started crawling right up them.

She started walking at 10 months and has never looked back. She run, spins, climbs all the furniture and can jump with both feet coming off the ground. She has always been graceful and rarely falls down.

She started saying mama and dada intentionally around 9 months and her language just continues to explode. By one year she was consistently saying 20-30 words and signing a handful of them as well.

Now she says everything and is starting to string words together. Sorry for the running list of what she can say- I’m trying to have an general idea of how many words she says before her 18 month appointment.

She says- mom/ mommy (I miss being mama lol). Dad/ daddy. About 20-25 family and daycare friends names. Baby/ baby Daxton (her new cousin). Every animal and their sound from her toys and books (probably 40 or so words between the animal names and sounds). Up, down, on, off, help, please, more, yes, no, color, paint, I paint. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, belly button, hand, toes, hair, butt, vagina, penis. Milk, juice, water, boobie, pop (that pop? she asks as a drink my Mello Yello). Owie. Stroller. Blanket. Kiss, hug. Spin, jump, run, I running. Ready, go. One, two. Plane, airplane. Car. Train, Choo choo. Shark doo doo. Spider. Uh oh. Oopsie. Potty, pee, poop. Fast, slow. Brrr cold. Ball. Happy birthday to you. Slide. Love you. Where you? Where they/ she/ he/ go? Peek a boo. Diaper. Pants, shirt, socks, shoes, hat. Santa- ho ho ho. My turn. Your turn. Book. She’s also obsessed with the song let it go from frozen and she sings let it go and says Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. Target. Spoon, fork. Snack. Cracker, cookie. I pee. Toot.

I feel like I’m missing quite a few. But she has retained these words/ phrases and more and says them unprompted. She also said the F word once after I did... luckily she hasn’t repeated that though.

She hates a wet/ dirty diaper and will ask to be changed right away. She’ll also say “potty” and run to the bathroom and go pee on the big potty, then wipe and pull up her pants. She’s pooped on the potty once. I’m not pushing it but let her do it when she wants to.

She can put on pants, socks, and hats by herself as well as take clothes off. She’s either naked or wearing three pairs of pants at once lol.

I guess I just want tips on how to help her keep developing, without pushing her too much. I talk to her CONSTANTLY about everything we do/ everything around us. She stays home with me, and I do home daycare so she’s around other kids a lot. We read, and sing songs, and are repetitive.

Are their any programs that would be a good fit for her? Preferably that involve parents being hands on- and in the evenings or on weekends?

She’s been in gymnastics since June- and loved it. But I missed registration this time so we are taking a break for a session.

I’m in Fargo, ND if anyone knows anything specific geared towards her.

If your baby/ toddler was advanced- did they stay ahead of their peers throughout school?

Thanks for any insight (and I’m aware kids develop differently- just looking for others’ first hand experiences.