19th month

Your 19-month-old's development

A more adult view of the world

At around 19 months, your toddler will begin to understand when things don't conform to grown-up ideas. She'll laugh at something that's obviously wrong -- like calling a giraffe a zebra or calling a brother a sister. She'll also recognise when something isn't how it should be, like a stuffed bear with an eye missing or a new stain on the carpet. 

Growing vocabulary

Although you're probably still understanding less than half of what your toddler says, she's beginning to understand most of the words you use around her. She's also having a vocabulary spurt and putting together pairs of words, like "Me go" or "You put." 

Bossiness and negotiation

To reduce power struggles as your toddler strives for independence, make sure you treat her the way you'd like to be treated. Try compromise instead of commands. Instead of "you can't go outside now," you might say, "we can read a book now and go outside later." Instead of "you must pick up the blocks before dinner," you could make it into a game: "I'll pick up the puzzle pieces while you pick up the blocks." 

Socialising

Your toddler will get all the stimulation she needs from unstructured play, so you can steer clear of formal lessons until she's at least three or older. Mother and toddler groups, and playing in friends' houses give her a chance to play near other children, but don't expect children to play with each other at this age.