This was my main parenting handbook for my first two kids -- this is an EXCELLENT resource for parenting from everything from taking temperatures to dealing with toddler psychology.

I didn’t finish or even flip through much. The format wasn’t as easy as the newer version of What To Expect When You’re Expecting, WTE: The First Year. Also, I think every toddler is different so I’m more interested in smaller bites so I can consider and adapt as needed. I found Precious Little Sleep and Parenting With Love and Logic more impactful for us.

Not as good as the other books but helpful tips and important developmental milestones to look for.

This is very comprehensive. Thank goodness there is a comprehensive index, because the arrangement is a bit off-putting.

The chapters are broken down "chronologically" - The Thirteenth Month, The 25th to 27th Month etc etc.

Within each section it contains "milestones" type information - carefully labelled 'what your child MIGHT be doing' (it reinforces that children develop at different rates, but it still does encourage you to compare 'your child' with some 'norm'.

After that there are sections on 'What You May Be Concerned About' - for example, at the 19th month it might be 'night wandering, 'underactivity' or 'unclear speech' amongst other things. Thing is, these are not necessarily chronologically-linked. So you need to read right through the Table of Contents and use the index (some page refs are wrong, by the way)to find the topic you are interested in. Then follow sections on 'What You Need To Know' and 'What Your Child Needs To Know', again int he age-specific sections.

I think it would be much better arranged thematically. Perhaps a short section on things that really are age-specific. There are subsequent sections on things such as special needs children, toilet learning, feeding.

I have found the information on illness particularly useful and at other times much other information useful, interesting or reassurring.

I think this book earns its place in a parent's reference library. Its usefulness extends well beyond the toddler years, and for some things is still good in the early years of school (by which time life is so busy there isn't a lot of time for consulting books!)

Some good tips but most beneficial in helping me realize that the range of questions I have had about parenting my toddler are completely normal, and that overall our parenting is going just fine.

What to expect, the toddler years, is that you won't have time to read this book while they are toddlers. Read this with your baby books before the child is born.

As my eldest is now nearly four, I might take this off my reading list. I'm sure it would have been useful information. :)

If you loved and lived by the other "What to Expect..." books you'll be happy with this book. A thick volume covering the toddler years almost by month and dealing with the many problems and concerns of parenting a toddler. I don't agree with some of the philosophies in the book so be sure to pick and choose and follow your instincts.

Includes index and "ready Reference" section

I hate this book. I hate this whole series. It's so doom and gloom. It should really be called "What to Expect When Everything Goes Wrong with Your Child". But I do enjoy reading all the developmental milestones. Overall rating: pheh!

Helpful info, but I didn't read it cover-to-cover. At this age (Michael is 17 mos.), babies are so different that many of the issues in the book didn't apply to me/Mikey. The sections that did apply were helpful. The "What your Child Should Be able to Do" section for each month was useful in both reassuring me that Michael is on target for the skills he should have and showed me a few more things that I should start working on with him soon. So, from that standpoint, the book does help provide moms with some direction as to what the next development should be so that we can work with our babies.

Decent resource for the 2nd (and 3rd, I assume) year of parenting but most of it is pretty outdated.

I'm pretty sure it has all the answers to toddler related questions one might have. Valuable read.

Also excellent, full of good ideas, useful advice and things to keep in mind during the toddler years. I read it when my first child was a toddler and I often refer to it again now that my second is a toddler. A must have for mothers.