Milestones

• Your child’s development is progressing apace: she’s learning to walk! First, she carefully pulls herself up, then stands on her own feet - and before you've had a chance to draw breath, she's off. So watch out! Exactly when she braves that first step varies hugely from child to child.

• As soon as grown-ups start to recognize “Mummy” or “Daddy” amidst the general prattling, your child discovers the wonder of speech. She can make herself understood with the sounds she makes. From now on, she will make frequent use of this, and her vocabulary expands accordingly.

• Eating and drinking by herself requires a lot of dexterity. Once you take this on board you will find it amazing that children can manage this at one and a half years – and won’t mind a bit of food missing the target now and then.

• Once the first tooth appears, the remaining nineteen are swift to follow suit. Most children have nearly all of their milk teeth by the time they are three. As soon as you see that first little tip of white it’s time for daily tooth brushing. Ignore any protests – this is a must.

• Your child’s social behaviour will change fundamentally during her second year. She will see herself and others as discrete individuals and will begin to empathise with others, and to demand the same – sometimes at the top of her voice – from those around her.

• Her methods of play are also changing: she will look at books herself, fill and empty containers, build towers, and understand more and more the principle of cause and effect.

• There’s no way of rushing things, but your child might be able to control her bladder and sphincter muscles before she turns three. She might then decide that she wants to be out of nappies. But take things at her pace!