{"id":102564,"date":"2017-06-23T11:53:19","date_gmt":"2017-06-23T15:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/102564\/20-month-old-baby\/"},"modified":"2022-03-29T22:51:55","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T02:51:55","slug":"20-month-old-baby","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/102564\/20-month-old-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"20 months"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baby<\/span>\u2019s language skills are growing every day, but they\u2019re still limited enough that there\u2019s a good chance there are a whole lot more thoughts going through your little one\u2019s head than they is<\/span> able to express to you quite yet. If you think that\u2019s frustrating for you (all those important thoughts you might never hear out loud!) just imagine what it\u2019s like for Baby<\/span>, who can hear everyone around them<\/span> chattering away, but can\u2019t always manage to make themselves<\/span> understood. They may<\/span> rely more on nonverbal communication and body language to get their<\/span> point across as they hones<\/span> their<\/span> speaking skills, so keep your eyes on them<\/span> when they\u2019s<\/span> trying to get your attention!<\/span><\/p>\n

Pointing may not be very polite, but it\u2019s an important tool that Baby<\/span> uses to learn about the world. They may<\/span> have been pointing to things for a while now, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s gotten any less impressive – pointing is proof that your little one is mastering the developmental skill of shared attention. When they sees<\/span> something they\u2019s<\/span> interested in, they wants<\/span> to share it with you, and they knows<\/span> how to signal this to you. The other side of the coin for shared attention is that, when you point to something, they knows<\/span> that you\u2019re trying to focus their<\/span> attention on the object you\u2019re pointing to, not the hand that\u2019s pointing (whether they actually wants<\/span> to look where you\u2019re directing them<\/span> is another question).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pointing is also an important tool that Baby<\/span> uses to learn about the world – pointing, and watching your reaction when they points<\/span>. This might mean that they points<\/span> to a bridge, and you then tell them<\/span> what it\u2019s called and what it\u2019s used for. On the other hand, though, it can also mean that they points<\/span> to a fellow-shopper at the grocery store who looks different from them<\/span>, and begins to learn about the diversity of the world from how you respond to them<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to get embarrassed if your toddler starts pointing to the people around them<\/span>, especially if they starts<\/span> asking questions or making comments, but how you respond to them<\/span> helps to set the stage for how they responds<\/span> to other people as they grows<\/span>. It can be embarrassing or uncomfortable when your toddler uses their<\/span> pointing skills to try to find out about the people around them<\/span>, but showing them<\/span> that you\u2019re uncomfortable or embarrassed can make Baby<\/span> uncomfortable, too, and they might<\/span> not be able to tell why you\u2019re upset. Instead, try staying calm and teaching them<\/span> that it\u2019s nicer to wave hello to people they thinks<\/span> look interesting, instead of pointing at them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Milestones<\/strong><\/h4>\n