2 yo - wants & needs

As we started our evening walk, A wanted to decide for herself which way, direction she wanted to move forward. Children may not be strongly decisive in their young age. The thing she feels like doing at x moment changes at y moment where x and y are only 2 minutes apart. She walked for 2 minutes and just when she saw her friend M climbing up the stairs to the grocery store, she followed her to climb up the stairs. I followed A, asked her if she wanted to go to store along with M, she nodded her head horizontally. I reminded her that she wanted to go for walk. She stared at empty space. Just then, there were other children playing with laser lights that caught her attention. I explained to her what it was and how they were doing it. She was still standing at the same place and looking around, may be, trying to recollect the purpose for which she actually climbed the stairs, suddenly moving in random directions. I bent down to her, held her with hand, asked her what she wanted to do, wait for M, sit there for a while, go into the stores, tried to get her intention for what she wanted to do. Then, she immediately, in loud excited tone, said, we should actually go for a walk and for that we need to get down the stairs and walk that way. For which I said, okay great, now let's go that way.

Many times it happens that, just after you end up doing the exact thing that your child has asked for, they ask for another random thing. Be it during meal time or play time or nap time. It is good to remember and not become demons in front of their eyes by yelling about what they had asked and how you have done the right way. Children themselves do not know the reason for what they want, they do not know why they are asking for another disconnected thing in next 2 minutes. They cannot answer our questions regarding why they behave so.

It will be better if the parent observes the child more and react less to what children do and talk. All the little ones need, is acknowledgement of their words, encouragement for what they ask or do and guidance if they are really looking for some.