All posts tagged: Toddlers

Dogs act more like toddlers than cats when someone needs help

Dogs act more like toddlers than cats when someone needs help

Published by Jenni Sidey

In one room, an adult caregiver paced around, patting their pockets and peeking underneath furniture. This indicated they were looking for something that was no longer there. Nearby, a dog observed closely before trotting to a cabinet shelf. Then it turned back to the caregiver, as if attempting to assist in locating the lost item. A cat observed everything happening as well, but tended to remain close to where it originally sat. It was just as observant. Many pet owners have likely encountered this difference in temperament between dogs and cats. Recent scientific studies confirm these observations experimentally. Scientists at Eötvös Loránd University and HUN-REN–ELTE in Hungary compared how toddler-aged children, companion dogs, and companion cats behaved when a caregiver searched for an object that had been hidden in a household setting. They focus on the manner in which each of these species exhibits unsought prosocial behaviors when someone in need is present. Examples of the following behavioural variables: (a) showing the object, (b) manipulating the object, (c) orienting at the caregiver and (d) approaching …

Dogs act like toddlers when trying to help humans

Dogs act like toddlers when trying to help humans

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. It may be a cliché, but it’s undeniable: more often than not, cats are simply more aloof than dogs. New research suggests the disparities go even further, however. According to a study recently published in the journal Animal Behaviour, canine companions not only attempt to “help” humans in certain situations,and their actions largely mirror the same responses seen in toddlers. Specifically, psychologists at Hungary’s Eötvös Loránd University were interested in comparing the capacity for prosocial behavior across humans, cats, and dogs. Unlike other forms of more self-interested interactions, prosocial tendencies arise when an animal or human participates in a way that benefits others without the expectation of a direct reward or compensation. The experiment was straightforward: the team tasked a toddler parent or pet owner with searching for an object hidden in plain view of their child, cat, or dog. The caregiver never directly asked for assistance, but instead looked for their target on their own. Researchers then noted …

As toddlers, chimps are major risk takers

As toddlers, chimps are major risk takers

Published by skeptic

Toddlers are the daredevils of the chimp world. Those 2 to 5 years old are more likely than older chimps to free-fall from treetops or leap wildly from branch to branch. Past age 5, such dangerous behaviors decrease by about 3 percent each year. Researchers shared these new observations in January in iScience.  Among humans, teens are the real daredevils. Compared to younger children, for instance, they’re more likely to break bones or die from injuries. Kids might want to behave as recklessly as chimp toddlers but rarely get the chance. Parents and caregivers are likely to put a stop to such fun — and the risk of broken bones — among human toddlers. “If humans scaled back their oversight, our kids would be way more daredevilish,” says biologist Lauren Sarringhaus. An author of the new study, she works at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. No monkeying around Human and chimp caregivers show different patterns. Chimp moms largely parent alone. Dads don’t help. Nor, typically, do grandmothers, older siblings or other group members. Youngsters cling to their moms …

Neurodivergent Dad Says Parenting A Toddler Is Painful Experience

Neurodivergent Dad Says Parenting A Toddler Is Painful Experience

Published by Jenni Sidey

A 36-year-old wrote to the r/Parenting subreddit seeking advice and a chance to vent about “how to deal with a crazy 2-year-old” as a neurodivergent dad.  He prefaced his post by saying, “I love my daughter. So much. If anything ever happened to her, I’d be lost.” Despite the depths of his love, he has found toddlerhood to be more of a challenge than anticipated. In fact, he flat-out called parenting a toddler “the most painful experience” of his life.  While it sounds jarring, it’s time parents stop sweeping their struggles under the rug. What he’s experiencing doesn’t make him a bad dad. If anything, his willingness to talk about how hard the process is means he’s doing everything right. A neurodivergent dad said parenting a toddler is ‘the most painful experience’ of his life. “My brain needs constant stimulation, otherwise I feel physical pain,” he explained. “I’m not kidding, it’s horrible.” In addition to ADHD, he suffers from anxiety attacks. He’s been on medication since his daughter was born to help manage his mental health. “I’m …

Nursery worker found guilty of rape and sexual assault against five toddlers | UK News

Nursery worker found guilty of rape and sexual assault against five toddlers | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A nursery worker in Bristol has been found guilty of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against five toddlers – in a case described as “every parent’s nightmare”. Nathan Bennett, 30, was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court of two charges of raping a child under 13, four of the sexual assault of a child under 13, and two charges of assault of a child under 13 by penetration. Bennett, from Corston, near Bath, began working at the Partou King Street nursery in Bristol in July 2024. Image: Nathan Bennett has been convicted of assaulting children at the nursery where he worked. Pic: Avon and Somerset Constabulary Concerns were raised in February 2025 when nursery manager Victoria Tutton viewed CCTV footage showing Bennett putting his hands down the trousers of a child. Bennett was immediately sent home. Avon and Somerset Police began an investigation which led to Bennett’s arrest and the closure of the nursery in the centre of the city. Image: The former site of Partou King Street nursery in Bristol, where Nathan …

Vegan toddlers can grow at the same rate as omnivores

Vegan toddlers can grow at the same rate as omnivores

Published by skeptic

Meat and dairy aren’t essential for a child’s development Evgeniia Gordeeva/Getty Images Babies born into vegan or vegetarian families may be slightly underweight in early infancy, but seem to catch up to their omnivore peers by age 2. Official advice generally states that a well-planned vegan diet – rich in vegetables, beans, whole grains and fortified products – can provide all the nutrients needed for good health. But it can still be very difficult to meet a child’s growing nutritional needs, with veganism being linked to amino acid and protein deficiencies. When it comes to the pros and cons of veganism at a young age, small studies have provided conflicting results. To address the issue on a wider scale, Kerem Avital at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and her colleagues have now analysed data on 1.2 million babies collected from national family care centres in Israel between 2014 and 2023, following records of each baby’s length, weight and head circumference from birth to 24 months. The team then compared those growth rates to …

Hostage Negotiator’s Trick To Get Kids To Do As They’re Told

Hostage Negotiator’s Trick To Get Kids To Do As They’re Told

Published by Sam Flores

We’ve all been there, you’re trying to negotiate with your child to brush their teeth and they are having absolutely none of it. You offer to sing a song, pretend they’re an animal and you’re a vet, you invest in an ‘exciting’ character-themed toothbrush. But to no avail. The toothpaste is too “spicy”. They’d rather be doing something else. They are simply not interested. If this sounds all too familiar – or you regularly have battles about putting a coat on, getting ready for school or eating breakfast – Katie Thistleton and Guvna B recently tackled the art of negotiating with kids on the CBeebies Parenting Download podcast. And who better to talk them through it than Nicky Perfect, who once worked as an actual hostage negotiator? Her credentials are impressive: Perfect spent over 30 years as a Metropolitan Police officer, including 10 years as an international hostage and crisis negotiator for New Scotland Yard. She is also a parent, so she knows a thing or two about how kids operate. On the podcast, Perfect …

This adorable bladeless fan at CES 2026 is the perfect gadget for babies and toddlers

This adorable bladeless fan at CES 2026 is the perfect gadget for babies and toddlers

Published by skeptic

Yukai Engineering Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Baby FuFu is a bladeless cooling fan that can be attached to a stroller or other objects. It’s ideal for keeping toddlers and kids cool without the dangers of traditional blade fans. The product will launch later this year at a price of range of $50-$60. Parents know the importance of a good stroller fan for keeping little ones cool in hot weather, but most options on the market have blades that you don’t want toddlers, especially, trying to stick things into. Enter Baby FuFu from Tokyo-based robotics startup Yukai, a portable, bladeless fan designed for babies and toddlers to safely play with while staying cool, unveiled at CES 2026. Baby FuFu looks like a plastic bear toy with an air stream coming out of its mouth. The blades are fully enclosed behind a slit plate, so even babies can safely handle it — even if they try to put a finger inside the bear’s mouth.  Also: CES 2026 live blog: Latest news …

A Doctor Gave Me Advice For Raising Toddlers. Now I Use It On Difficult Adults

A Doctor Gave Me Advice For Raising Toddlers. Now I Use It On Difficult Adults

Published by Sam Flores

My paediatrician gave me a knowing look as my whiny 18-month-old daughter wriggled out of my arms and plopped down onto the tile floor. “I think 18 months is the hardest age,” the doctor said. “They’re mobile and opinionated, but they still don’t have the language skills to express their needs, so they throw a lot of tantrums.” I nodded – that made sense to me as a speech-language pathologist. Communication is our greatest tool when it comes to relationships, which is one of the reasons why I decided to become a speech therapist in the first place. Meanwhile, my daughter began touching every surface in the office and then proceeded to stick her hands into her mouth. “Here’s my best advice,” the paediatrician offered. “Firstly, you have to choose your battles. Otherwise, everything will be a battle. You have to let some things go, or else you’ll be managing meltdowns 24/7.” “That makes sense,” I said as I tried to stop my daughter from opening all the cabinets. “Secondly, when you say ‘no,’ mean …