https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 19:37:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976139 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 20:25:07 +0000 NurseDMB 1976139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anandam: Thanks for sharing! Very interesting.</p> <p>And thanks everyone for your responses. I do not plan on putting him in daycare, I love being home with him and love being able to stay at my job part time. I do plan on putting him in preschool when he turns 3 for a couple days a week, but for now I will continue to go to playgroups and find other ways for us to socialize with other toddlers his age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976132 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 20:20:55 +0000 Raindrop 1976132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anandam: Interesting! Thank you for the articles. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976049 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 18:37:51 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1976049@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally think that social outings are more for the parents at this age than for the children, before age 2/3 anyway. Before that, children are often unaware of other kids and don't really play together anyway. Fighting for attention in group settings doesn't teach them to share as babies/young toddlers any earlier than they would learn being at home...it just frustrates them. They are not developmentally ready to do those things until they are older, and putting them in situations where it is expected of them can be pretty difficult. Not to say that kids in daycare don't adapt to that environment...most absolutely do (with the help of competent caregivers who understand their development and make a strong effort to match expectations with development) and they can thrive. But i believe they thrive in spite of the environment, not because of it. I do take lo to the gym nursery, but that is mostly for me and for a short time. I do like that through that experience he has to learn that he has to listen to other adults, that mommy always comes back when she leaves, and that he gets to play with toys we don't have at home....but i dont believe he needs the nursery to socialize. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976043 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 18:32:11 +0000 Greentea 1976043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anandam: thank you for the article. My city starts kindergarten at age 4. Something for me to think about... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976014 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 18:08:04 +0000 Orchid 1976014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anandam: the first article is very interesting. I SAH with my 9 month old so this issue isn't on my radar quite yet. I've also been reading a lot lately about the benefits of delaying formal instruction and have bookmarked the first link to share with my husband. Thank you for posting it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1976005 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 17:51:00 +0000 anandam 1976005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is only 6mo so I have no experience yet but I.just recently saw a couple things on this topic that challenged my assumptions...one from a professional and one from a parent... hope you don't mind my sharing!</p> <p><a href="http://www.imfcanada.org/issues/nurturing-children-why-early-learning-does-not-help" rel="nofollow">http://www.imfcanada.org/issues/nurturing-children-why-early-learning-does-not-help</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/the-preschool-socialization-myth/" rel="nofollow">http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/the-preschool-socialization-myth/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975891 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:26:13 +0000 Bubbles 1975891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I SAH with DS, and I try to make sure he gets in as much socialising as possible. I take him to a class or a playgroup most days, or we have a soft play centre nearby which he loves. He's almost one so he doesn't really play with other kids yet, but I just feel that he needs to see other faces, hear other voices, accents etc. I don't want to be the only example of a person that he has (not that I think I'm a bad example - just that he should see variety). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975622 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:32:51 +0000 Kemma 1975622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I think 2-3 kid-focussed activites (play dates, music etc) is a good number plus other family stuff. My LO is two and we go to Playgroup on Monday and Wednesday mornings and a music class on Fridays and it suits us well :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975610 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:29:05 +0000 Lindsay05 1975610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I stayed at home most of the time for as long as my 2.5 year old has been around. She just started going to daycare 1 day/wk in the summer. We did playgroups one or two days a week before then. I noticed a huge change in her social skills since going to daycare. Good and bad! It could be just where she is at with her development too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975601 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:24:33 +0000 looch 1975601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha, @lamariniere: you beat me to it. Exact same experience, with the exception that our transition to daycare was much, much longer, like months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975593 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:21:38 +0000 lamariniere 1975593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it is really important. I WAH and my son was home with me until he was 2. While we did have playdates, he was VERY mommy mommy mommy all of the time. The transition to daycare was rough, it took about 3 weeks before we could go without him crying, but after that, he really blossomed. Also, I feel that as they get older, they can benefit so much more from a trained caregiver and learn to listen to and trust other adults, not to mention learn from their peers, which is something I just can't offer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975582 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:17:06 +0000 Raindrop 1975582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think that's enough... but I asked his pedi about it... he said that kids are usually okay by 3ish being alone and not interacting as much because they just not interested in other kids till about then. That being said... I have gone to gymobree since he was 6 months old and still goes at 2.5 years old... I always try to gauge if he is interacting with the kids but not really.</p> <p>But we do have play dates and he seems to interact really well with some of our friend's kids and ignores some other kids... it's really kind of a shot in the dark. He almost always get along well with one of our friend's kids that is very extrovert and so we think it's just personalities. </p> <p>You are a good mom to worry about this... I'm sure whatever you do will be the best for your LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/important-for-toddlers-to-socialize#post-1975541 Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:06:45 +0000 NurseDMB 1975541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work part time night shift as a nurse, but I'm basically a SAHM to my 16 month old son as he isn't in daycare (there's maybe 1 or 2 days where I sleep during the morning when I come home, but my husband stays home with him because he has a weird work schedule a couple days a week).</p> <p>How important is it for a toddler to get outside socialization with other kids? And how do those of you who are SAHM socialize your toddler? (If they aren't in pre-K or grade a school yet)</p> <p>Right now we have a play date every Monday for a couple hours with a coworker who has a 2 year old daughter, and every Wednesday he has a gym class with other toddlers about an hour long. But I'm wondering if that's enough.. I'm thinking of going back to the gym a couple days a week and having him go to the gym daycare for an hour at a time. </p>