O'Brien, a pediatric research associate at Harvard Medical School, and her coauthor Tippins (Watch Me Grow: I'm One) continue their exploration of early childhood development in this new volume. Pointing out that problems arising after the second birthday are often the result of a mismatch between parents' expectations and children's abilities (the result of which is impatience on the parents' part and frustration for the toddler), the authors set out to clarify all that a two-year-old can and cannot do. In well-stocked chapters, they cover the two-year-old's physical, cognitive, emotional and social development, with useful charts summarizing the child's milestones and space for "readers comments" so parents can mark their child's progress. Parents will find plenty of information on such classic toddler topics as preschool separation, aggression, social skills and the importance of routines, with the focus on why toddlers behave the way they do and how parents can best provide support, limits and encouragement. While many parents may shore up their disciplinary resources in anticipation of the "terrible twos," the idea, O'Brien explains, is to give the toddler a chance to control her own environment, while leading her toward positive new experiences. O'Brien's upbeat, rational outlook brings the toddler's growth and development into clear focus so that parents will be better prepared to weather the "stormy and unpredictable" moments and enjoy their two-year-old's unique charms. 25 b&w photos. (Oct.)
