What's Your Toddler's Personality?

If you have a Laid Back Toddler, count your lucky stars! Your little tyke is highly portable, flexible with meal times and doesn’t melt down at the end of the day.

He’s often described as mellow or easy and spends most of the day smiling. He’s never had much of a problem entertaining himself and enjoys the company of others.

Laid Back Toddlers often enter the world peacefully and give mom and dad several months of decent sleep. With a Laid Back Toddler you can be lulled into thinking bringing up baby is the simplest thing in the world. You may even wonder why other mothers have such a hard time.

Like all children, Laid Back Toddlers thrive on structure and predictability. It helps them feel secure. A daily routine should be followed, with consistent times each day for meals and sleep. This helps your toddler thrive and maximize development.

Your toddler may be able to occasionally nap in the stroller or car and still sleep well at night. Isn't that nice? If you notice problems with his naps or night sleep, though, it's time to get back on the program!

It’s important to remember that your Laid Back Toddler still has the same sleep needs as other kids, despite him being so resilient. Make sure you don’t unintentionally short-change him on sleep. Prioritize consistent naps and bedtime everyday.

Even the easiest of toddlers can develop sleep problems, usually caused by a sleep regression, change in schedule or illness. Not to worry- Laid Back Toddlers take sleep training in stride, like everything else!

More details, tips and tweaks inside Baby Sleep Made Simple's sleep programs.

* Quiz adapted from Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg & Melinda Blau

Your Predictable Toddler will give you few curve balls as a parent. She’s so status quo. Don’t take this to mean that your toddler is boring- far from it! She can throw a tantrum like the rest of ‘em. What’s different is that you can communicate with her and meet her needs easily. Even before she was speaking she was easy to read.

Your Predictable Toddler is happy playing on her own, but only for 15-20 minutes, just like the books say. When meeting new people she may be shy initially, but quickly warms up.

She hits her milestones right on time. The truth is, you don’t worry much about your little one because she seems so normal.

Your Predictable Toddler’s sleep won’t be drama-free, unfortunately. Over her first two years she’ll probably be affected by sleep regressions and start waking at night.

Same goes for naps. She may fight them or get caught in a short napping pattern. The great thing about your Predictable gal is she'll respond quickly to nap training.

For the best night sleep, she’ll respond well to an age-appropriate bedtime and Peaceful Nightly Ritual. Predictable Toddlers keep their parents on track, because they respond so well to sleep training.

More details, tips & tweaks inside Baby Sleep Made Simple's sleep programs.

* Quiz adapted from Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg & Melinda Blau

Your Sensitive Toddler doesn’t miss a thing! This perceptive little one sees, hears, smells and feels at a different frequency than others. He reminds you of things you may not notice- like an itchy shirt tag or a car alarm that won’t shut off. A tiny pebble in his shoe can set off a meltdown. 

For your Sensitive soul, an outing is an overwhelming sensory experience. He often needs “down time” after play dates to restore his emotional balance, and is calm enough to eat when his environment is quiet and relaxed.

Sensitive Toddlers can cry and whine a lot, leaving their parents confused, physically drained and in search of an “adult beverage” each evening.

They have difficulty relaxing enough to fall asleep, requiring hours of holding, rocking and feeding back to sleep- it’s the only thing that works!

It’s not all bad news, though, these emotive little ones teach their parents so much about love, support and the healing power of a good cuddle.

All children thrive with familiarity, however Sensitive kids need an especially tight routine. Eating, sleeping and playing at the same time each day helps your child relax because it keeps life from getting too overwhelming.

Give your little guy time to warm up to new people or places. Don’t throw him in Santa’s lap unless you want an epic meltdown (and a funny Christmas card.) If you can learn to read his cues well and avoid what triggers him, it will ease a lot of stress and worry.

Sensitive Toddlers usually aren’t the best sleepers. But they do well with sleep training because predictability and consistency are at its core. A familiar sleep routine (day and night) allows them to relax and welcome their chance to rest.

Many more details, tips & tweaks inside Baby Sleep Made Simple's sleep programs.

* Quiz adapted from Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg & Melinda Blau

There’s no question of who’s in charge with an Adventurous Toddler- they are! These assertive little ones seem to enter the world with a CEO mentality. They know what they like and dislike- and so will you. They are loud, energetic and enthusiastic about everything.

Your spunky little one wakes up yelling for you. Or at you? She doesn’t want to be on her own very long. She’s constantly seeking your attention, she needs someone to boss around!

In a new social setting, she often shrieks with excitement, takes control and grabs everything. She’s a force to be reckoned with! While other toddlers play nicely with their toys, she destroys hers.

You’re constantly reminding your Adventurous Toddler to be gentle, slow down and take turns on the playground. You describe her as “aggressive, but in a playful way.” The truth is, she’s a sweetheart. She gets energized by life, people and new activities- and that energy comes out at high volumes. She reminds you of all the fun there is to be had in life.

It’s important to give your Energizer bunny a consistent winding down period every evening, to relax and prepare for bed. Dim the lights, use quieter voices, and put the dogs outside- she finds everything so stimulating. The world is an endless array of energy sources.

You may need to stretch out the bedtime routine & pre-nap routine so any unused energy has time to dissipate.

Adventurous Toddlers often fight naps and bedtime if it’s being rushed. You may not include a bath at night if it revs her up too much. Keep her bedroom very dark and distraction-free, like with Sensitive babies. No mobiles, night lights or toys near the bed.

You know that having an Adventurous Toddler requires a lot of energy, patience and stamina. You deserve the reward of a break during nap time and a good night’s sleep. So if your spirited tyke is having sleep problems, NOW is the time to teach her healthy sleep habits.

More details, tips & tweaks inside Baby Sleep Made Simple's sleep programs.

* Quiz adapted from Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg & Melinda Blau