Some days the parenting deck feels stacked against you. Just when you're ready to enter the winner's circle for getting baby to sleep through the night, the game changes. Suddenly your tiny human is walking and talking, testing the limits of childproof locks and your sanity. While toddlerhood is filled with many moments of joy and exploration, there are a few things about toddlers you may not expect. Here's the lowdown.
1. Toddlers have zero hustle. You have about fifteen minutes to drop off your toddler at daycare and sneak into work before getting fired. You've got your keys in your hand and you're out the door... until your toddler discovers a really cool stick about three feet from the car door. And a rock. And a dead bird. And, of course, he must buckle his seat belt ALL. BY. HIMSELF. Toddlers have nowhere to be... so you must not either, right?
2. Toddlers are prepared for End Times. The Tupperware cabinet. The cooler. Your suitcase. If you've got a toddler, chances are these things are filled with rubber ducks, an entire Play-doh collection, a banana, and a dozen packs of string cheese. No one knows what the future holds. But should the Apocalypse arrive, your toddler won't be caught without 300 Legos, all carefully stashed in your computer bag.
3. Toddlers are the most dramatic people on earth. Teenagers have nothing on toddlers, who can go from complete ecstasy about getting a lollipop to diabolic rage over it's being orange in about sixty seconds. Your toddler may look calm and carefree at the moment, but be careful... you're one wrong monkey shirt away from a swarm of tears worthy of an Oscar.
4. Toddlers are only articulate when embarrassing you in public. Toddlers aren't known for their clarity... except at the grocery store, when they suddenly point at a white-haired man and shout, loud enough to be heard at the North Pole, "Look, Mommy, it's Santa!" Or when they demand to know why the cashier "has such a big tummy... is she having a baby, Mommy?" You tell yourself that no one heard. But let's face it: once you finish buying those two-for-one gummy vitamins, you're finding a new place to shop. Forever.
5. Toddlers add joy and wonder to every day. You may walk the same way to the train station each day. But when your toddler joins you, suddenly a whole new world opens up. Suddenly you see flower petals falling from the trees. Tiny rocks running like waves along your path. Clouds rolling like castles and airplanes across the sky. Toddlers see the world with fresh excitement and joy, reveling in the small things we too often overlook in our rush to get to work or soccer games or wherever we're going. Stopping to see the world through their eyes can help us slow down and take in everything we're missing.
Whether they're melting down about their shirt being the wrong color or stopping to investigate a used tissue on the ground, toddlers are a constant source of surprise. Fortunately, many of these surprises are ones that brighten our day and add a little color to our world. And, if you're looking for your keys, they're in the refrigerator.
This post originally appeared on the blog Mommy A to Z. Follow Mommy A to Z on Facebook and Twitter.