Trust me. Encouragement counts now, too. They understand the tone and the emotions involved, and it helps wire the neural pathways in his brain for positive disposition later. Toddlers definitely perceive encouragement and support. "Good boy" and other sorts of positive comments are an investment in his future emotional health clear back to tiny infancy. The other thing you can do with them at this age to build self-esteem is let them figure stuff out for themselves. With puzzles and toys and things they have to figure out, it's so easy for us to step in and show them how something fits together and complete it for them. But they're the ones who need to do that, and it gives them such a tremendous sense of accomplishment when they're allowed to do that. Already such encouragement or discouragement is imprinting on his little brain, I promise!

You know this. I know you do. You also know it's hard because when they're toddlers, they're into so many things are have to be monitored so closely so they don't hurt themselves.

OK, I'm outta here for a while. I think there's a bathtub that needs me to have a nice, long soak!