In comparing a teen to a toddler, it makes sense to identify each other based on their prominent features. A toddler is identified as a young child who is still in the process of learning how to walk possibly at the age of 12 up to 18 months. It is at this stage that a toddler becomes more aware about his surroundings and has the ability to identify the members of the family. During this time, he starts exploring many things that he sees around and experiments with them. He begins to utter funny words that he usually hears from people in the house particularly his parents. A teenager is one who is entering the years of transition from the stage of childhood to adulthood. In this intermediary process, a teenager’s appearance starts to develop into an adult.
Just like in the case of a toddler, a teen begins to embark on a journey to self-discovery at this stage. This is the time when they begin searching for social identity and recognition within a group and as individuals.
Do teenagers and toddlers have a lot in common? When both of them are caught doing something foolish, their tendency is to lie even if they know that they have been caught. Neither of them seems to understand what basic logic is as expressed by their parents. Things that are considered beneficial for both of them like education that will give them a bright future may not be attractive at all unless their parents bribe them, or they provide fun and enjoyment. Teens and toddlers enjoy spending money to have a new toy, the one with a battery-operated item, and the other with something that he can boast to his friends. While both of them can be easily distracted, they also both enjoy creating a mess.
In the process of comparison between the two, the parents are more in a position to give comments on how they raised their children from being toddlers to teens. Basic comparison would indicate that obviously, teens are much bigger compared to toddlers, and they are stronger too. It’s also obvious that their brain is more developed compared to a toddler. The statement that a teen is just like a toddler is simply a figure of speech because the development of a toddler is far behind the development of a teen as far as their brain and physique are concerned. While some say that there isn’t much difference in raising both of them, others speak of the opposite. Some are firm in saying that teens are like toddlers in the way they behave especially the boys. The more their parents stop them from doing naughty things, the more they insist on doing them. It is as if the parents are talking to deaf ears, or the warning passes one ear and exits to the other. Other parents say that there is a big difference in handling teens from handling toddlers. Teens can be more violent than toddlers, and they tend to give more worries to their parents than toddlers. When they are hurt for something that their parents have uttered, they may not be around for some time, while toddlers are always on the side of their parents whatever happens. If a toddler has tantrum and it happens on the street, his companion could easily pick him up and bring him home. But when it’s a teen that lies on the ground kicking and screaming because he wants something new, it might take a lot of effort to get him on his feet.
Are teens smarter than toddlers? Since they are older, it’s obvious that they are smarter than toddlers. It’s amazing to note also that in many cases, they can even outsmart their parents. This may not be on the grounds that they know more than their parents, but because they may be quicker to decide than their parents. So if a teen wants to avoid punishment from them for a bad thing done, he is quick to tell a lie. As far as freedom is concerned, teens seem to be more autonomous compared to toddlers. They tend to go wherever they want to go without anyone supervising them, and without informing their parents about their activities and whereabouts. Regarding their tastes of music, toddlers enjoy the a-b-c and the “Sound of Music”, while teenagers want loud sounds in rap music. In clothing, the toddler is not much conscious on how he looks, but the teen wants something attractive and “in” to the crowds of his age. When it comes to family secrets, they can’t keep them and both easily reveal anything to anyone, so, parents should watch out.
Today’s teens seem to be more daring and dangerous to deal with. They make fun out of danger and indulge in notorious activities such as drinking spree, taking drugs, wild parties, sex, violence and crime. These could bring agony and anxiety to their parents when they become involved in serious incidents. In other words, it’s easier to pacify a toddler than a teenager. Whether a girl or a boy, it’s easier to handle a toddler, but if the teen is a boy, his aggressiveness can be equivalent to three girls.
Conclusion: Parents have been toddlers and teens also, and the fact that they are now parenting their own kids, they should know how to handle them properly and effectively. Many of the cases where the teens run wild are attributed to poor parenting and supervision. It’s never an excuse for parents to be busy the whole day that caused their children to go wayward. In essence, the comparison of a teen to a toddler should not be taken into serious consideration. It’s hurting for a teen to be compared to a toddler because he should be more mature and responsible than a toddler.
Works Cited
Condrell, Kenneth N. From Toddlers to Teen – How Not to Raise a Brat. Grand Central
Publishing, June 1, 1998.
Cline, Foster and Fay, Jim. Parenting with Love and Logic. NavPress Publishing, Rev. Upd.
edition, April 9, 2006.
