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Is it normal for a two-year-old girl to play with household articles?

Dr S Anandalakshmy
Advisor on Child Development & Education,
Chennai

Q: My two years old grand daughter is a healthy child with a good appetite and is jolly, playful and intelligent. She goes to a play school and spends two and half hours there daily. No one disturbs her. Her father works aboard but stays at home for three months at a stretch. Everything was ok, but recently we have observed that she does not help her mother. She is very attached to her grandmother. She does not play with her toys but with household things like computer, fridge, electric switches, gas, oven etc. If she is being denied, she starts crying, falls on the ground and tries to beat others. Please tell me whether it is a psychological problem. How should we tackle her?

A:Your grandduughter does NOT have psychological problems. It is perfectlynatural for children to be interested in household articles and to preferto play with kitchen things. Since (by your report) she is fond of thegrandmother, it is likely that she wants to be around using the same things.Get her a miniature set of pots and pans -- that might work. Let her help inlittle ways, when her mother is cooking.Playing with Atta or sorting outvegetables etc can be fun for a two year old.