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Five Ways Your Toddler Thinks Differently To You

March 8, 2015 by heatherss 65 Comments

your-toddler-thinks-differentlyIt shouldn’t come as a surprise that a toddler thinks very differently to an adult. They do have a very young brain, after all. I’ve collected a series of how my little boy has a very different approach to life than me. Sometimes I have to say that his way is probably the more creative and fun perspective.

1. WATER

Adult: This water is for drinking. Here’s a cup of water. Now drink it.

Toddler: Oooo. Water. This is fun for pouring. Let’s pour it all over my table and make a big mess.

2. PLAY DOUGH

Adult: This playdough is going to keep you busy while I get the food done.

Toddler: I am going to need help with my playdough every 10 seconds or so. I am going to grunt that I can’t roll it. My cookie cutter dropped on the floor and I need help finding it. I want to balance my cars on it and this car fell off and please help me put it back in this awkward position. Then when it falls again please help me get it back.

3. PACKING AWAY

Adult: Please pack the toys away that are lying on the floor.

Toddler: I think it would be much more fun to put the toys all over the couch, on chairs everywhere and in the bath. I think they make nice decorations.

4. BATH TIME

Adult: Bath time is to get clean.

Toddler: Bath time is to throw water. Drink water. Throw toys. Does it still count as bath time if I’ve spent most of the time out of the bath throwing my bath toys in, then going in and throwing them out again?

5. MEAL TIME

Adult: Food time is to eat food.

Toddler: Food is optional. I’ll eat when I’m hungry and most of the time that is not going to be at meal times. I way prefer cookies to food. Don’t worry mom, my food won’t go to waste. The dogs will get nice and fat.

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Filed Under: humour, toddler

Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    March 8, 2015 at 8:52 pm

    all so true and what iam dealing with daily 😉

    Reply
  2. Momma Jo says

    March 9, 2015 at 6:17 am

    Oh this made me giggle. Who said parenting was easy? 🙂

    Reply
  3. Melanie says

    March 9, 2015 at 10:54 am

    “Forget about making food, Mom. I’ll just eat the playdough.”

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 10, 2015 at 8:15 pm

      bwahaha you’re good

      Reply
  4. cat@jugglingact says

    March 9, 2015 at 1:14 pm

    Such a cute post

    Reply
  5. Rebekah @ Surviving Toddlerhood says

    March 9, 2015 at 9:24 pm

    Haha!! Number 5 is probably the one that we struggle the most with. Or when they get down and decide 30 minutes later that they are really super hungry…..we are attempting to have strict meal and snack times to help with this, but sometimes it is a struggle.

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 10, 2015 at 8:14 pm

      yes I think at this age you can’t be too rigid. Nicky often likes to go off and come back to his food.. not ideal but it works for us…

      Reply
  6. Whitney Anderson says

    March 10, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    We’re only just entering toddler-hood, but yes!! Especially the bath and food part. I can only imagine how it goes downhill from here. haha!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 10, 2015 at 8:13 pm

      glad I’m not the only one!

      Reply
  7. Tat says

    March 11, 2015 at 2:11 am

    And then there’s sleep time – who said night time is for rest? I’d better make sure that mum keeps me entertained every single moment or I’ll scream and wake up the neighbours 🙂

    Reply
  8. Kim F. Hoyer says

    March 11, 2015 at 4:38 am

    You nailed it! Very funny…thanks for the insight. We have 4 so I can relate all too well.
    -Kim

    Reply
  9. Sula says

    March 11, 2015 at 5:28 am

    🙂 Thanks for starting my day with a smile. Spot on

    Reply
  10. Alli says

    March 11, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Mine also thought that everything on the floor belonged in their mouth. Running around after toddlers is great exercise. 🙂

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 13, 2015 at 5:55 pm

      I think so too!

      Reply
  11. Bethan says

    March 11, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    Lovely! And nice to hear it from the toddler’s perspective for once! 🙂

    Reply
  12. Jay of Relaxed Thairapy says

    March 12, 2015 at 12:30 am

    So true from my observation of the kiddos around me.

    Reply
  13. Kimberly says

    March 12, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    I laughed at loud when I read about the playdough! That is so true. Here we think we are going to get a few minutes to get things done by giving out playdough to keep THEM busy, but all it does is frustrate us because they need our help so much. Totally what happens here with my 3 year old!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 13, 2015 at 5:54 pm

      good to know I’m not the only one…

      Reply
  14. Amanda Hopkins says

    March 13, 2015 at 1:13 am

    How true!! I can agree and laugh with each one of these. They don’t change when they get older…they keep thinking the same way through the teenage years!! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Sarah says

    March 13, 2015 at 1:54 am

    My mother used to write down the things I said as a toddler–and I wish I’d done the same with my kids. I think I was too busy trying to keep up with them. Their brains and experience of the world are marvelous when they are not exhausting! Fun post.

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 13, 2015 at 5:53 pm

      my mom did too and blogging is my way of doing this…

      Reply
  16. Meghan says

    March 13, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    Yep! Took my dog to the vet a few weeks ago and he’s gained 2 pounds (a lot for him) since my baby became a toddler.

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 13, 2015 at 5:53 pm

      haha they are the clean up crew…

      Reply
  17. Kara says

    March 13, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    Great description of toddler philosophy. Toddlers are great, but sometimes you just have to hang on to your seat with both hands and go along for the ride!

    Reply
  18. Shannon says

    March 13, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    So true!! My three year old twins are like this so much of the time and so is my five year old! It sure makes life adventurous doesn’t it?

    Reply
  19. Renee says

    March 14, 2015 at 12:12 am

    Yes, my toddler would certainly agree with yours…especially at bath time, when he takes a bath the whole bathroom is soaked including whoever gives him a bath…usually his daddy, I know better!

    Reply
  20. Karren Haller says

    March 14, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    I am laughing out load!!! That is so cute!!

    Reply
  21. Charlie says

    March 15, 2015 at 1:19 am

    Ha! Ha! That was great! Yes, I see my grandson (3yo) in a lot of those toddler responses. It tickles me when I see him do something and then try to think of what his perspective about the situation is. When I was a mother of young children, I think I may have been a little more frustrated when they did some of the things they did. Now, as a grandmother, I try to think about things from the child’s point-of-view. It’s so entertaining!

    Reply
  22. Jill says

    March 15, 2015 at 2:09 am

    So funny! Could totally relate. I especially loved the part about needing help with the play dough every 10 seconds. So true and priceless!

    Reply
  23. cheryl polican says

    March 15, 2015 at 3:01 am

    Hahahaha! I love it! It’s exactly what I’m going through right now with my tots! 🙂

    Reply
  24. Karen says

    March 15, 2015 at 3:23 am

    That’s so funny and so true! At my house, play dough is for eating too. That’s why we need to make edible play dough and they are full by the time dinner is ready. Life with a toddler! 🙂

    Reply
  25. Ginger P. Arboleda says

    March 15, 2015 at 4:02 am

    haha! Hilarious! i was laughing while reading this because I can so so so relate! 🙂

    Reply
  26. Ashley Krout - i Find Hope says

    March 15, 2015 at 6:03 am

    Hah! Thanks for the laugh, this is my life right now and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

    Reply
  27. Nickida says

    March 15, 2015 at 4:41 pm

    This list is so true. I was laughing the whole time reading it. Especially the post about water and food. Bath time is always messy in our house.

    Reply
  28. Mary says

    March 15, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    Ha- so true 🙂 But seriously, it is hard to remember sometimes that their brains are not yet wired like ours, and that in some ways they are like visitors from a different planet learning the ways of ours :).

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 15, 2015 at 7:51 pm

      That’s exactly it! They are wired differently.

      Reply
  29. Troy S. says

    March 15, 2015 at 7:52 pm

    Right. Kids sure do have a mind of their own and a way of seeing things. But so much fun to watch them learn and grow and discover isn’t it?

    Reply
  30. Dash Kitten says

    March 15, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    I am not a mom, kids are not my thing but your post made me laugh – that is exactly how little ones think isn’t it? You can imagine the child thinking exactly those things – their outlook on life is so much more creative and positive that ours. who needs to tidy? Who needs water IN the bowl 🙂

    Although its a challenge, I know that Mum’s must smile and love their kids even though it makes each day just that little bit tougher.

    Reply
  31. Nicole R (@AlwaysReiding) says

    March 15, 2015 at 11:57 pm

    These are totally adorable, thank you for sharing this!
    And, spot on, great job!

    Reply
  32. Kimberly Gauthier says

    March 16, 2015 at 12:27 am

    I don’t have kids, but I can imagine what it must be like. I have 4 dogs instead and the communication break down is with “let’s go potty.”

    To me, it means I’ll open the door and they’ll go outside and do their business; to them, they’ll go outside, then come right back in, then return to the door to be let outside, only to come right back in again. Repeat for as long as I’ll tolerate it.

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 16, 2015 at 11:03 am

      That’s hilarious. We have some fun times getting our dogs to pee as well. It’s a bit of a ritual with Nicky going out with them as well and sometimes they don’t want to pee…

      Reply
  33. Kristina says

    March 16, 2015 at 2:33 am

    This cracked me up! Yep, I have a toddler. Just today my daughter was filling her teapot with water from the refrigerator and carrying it to her kitchen. Pouring it into each and every open container. It was hilarious to watch.

    Reply
  34. Tamara says

    March 16, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    I needed that chuckle! All too familiar, since we have 3 children. Although, mine are past the toddler stage.

    Reply
  35. DIStherapy says

    March 16, 2015 at 4:57 pm

    With each passing year, I try to recapture the wonder that a preschooler experiences every day. Not only is it much more fun, it forces me to stop and appreciate the small things that we take for granted with age; becoming child-like is no longer an insult!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 16, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      Thanks for your thoughtful comment!

      Reply
  36. Amy Groves says

    March 16, 2015 at 11:52 pm

    Kids are so funny. I love their perspective on life. This is such a cute post thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  37. Tiffany says

    March 17, 2015 at 2:56 am

    This post has strangely made me look forward to motherhood (whenever it happens)! Though it’s definitely very challenging, I can’t wait to have one of my own to observe and compare his/her outlook and attitude toward life to mine. But first I think I should work on my own preference for cookies over real food, haha!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 17, 2015 at 5:50 pm

      Glad I’m not the only one with a biscuit addiction!

      Reply
  38. Ruthie Lopez says

    March 17, 2015 at 5:05 am

    I have enjoyed reading your post!! and I can relate 100% I have a 2 year old daughter lol

    Reply
  39. Maureen says

    March 17, 2015 at 10:24 am

    Oh, to be a toddler again! Reading this made me smile because you really hit the nail on the head!

    Reply
  40. Chai Galapon says

    March 17, 2015 at 10:26 am

    Kids nowadays are so bright and out-of-the-box thinkers, which makes us all Moms smile even if their version is always to be messy everywhere.

    Reply
  41. Renee S says

    March 17, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    LOL, this really reminded me of my granddaughter when I was reading it. She fits many of these things.

    Reply
  42. Michelle@OvercomingAuto says

    March 17, 2015 at 8:45 pm

    As a mom to a three year old, I can relate to all of these! Kids are so in touch with their creative side and knowing what they truly want! Us adults could learn something from them! 🙂

    Reply
  43. Donna says

    March 17, 2015 at 10:43 pm

    This really made me laugh. So true – and I have to say the thinking hasn’t changed much now my youngest is 6

    Reply
  44. Nathana says

    March 17, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    You captured it perfectly! So funny and yet so frustrating all at the same time! 🙂

    Reply
  45. Brandy Roberts says

    March 17, 2015 at 10:57 pm

    I can so relate to all of these….sigh. My kids are constantly calling me in the bathroom at bath time, because one of them looked at the other, took their rag, etc. Lol.

    Reply
  46. Jen says

    March 17, 2015 at 11:50 pm

    Oh my! One day, this is what I get to look forward to! LOL!

    Reply
  47. Becky says

    March 18, 2015 at 4:20 am

    hahahah.. Totally agree. I have twins age 3.

    Reply
  48. Faith Still says

    March 18, 2015 at 2:54 pm

    So true and it’s always better when we can laugh in these situations. Kids have their own way of doing things and thinking.

    Reply
  49. Rachel @ Third Stop on the Right says

    March 18, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    Here is one that I would like to add: NAPS

    Adult: Wow, I would love to just lay down and take a nap!

    Toddler: Nap time is a time for singing, talking, dancing around, exploring, and doing pretty much anything else besides sleeping!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 18, 2015 at 8:49 pm

      Oh yes! How could I forget that one!

      Reply
  50. Tanya says

    March 18, 2015 at 8:55 pm

    I could not agree with you more. This post made me chuckle and brought back memories. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  51. Christine Paul says

    March 18, 2015 at 9:27 pm

    hehe… when I first saw the title, I was thinking this was some long educational piece… I just loved the little snippets of your thoughts and what your toddler is doing! Great!

    Reply
    • heatherss says

      March 19, 2015 at 10:55 am

      Glad you liked it! I can do long educational pieces as well by the way!

      Reply

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