"A toddler will naturally pick up something correctly." After I heard this statement, I sat back and watched the toddlers in my daycare. They have more than heavy lifting figured out right.
I take care of a one and a half year old who is the definition of perpetual motion. She sits still for no more than one second at a time.
She has learned to climb onto the couch. The couch is half of her height. She has to lift her leg up to the height of her belly button, hoist her leg onto the couch, then pull herself up with her arms and upper body muscles. She will climb up onto the couch. Sit for one second. Then crawl across the couch. Then sit another millisecond. Then she will get off the couch. There is no limit to the amount of times she will do this throughout the day.
If I had to work that hard to sit on the couch, I would undoubtedly take a well-deserved rest after I achieved my goal. That is, if I didn't decide it was easier just to sit on the floor. If I moved one-eighth as much as this little dynamo moves in a day, I would be more physically fit than I have been most of my life.
If she is full, she simply stops eating. That's it. The end. If you give her more food she smushes it, ignores it or it ends up on the floor. Full is full. It looks so simple when she does it. Why do we grow up to feel we must eat that which is set before us or if we really like something, we eat too much?
She makes her own fun and is a trail blazer. In the winter time, she used her snow pants to help her slide down the snow hills. She landed flat on her back and to get up, she had to roll over on her side, brace her hands and feet and she walked her hands back to her feet. It was a full body workout. When she got tired, she just laid there. And waited. She didn't cry. She didn't complain. She knew she would be rescued. She has complete and utter faith in the world and those who care for her.
She has learned how wonderful it feels to be hugged. When the mood strikes her, she will just turn to the person she would like to hug her, and asks for a hug. She leans in and savours the hug. She doesn't necessarily hug back, but you don't realize it. You feel loved because she asks for your affection.
She is excited to arrive in the mornings and can't wait to get her shoes off so she can get the day started. She cheerfully says goodbye to her parents. When they arrive at the end of the day, she is just as happy to leave us and greets her parents with loving enthusiasm.
She uses every moment of her day. If she needs or wants something, she lets you know what you could do to make her happier. I have told her often, “Just relax! You have your entire life ahead of you. Just relax and enjoy the moment,” because sometimes it is as if she just wants to have it all and she has no idea where to begin.
She doesn't waste a moment of her waking hours.
If you want to do something right, watch what a toddler does. They have the right idea.
