Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

My pediatrician ask that question and I find it rather odd. But maybe it's not? The pediatrician thinks my 18 mo. son is socially behind because I answered no to this question.

My 18 month old does not have a friend yet. He parallel plays during class and has no preference for any other toddler. I don't even know if he understands the concept of friendship.

Does your toddler have a friend or friends? And when should I worry if he doesn't?

TIA!

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

My DS is 21 months old and he has friends that he plays next to, but they don't play together yet... they will stand next to, do the same things (I assume that's what you mean by parallel play) but it's not like they work together to play at anything. I think that's pretty normal for this age.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Chels knows a girl that is right around the same age as her..they "play" together, and I put that in quotes bc I really don't see them playing together for a while...they'll laugh at each other being silly, they'll play peekaboo with each other and share their food with each other...that's about as far as playing goes....


ETA: I totally agree with the other posters that I think it's way too young to have them really really play together...

Message edited 6/23/2010 11:16:00 AM.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

That is SOOO young for the doctor to expect him to have "Friends".

Children will parallel play beyond 2 years of age...its not abnormal at all!!!

Most of my friends kids parallel played well beyond 2. I mean they saw other kids at playgroups and i guess we would call them "Friends" but they all parallel played alongside one another, not really "with" each other.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Yes she does. She has her friends at daycare who she talks about and we have playdates with and also she is friends with children of my friends. When she was younger they would play next to each other but not with each other. Now at 2 they play together.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Totally normal for that age. DD didn't start playing with or together until about 28 months. Now (almost 3), she talks about her friends, plays with them, runs around hold hands with them, etc-she is twice your DC's age.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Yes, she has tons! But she didn't start playing "with" them for a long time. Even now at 2.5, she does a lot of independent play with her friends in the same room.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

my oldest DD just turned 4 and most of her friends are imaginary. she goes to school, camp, dance, soccer, play dates etc. so she is socialized, but i think she is a little behind with interpersonal skills. i'm not worried about it though, i have seen "progress" this last year, she's just taking her time...

my 18 month DD has no "friends" except for her sister.

Re: Does your toddler have a friend or friends?

Yes, Landon (24 months) has a lot of friends. He asks to play with them by name and interacts with them rather than play side by side like he used to when he was younger. There are about 10 kids he asks to play with (4 of them being cousins and 2 of them being neighbors, and 4 are other toddlers from our playgroups).