When Developmental Stages Clash

3yo Drake and 10mo Guppy are at two important developmental stages. Unfortunately, these stages are not complementary. About three times a day, I have to decide between unsupervised baby in high chair, or unsupervised three year old in bathroom on different floor.

Guppy is learning to feed himself small pieces of solid food. He needs constant supervision in case of choking.

Drake is learning to use the toilet, but we don’t have a bath on the main floor, so he has to go upstairs. Not only does he insist he needs help, he actually does, to keep things in their proper place and to ensure he washes his hands and doesn’t run the water for fifteen minutes. Also, I don’t like to refuse him help when he asks, to encourage both his communication and his bathroom use.

Unsurprisingly, I mostly stick with Guppy: choking trumps bathroom disaster almost every time.

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