At this point you're still your child's favorite playmate. But as your toddler gets better at expressing himself through words and gestures, he'll enjoy being around other children, and soon he'll start making friends. If you take him on playdates now or to the park, you may notice that he plays near other children but not really with them. Experts call this "parallel play" and it's perfectly normal for a 13-month-old who still thinks the world revolves around him. Don't expect your toddler to share toys just yet; he's too young to understand that other children might enjoy playing with something too. If a toy tug-of-war develops and someone ends up in tears, he'll be able to find another toy just as fascinating once he's done crying. Nothing soothes hurt feelings as well as another fascinating toy.
