Carrying the growing baby becomes difficult.
Here are tips for handling babies who cry to be held and toddlers
who want to be carried.
Carrying the Growing Baby
It's a big problem for parents if their toddler, who
has learnt to walk, insists for being held and carried by them. It is
more irritating to see that the child refuses to walk with a moving
adult, yet runs happily around a seated person. Though such behavior may
give the impression of laziness or defiance, it's rarely anything of the
kind. Early walking in toddlers isn't about reaching from point A to
point B, but usually a pattern of going and coming to an adult base. If
the base moves, the pattern is disturbed and the child may plop himself
down on the ground and growl. If you're moving slowly, the baby won't
follow as he can't. In case you go back and hold his hand, the baby
might walk a few steps, but couldn't maintain that pace of walking
beside you. Parents must understand that there could be some reasons as
why toddlers want to be carried by parents.
Why Toddlers Want To Be Carried
- One of the main reasons is that, children like the view they get
when their heads are at the same height at ours. During toddler
hood, kids are very small and they seem to miss most of the things
that happen or exist above their level of sight.
- For sure, all children feel comforted when being held. They feel
soothed when they are held close to the heart.
- Kids tend to be more alert or afraid of new places or strangers.
They feel safer and more secure in your arms. You are the world to
them and they feel that no harm can come to them as long as you are
with them.
- Babies demand to be carried because, until they're around 3 years
old, that's the only way they can stay with you.
- Children feel that no attention is paid to them. When they're at
your level and close to your ears, they can easily talk to you and
you will easily listen to whatever they say.
Handling The Babies Who Want To Be Held
It may not be easy to convince a child for walking on his own. But you
may relieve yourself of the load of carrying a child constantly by:
- Offering to hold the hand of the child.
- Setting limits, like you'll carry the child for five minutes, but
then he will walk for ten minutes on his own, or you will carry the
child to the store but the child will have to walk inside it.
- If you're at home and the child just wants to be held to see what
you're doing, you may make him sit on a high chair while you cook,
so that he can watch you while he can be busy trying to pull the lid
of a container, or doing something else to keep his hands busy.
- While walking, if the child feels that he's not able to see what
you're seeing and thus, wants to be carried, you may try showing him
interesting things at his level, such as flowers, dogs and other
children.
