Ode to the wild child: why we love our ‘untamed’ toddlers

When you see a toddler reading a little book somewhere, you feel a twinge of jealousy: why can yours never play so relaxed? Why is your toddler always accompanied by noise, chaos and scratches?

Wild child

There is a good chance that you have brought a wild child into the world. A child with its own will, its own path and little message of authority. You pick them out immediately, this mother describes aptly. Why? Well, here’s why:

• They’re in a corner shoving play-doh clay into racing cars;
• They climb on the kitchen counter to find the chocolate they saw you eat last;
• They always find your most expensive lipstick to draw ‘art’ on the wall;
• They squeeze a new bottle of shampoo into the bath to ‘clean’ the bath for you;
• They swing across the room like monkeys from the curtains;
• They tattoo themselves every now and then with a fineliner;
• They take off their nappies in the middle of the night because they don’t feel like it anymore (and blame you for a wet bed);
• They always seek the highest surface to jump from and the deepest pool to stomp into;
• They know where the whipped cream can is in the fridge;
• They try to swim laps in bed to turn the whole house into a pool;
• They hide the remote control in places where you will never find it;
• They sprinkle a bowl of soap with the whole jar of cinnamon, garlic powder, and turmeric for “dinner”;
• They take off their boots in the snow because their feet are sweating;
• They take their clothes off at any time;
• They sing loudly and always want the music to be louder;
• They mutter swear words when you correct them;
• They pretend they don’t need you, but they always know where to find you at night;
• They march off if they want to do it their own way, but look at you as soon as their courage falls a bit;
• They hug you flat as soon as they get the chance and give the best wet kisses.

Also read:
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Toddlers are full of life. Nine times out of ten, they are coated in peanut butter or chocolate spread and will happily command you around while nibbling on a pacifier. Their rough hugs sometimes make you not sure if this is an attempt at choking or an expression of love. These toddlers know no brakes and go fast in every way.

The CEOs of later

These are the children who later become CEOs, creative artists and dynamic artists. They become the solution-oriented entrepreneurs and the innovative Willie Wortels. They claim their own place in the world. They follow their own pace and have a light in them that shines brighter than the North Star. Being a mother of such an ‘untamed’ toddler is really not always fun, but it is certainly never boring. So strap on: it will be a bumpy, but adventurous ride.

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