Your 17-month-old (week 4): Minimizing meltdowns
It will be a year or two before your toddler leaves most of his tantrums behind. Until then, expect to deal with outbursts of anger and frustration on a regular basis. You can cut down on the frequency of tantrums by making sure your child gets enough sleep and eats well during the day. At this age, your toddler should be getting a bit more than 11 hours of sleep at night and be taking a two-hour nap during the day. It's probably unrealistic to expect your energetic toddler to sit still for three square meals a day, so try giving your child a variety of foods (yogurt, pizza, fruit, vegetables, cheese and crackers) throughout the day to keep hunger pangs at bay. Remember, a hungry, sleep-deprived toddler is a meltdown waiting to happen.
