DO IT BEFORE 3

A friend taught me a Chinese saying: A child will learn all he needs to learn before 3.

This means that after he is 3 it will be hard to teach him to act otherwise.

This also means that it would be best to have the child weaned, toilet trained, well-mannered, helpful and independent before they are 3.

"Zat iz imposi-bleh, madame! I vil not doo it!", says wet blanket Schmitz.

For those who are not parents yet, 3-year-old toddlers can manage sentences, take solid foods and even fast food (if you let them), control their bladder (except at night), and recognize people and places.

For those who are parents to children below 3 years of age, you still have time. For those with children older than 3 years, you can still try, it will just be a bit harder.

On a side note, a child has the fastest brain and skills development before the age of 10. After that, the learning rate slowly diminishes (and stops completely in some adults) towards adulthood.

So what can you teach your baby by the time they are 3?
1 Tell you when they need to use the toilet.
2 Say their full name, your full name and your partner’s full name.
3 Tell you they are hungry or that they have a tummy ache.
4 Stop wearing diapers
5 Have proper manners at the table like no more drumming with chopsticks and dropping utensils all over the floor.
6 To stop screaming when told. Tantrums do not count.
7 To have proper sleep time. As opposed to waking up and asking to read in the middle of the night.
8 Climb stairs on their own.
9 To not fear water when they bathe.
10 Know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Teaching them to always wash their hands after using the toilet and to brush their teeth before sleeping is possible at this time.

Every child is different and so you need not rush and ‘fix’ your child if he hasn’t been able to do all the things listed above. However, the list will be able to give you an idea or gauge how far your child has gone and can go in embracing toddlerhood.

Note: This list is compiled from what can be observed by those, with children below the age of 3, around me. Bear in mind, the mothers who can make their kids do all this are very patient. They also started early on in their children’s life and they do not believe that “it is too early to teach them this or that” or “she’s too young, wait till she’s older.”

Start it before the child reaches the age or time when they start to notice and it will come naturally to them.

It also helps that you act it out for them to see.

Now, excuse me while I have a little talk with wet blanket Schmitz.