
19/08/2025
If your toddler throws the toy across the room, pours their water on the floor, or up ends the bowl of food you’ve just spent hours preparing, it’s not because they’re “naughty” — it’s because their brain is still very much under construction.
The part of the brain that controls impulses — the prefrontal cortex — isn’t fully developed until the mid-20s!
For small children, it’s like having a car with a powerful engine (big feelings!) but very weak brakes (self-control).
So when they act before they think, it’s not defiance — it’s biology.
Our job isn’t to expect perfection, but to teach, guide, and be the “borrowed brakes” until theirs get stronger.
Next time you see an impulsive moment, try this: pause, breathe, and remember — they’re learning how to steer.