Overview

Your child is exploring the world around them and may experience many emotions. When parents respond to emotional needs in a loving, consistent way, their children develop confidence and feel more secure.

At 14 to 15 months, your child may be able to say a few words and understand simple commands. They may let you know what they want by pulling, pointing, or grunting. Your child may drink from a cup and point to parts of the body. Your child may walk well and climb stairs.

How can you care for your child at home?

Safety

• Make sure your child cannot get burned. Keep hot pots, curling irons, irons, and coffee cups out of your child's reach. Put plastic plugs in all electrical sockets. Put in smoke detectors and check the batteries regularly.
• For every ride in a car, secure your child into a properly installed car seat or booster seat that meets all current safety standards and laws. Use a car seat or booster seat that is made for their weight and height.
• Watch your child at all times when near water, including pools, hot tubs, buckets, bathtubs, and toilets.
• Keep cleaning products and medicines in locked cabinets out of your child's reach. Keep the number for your local or provincial poison control centre on or near your phone.
• Tell your doctor if your child spends a lot of time in a house built before 1976. The paint could have lead in it, which can be harmful.

Discipline

• Be patient and be consistent, but do not say "no" all the time or have too many rules. It will only confuse your child.
• Teach your child how to use words to ask for things.
• Set a good example. Do not get angry or yell in front of your child.
• If your child is being demanding, try to change their attention to something else. Or you can move to a different room so your child has some space to calm down.
• If your child does not want to do something, do not get upset. Children often say no at this age. If your child does not want to do something that really needs to be done, like going to daycare, gently pick your child up and take them to daycare.
• Be loving, understanding, and consistent to help your child through this part of development.

Feeding

• Keep breastfeeding as long as it works for you and your baby for up to two years and beyond.
• Offer a variety of healthy foods each day, including fruits, well-cooked vegetables, low-sugar cereal, yogurt, whole grain breads and crackers, lean meat, fish, and tofu. Kids need to eat at least every 3 or 4 hours.
• Do not give your child foods that may cause choking, such as nuts, whole grapes, hard or sticky candy, hot dogs, or popcorn.
• Give your child healthy snacks. Even if your child does not seem to like them at first, keep trying.

Immunizations

• Make sure your baby gets the recommended childhood vaccines. They will help keep your baby healthy and prevent the spread of disease.