Toddler challenges

My girl is no longer a baby...but a toddler.

Lately, her temperament hasn't been the easiest to handle. It doesn't help that I am not feeling fantastic physically as well. God's really stretching my patience and teaching me to rely on Him a lot more.

We are wondering whether it could be because she is teething, or it's just because she's growing up. Actually, I am thinking... maybe it's because she's growing to realise her independence as a person.

She wants to feed herself, drink from her cup/bottle by herself, sometimes she wants to sit on our chairs instead of her own highchair, she expresses more displeasure when we insist on keeping her routine, she also reacts a lot more to our "Nos" nowadays, sometimes she reacts by letting out a scream of frustration or she just throws the object in her hands. She's also gotten more picky when it comes to food. Yet, there are times when she is a lot more clingy and expresses greater dependency.. especially towards me. Maybe she herself is going through a confusing phase (that's what I read from a website). The confusion between her need to be independent and at the same time dependent.

Because she is now learning to assert herself more, I feel challenged to learn how to handle the balance between discipline, obedience and autonomy. It's not easy. For example, when she chooses to be picky with her food, how do I on the one hand respect her autonomy and at the same time ensure she's getting sufficient nutrition? When she's testing her limits when it comes to her routine, how do I on the one hand understand her need to be guided to choose correctly as an individual and at the same time, teach her the need to adhere to boundaries set for her.

It's really not easy.. I am thankful a sister, in her SMS to me reminded me not to be discouraged because she's just going through a new phase in growth. That set me thinking whether I am handling the situation well or making things worse as a result of my own frustrations and expectations.

I hope to find out more about how to handle toddlers in this phase well... parenting is definitely not an easy task. We can of course choose an easier way out which is to just give in to her all the time and avoid tantrums, but that's probably not a wise thing to do because we, as parents still have the responsibility to guide, instruct and train.

"O Lord, please grant me the wisdom to know how to parent her as she grows through this phase and above all, fill me with love, patience and kindness no matter how difficult the situation may be, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen~!"