Being a toddler is tough!

Almost every day, our studio gets a call from parent with a young family to book a portrait session. When there's a toddler involved, inevitably we're asked how we can manage dealing with the 'most active/busiest/craziest' toddler on the planet!  Well, we have learned what makes toddlers tick and that helps us in almost every session with small children.

There is a huge amount of information for new parents, but one missing link is how to manage when the little baby turns into a small person - a toddler! The needs and emotions of toddlers can be so intense, it's tricky to know how to navigate and help them through these moments.

We've been photographing toddlers for over thirty years and there are many similarities and differences in how toddlers behaviours are managed. When my own daughter turned two and overnight seemed to become a handful, I was lucky enough to happen upon a book which helped me then, and which I have drawn upon when working with toddlers and littlies ever since. 

It's called Toddler Taming by Christopher Green and a new edition is widely available. It's a tongue-in-cheek look at the trials and tribulations of toddler life, from the toddlers viewpoint. The simple explanations of how a toddler feels in common situations lead to several "A-HA!" moments as I took in his advice gratefully!

It's a book that deserves a spot on every new parents bookshelf. You're welcome!