I am not an expert in child development, but I was observing the two-year-old son of my cousin, and I am worried if that is how modern children behave.
Hi, I’ve thought about your post off and on all weekend.
@Persej, I don’t hold a claim to being “an expert” at anything, lol, but I’ve successfully raised two sons to adulthood, and due to my very large family, I’ve witnessed and assisted in childcare for dozens of toddlers.
I’ve also studied and completed several human anatomy courses, and extensively studied several levels of human neurological development education.
So, with that as my knowledge foundation testament, I hope my answers put your concerns to rest!
Or is this how two-year-old children always behaved?
Yes!
The kid walks and runs like a normal child, has a good balance and speed and all.
That’s good news, and considered healthy and on time.
Body awareness and control are indications of excellent physical development for a two year old.
But from time to time he makes totally unexpected and dumb moves.
The “average” attention span, for a 2 to 3 year old, is 3-5 minutes. Then, something new catches the child’s attention, and off they go! Totally within “normal” expectations.
He certainly looks like a child that could fell from the window any day. Luckily, my cousin has no balcony or easily accessible window in her current apartment, but she will in the next one, so I am a bit worried about that.
They are pretty sketchy and unpredictable, aren’t they?
The neural network in young children’s brains aren’t fully formed, and are being programmed and connected.
All the environmental adventures, basically everything that they experience helps wire new connections in their growing, forming brain.
Sounds like your sister is doing a remarkable Mothering job!
She basically always has to keep an eye on him, because he is always in a danger of doing something that is dangerous to him.
Mothering is Definitely a full time responsibility and rather thankless, most of the time.
Toddlers “personal” emotions are also starting to come “on line” and personality’s are being formed from all the interactions of their experiences.
This period is commonly referred to, as “The Terrible Twos” for many of these reasons.
Their energy to keep going is incredible too, and caregivers are on the go, keeping them safe from harm.
She thinks that this is just a phase that all kids go through in his age, but I am wondering how would humanity survive if all children would be this dumb at that age?
Yes, good observation, how HAS humanity survived, if we start out so dumb?!
I suspect it’s got a LOT to do with the fierce loving bonds that form between Mothers and their babies.
Compassion, and empathy, and the deep, hormonally induced love for our helpless babies has been the biggest survival mechanism, as far as I’m concerned.
Our DNA was rigged and tinkered with, and yet here we are, all of us humans with our messed with DNA, with the slowest, extremely vulnerable, dangerous and helpless period from birth, still surviving!
Mothers.
So, for what it’s worth, next time you go visit, tell your sister she’s doing great by being such a good Mama, ok?
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and far from Rotterdam area. 
