When do they officially become toddlers?

[momwithaplan]

My DS just turned one on March 31st and is walking/running around everywhere, won't have anything to do with baby food, is signing and saying certain words, wanting to drop a nap and now the Dr. wants us to get him off bottles all together. Is he a toddler or is that later or does it depend on what he is doing? It sure feels like we have a toddler in the house

[Drummer's Wife]

Sounds like a toddler to me!

I say, when they toddle.

Or, around 18-ish months... that's when they seem more like a toddler and less like a baby.

[limabean]

Sounds like a toddler!

Although if you're talking about which forum you should post in, I do think there's a transition period. When my kids were around that age, I would post in LWAB for certain questions and in Toddlers for other questions, depending on where I thought it fit the best.

Same when my DS turned 3 -- I still posted in Toddlers for some stuff, although I started posting more in Childhood Years around that time.

[sapphire_chan]

When they walk. Okay, maybe the babies who walk reeeeeally early like 6, 7 months are "babies who can walk" for awhile, but my dd definitely went from "crawling baby" to "walking toddler" immediately.

I'd figured I'd get a few months of "baby who can walk" to start reading up on toddler stuff. Oops.

Congratulations! It's a whole new skill set. If your LO follows a "typical" pattern, it's going to get worse for awhile (the frustrations) and then start getting better as you get into the swing of things with understanding him better.

[Birdie B.]

I've been wondering this same thing. My daughter is 17 months, but she doesn't walk, stand or say any words. But she is definitely getting what we call a "toddler attitude" - she is starting to express her own ideas and opinions about things in a very clear way. I consider her a toddler because of her age and her developing independence, although she is not even close to "toddling".

[melon]

i have no experience in the matter and was wondering the same thing.
but like a pp said....
my walking, pointing, babbling, giggly 11 mo certainly feels like a toddler to me!




edit: 11 mo? who am i trying to fool here? he'll be one in 3 days.