About This Site

My name is Harriet Morris - this is me with my son Louis, who was born in September 2005.

In spite of all this, I can definitely say that toddlerhood is a very rewarding experience, and I love (almost!) every minute of it.

My Background

My professional background is teaching youngsters with problems, and since 2006 I have been teaching mainly those with Autism and other Special Needs. This year I have also been teaching child development (ages 0-5) at a college of Further Education.

As Louis grew into toddlerhood, I began to notice how I was using my professional skills to successfully manage my son's behaviour.

I realised that many of the techniques that work with youngsters with Special Needs also work with toddlers - giving advance warnings of change such as turning the TV off; clear, brief instructions; distraction; keeping calm and being positive, etc.

Real advice For Real Parents

Childcare books and websites are full of great advice and explain their theories well.

However, many of them lack specific tips and ideas about dealing with tricky situations - for example they tell you to 'keep calm' if your child has a tantrum.

After 2 hours sleep, a kitchen wall adorned with your toddler's latest Weetabix painting and 3 irritating cold calls from double glazing salesmen, it seems to me that some specific suggestions are also needed in this situation!

One of the aims of this site is to fill this gap. Every child is different, and I have steered clear of turning the site into a self-indulgent advice shop for dealing exclusively with my son. I have backed up my own experience with research and talking to other parents.

Not every idea will work with your child. As with parenting in general, it's all a question of trial and error.

This website also gives you practical ideas on how to make the most of your time with your toddler.

Because parenting will never win the award for moneysaving lifestyle of the year, the emphasis is on having fun without breaking the bank.

The great thing about young children is their brilliant imagination and boundless enthusiasm for everyday things like ladders, cats and sticks.

I have thought up lots of low-cost and no-cost games and activities on this site that your child will enjoy as much as - if not more than - anything that Toys 'R' Us has to offer.

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