Children begin to master various basic skills after the age of one. At this time, mothers and fathers should train their hands at the right time, which is also a good time to exercise the baby’s self-reliance. 12~15 months: Eating on their own At this time, children’s dexterity and hand-eye coordination have increased, and they can already hold a cup, spoon or fork. Help: Starting at 12 months (and sometimes even earlier), give your baby a small spoon and a thick drink, such as yogurt or rice porridge, at each meal to practice his or her ability to handle utensils. In addition, teaching your baby to drink milk from a cup is a good opportunity to develop its use. Feng Yi, Department of Pediatrics, Wuxi Eighth People’s Hospital, Ying Shanhe 15~18 months: Bathing by themselves The child begins to have the ability to coordinate various parts of the body, such as applying bath soap bubbles to themselves. Provide assistance: Provide the baby with a towel and soap box rinsing utensils before the mother performs the final full body rinse. But be aware that parents should never take it lightly when their baby is in the tub and need to be by their baby’s side at all times. 15~18 months: Organize toys by themselves At this time, children can walk by themselves, carry things around the house, and also complete some simple instructions. Provide help: Place the box or bag containing the toys in your baby’s room to make it easier for your baby to organize them, and then make a label or picture of the toys to better help your baby categorize and place them. Teaching your baby to organize his toys at a specific time should be done consistently, making it a daily habit to do so, such as before and after dinner. When your child finishes, make him realize that he has done a good job. 15-18 months: Helping Mom The child is able to carry things back and forth and is happy to imitate his parents’ daily chores. Provide help: Under mom’s supervision, set small tasks for your child, such as having your child wipe a small table or chair leg with a clean rag, having your child bring in a tablecloth or napkin to spread the table, having your child put dirty laundry in the laundry basket, and having your child help you sort and fold a small clean towel. 15 to 24 months: Undressing yourself Children this age can stand on one leg without falling and can control the movement of their arms, hands, and legs. Provide help: Children are not born with the ability to undress or dress, but have to observe, learn and receive instruction. Try to dress your child in clothes without buttons, zippers, snap closures and ties, so that even if your child undresses on his or her own, it does not pose a danger or cause trouble. In addition, when a child puts clothes on his or her head and his or her sleeves are to be pulled down from the arms, the mother should assist him or her in removing the clothes from the head; when the child tries to pull down the front of the pants, the mother should show the child how to take off the back of the pants as well and how to get rid of the foot barrier. 18-24 months: Washing hands on their own Children are beginning to learn to wet their hands, apply soap, rinse their hands, and dry them. Help: To make it easier for your child to wash his or her hands by himself or herself, have a small stool by the sink and place soap and a towel within his or her reach. If the faucet is used for both hot and cold water, instruct your child on how to turn on the water to the right temperature (and mom should always check that the water is the right temperature). Experts say that the total time for washing hands should be 1 minute to kill bacteria thoroughly. To make your child patient, you can sing him/her a children’s song such as “Twinkle, twinkle, shiny, the sky is full of little stars 。。。。。。” After the song, the hands are clean. 18-24 months: Brushing teeth on her own When the child can grasp the toothbrush and with it the arm balance, she can brush her teeth back and forth with the toothbrush in her mouth. Provide assistance: Still have a small stool and baby toothbrush at the sink attachment. Use slightly exaggerated motions to show your child how to brush his or her own teeth and make sure the toothbrush is clean, completing the final brushing routine for your child each time – brushing him or her thoroughly once more.