Wonder Week 64

Signs your child is approaching the 9th development leap:

• Increase in crankiness: Check


• Increase in crying: Check


• Increase in clinginess: Check


• Tantrum, or more of them: Check


• Happy and laughing one minute, crying the next: Check


• Wants to be held closer and tighter: Check


• Unusually sweet: Check


• Loss of appetite: Check


• Poor or broken sleep: Check

Here’s your sign.

As of this week, Kathleen’s mood has deteriorated. I initially thought it was due to another oncoming cold. Now I’m pretty certain it’s the 9th developmental leap which hits about the 64th week post due date (which is December 26th for us). The fussy period for that leap begins around the 59th or 60th week post due date. You’ll never guess where we are. Week 60 began on Monday.

Here’s an excerpt from The Wonder Weeks website summarizing what we can expect this next leap:

From Theatricism to Temper Tantrums

For the first time, your child is now able to change programs he’s learned so
far. And he loves playing with this. You can see how he varies the programs
endlessly and studies all consequences of this. You can see how he does all
kinds of “physical antics,” gets acquainted with the outdoors, starts to be more
skillful with things and language, imitates others, role-plays daily life,
practices emotions, starts to think ahead, starts nagging to get his way, starts
to put on drama-play, starts to “demand” a vote, starts to be “aggressive,” can
distinguish between mine and yours, starts being nice and placating to get on
mom’s good side, starts to make jokes to get around the rules, starts
negotiating and bargaining, starts experimenting with “yes” and “no,” starts to
know how to get someone to do something for him, learns to do something
together, wants to help in the household, and experiments with “thoughtless” vs.
“careful.”

Tries to Get His Way

Adults have years of experience with “principles.” With trial and error,
we’ve mastered the skills belonging to principles. We know what justice,
friendliness, humanity, helpfulness, and cooperation mean. We also know how we
can get another person to do something by altering our own behavior. These are
things learned over time.

Your toddler, on the other hand, still has to learn all these things. Like
you in the past, he does so by trying and experimentation. Eventually, he will
learn that with nice behavior, he can achieve a great deal. In the meantime, by
making the most of his big eyes and a very sweet voice, he plays you to get his
way. If you think about it, it’s very smart!

The examples of principles given above are mainly moral principles, which
deal with norms and values. They are all about things that you either do or
don’t do. Things that are good or bad. But there are other types of principles
that concern the way we do things. For example, while making a puzzle, a
principle can be to construct the borders first. Another principle under this
banner can be to eat the things you like least first and save the best things –
like dessert! – for last.

But, be aware: scientific laws also belong to the non-moral principles and
your toddler now starts to discover them! He learns that to build a tower of
bricks, the biggest brick has to be on the bottom and that all blocks should be
aligned properly in order for them not to fall. If he doesn’t construct his
tower in this way, the tower will collapse and he will get frustrated. All very
logical. And some toddlers spend all day playing with toy cars, watching them
descend an incline.

- The Wonder Weeks, http://www.thewonderweeks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:mental-leap-9&catid=36&Itemid=161

All very interesting, no?

Do you know what this means? This next step is the one when they truly leave the baby stage and become a toddler. It's going to a fun ride. It's a huge jump when you think about it. No wonder they become fussier, clingier, and more prone to moods swings. Who wouldn't when the perception of their whole world is changing? I may joke about it, but it really is tough being a baby.