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A month in the life of Jasmine Maya

This month, Jasmine has shown specific interest in ensuring all objects remain in their usual places. She has taken items back to their cupboards and pointed to the 'right' place, vocalising urgently if she thought someone had put an object somewhere incorrectly. For example, a coffee cup must go on the table, not the carpet, the cereal packet must go straight back into the cupboard, not on the kitchen work top, and the kitchen mop must always be upright! When visiting her grandmother, Jasmine pointed to the stair gate as soon as she arrived, vocalising in her own way that it needed to be closed. At times, this phase has been quite trying for her parents, but it indicates how aware she is of where household items are kept, and what she considers to be 'right'. Jasmine's favourite game at present is shopping, and she trails a small bag around with her wherever she goes. She enjoys filling the bag up with toys and objects, and emptying them out again. She is also very fond of hats, and likes to see herself in the mirror when wearing them.
This month, Jasmine has shown specific interest in ensuring all objects remain in their usual places. She has taken items back to their cupboards and pointed to the 'right' place, vocalising urgently if she thought someone had put an object somewhere incorrectly. For example, a coffee cup must go on the table, not the carpet, the cereal packet must go straight back into the cupboard, not on the kitchen work top, and the kitchen mop must always be upright! When visiting her grandmother, Jasmine pointed to the stair gate as soon as she arrived, vocalising in her own way that it needed to be closed. At times, this phase has been quite trying for her parents, but it indicates how aware she is of where household items are kept, and what she considers to be 'right'.

Jasmine's favourite game at present is shopping, and she trails a small bag around with her wherever she goes. She enjoys filling the bag up with toys and objects, and emptying them out again. She is also very fond of hats, and likes to see herself in the mirror when wearing them.

Her newest words are 'bag', 'mmmm' (moo) for the cows in the next-door field, 'ffff' (woof) to any dog or picture of a dog, and 'sax' (socks) which she uses to refer to both shoes and socks.

Jasmine is a very sociable toddler, who interacts with even people barely known to her, for example, other parents at toddler groups. She will hand them toys and collect them back again. However, when Jasmine is tired she becomes very shy, wanting to remain with the adults she knows best.

Questions

1 Why might a child of Jasmine's age be so insistent on everything being in its 'right' place?

2 Jasmine has had more teeth through this month. Which are they likely to be?

Answers to part 20 questions: (19/26 Dec 2002)

1 The early stage of imitative play is very common at Jasmine's age, and examples of this would usually be noted by an adult well into a child's third year, demonstrating how toddlers begin to make sense of their world by observation and experience.

2 Other examples of imitative play that Jasmine may display include cooking, making tea, dusting and similar day-to-day tasks.

3 At 19 months, most children weigh between 9kg and 13kg, with the 50th centile line set at 11kg. At 8.6kg, Jasmine is still slightly below the 2nd centile line.

By Sandy Green, an early years consultant and freelance trainer. She is also Jasmine's grandmother