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File this under "no duh" news ...
My husband just emailed me a link to this article: "Moms, Tots Argue 20 Times an Hour." As I contemplate this stop-the-presses news and think about my own sweet toddler, I come to the conclusion that ... yeah, that sounds about right.
Whether it's scooting to the back of the minivan when we arrive at our destination instead of getting out, or insisting that he has to "push triangle" (translation: press "play" on the DVD player) for his favorite videos, or allowing him to hold the can of Ovaltine as we prepare his chocolate milk in the mornings, there is no shortage to the number of arguments that can occur on a daily basis.
According to this study by Lehigh University, which appears in the March/April issue of Child Development, moms and their toddlers argue 20 to 25 times an hour on average. Granted, for the study, the kids, who were about 30 months old, and their moms were videotaped at a researcher's lab during times most likely to have a conflict. The moms had to enforce rules about toys (and apparently the lab supplied toys that the kids couldn't have), and the kids got to play with puzzles that were too hard for them -- both scenarios sure to elicit frustration and tantrums.
Six months later, the exercise was somewhat repeated, only in the families' homes. What did these researchers find out? The arguments occurred "between 20-25 times an hour at both assessment periods." That's from a low of four arguments an hour to a high of 55 an hour.
I'm not really sure what this study accomplished. What do you guys think?
On a different topic, I'm going to plug CNN on Wednesday, which is devoting a considerable amount of air time throughout the day for World Austim Awareness Day. At noon, a segment produced by John David Dear, whose sister is a close friend of mine, will give viewers a look at the struggles of raising an autistic child. J.D.'s son Jonas was diagnosed in December 2006. I'll be sure to tune in, and I hope we'll all come away with a better understanding of this developmental syndrome that is striking an increasing number of families.
Check this link for a closer look at the CNN programming on Wednesday that centers around autism.
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Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator, and father of three blonde, blue-eyed kids all under six years old.
