How much socialization for a toddler?
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Forum Name: Toddler Times
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Topic: How much socialization for a toddler?
Posted By: sarasal
Subject: How much socialization for a toddler?
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 11:36am
| I was just wondering how much time your toddlers get to spend with other children and how they cope with it? My son is 2.5, an only child so far, and he doesn't go to any daycare or preschool. We don't really have any friends with kids the same age who live close enough to visit regularly so my son doesn't have any child friends yet. I take him out to activities most days, like swimming, story time at the library, a few mothers' groups/playgroups but it's not the same as making friends because there are always different people there. I don't really like going to playgroups every morning because then I get nothing done at home - but I feel a bit guilty that he mainly just gets to hang out with grown ups. What do you think - how much socialization does a toddler need? |
Replies:
Posted By: _SMS_
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 12:00pm
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I do think a toddler needs socialization. Especially getting to that age, i think its good for them to interact with other children. Not necessarily making close friends however.
I take my DD to playcentre twice a week, its a few hours each morning. I go on the same days each week so she knows all the kids. We havent yet done one on one play dates. We ahve stopped going to library time, swimming etc and just stick to playcentre. That way i have all my other days free to do what i need to. Things like swimming we now do in weekends with DP and i might take DD once every few weeks during the week. Library i visit with her but we dont attend the story time. We just have stories at home -------------  
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 12:40pm
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i dont think you can force a child to be social or make friends and at that age they dont really play together, more alongside each other. going to things that you mentioned are good. it doesnt sound to me like you are disadvantaging him at all. none of my kids went to daycare. we attended a playgroup once a week and sometimes the library or mainly music. Most of those things are more for the parents to socialise anyway. When my kids were 2 i enrolled them at kindy and they all attended that from about 3 - my youngest has just started - but to me that is more about readying them for school and being away from me than making friends. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: gooseychew
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 6:22pm
I sometimes feel the same way, especially now that #2 is on the way and i've stopped playcentre as it was just wearing me out. I think about when my brother and i were little though and we didn't do any of the activities or coffee groups that are the norm nowdays? We are both well socialised and normal adults. DD1 loves socialising and getting out of the house and i definitely feel guilty but until the baby is born she will just have to make do with the odd coffee group, swimming lesson catch up and an occasional play in the McDonald's playground whilst Gran and i have our coffee.  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: sarasal
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 7:09pm
| Gooseychew, that's a really good point. I don't think my brother and I did any of that stuff either. It's just confusing for me at the moment because my toddler has suddenly started acting really different, like developing anxieties and freaking out all the time. It's hard to tell if he's bored or overstimulated, or if he's just being a normal 2 year old! |
Posted By: millymollymandy
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 10:13pm
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I totally think it depends on the kid. My DD goes thru phases of needing more socialisation sometimes than others. Playcentre's had the holidays and is currently been closed due to renovations and she asking about it a lot, so I guess she likes it.
Personally getting stuff done round the house is not a huge priority, and I generally manage to get dishes and clothes washed, beds made before playcentre and dinner cooked doing DD's nap. However, I'm lucky enough to afford a cleaner who does bathrooms, floors and dusting one morning a week and a small house to deal with it. DD gets a bit bored with the same old toys at home and I'd go spare if I had to spend every morning at home. But I'm a very social person. But honestly I think every family's different. We lived in the country and had limited opportunties to do stuff like this and I'm pretty well socialised (not sure about others in the family though lol). |