6 Reasons Toddlers Are Obsessed With Doors (Because They *All* Are)

Dec 3, 2019 | Clinical Psychotherpy

In my house, there are 30 doors (including closets). I only know this random number because at almost any given point during the day, I’m warning my two little ones to stop swinging/slamming/shutting/opening/closing them. My toddlers’ obsession with doors only rivals their obsession with dinosaur chicken nuggets and chocolate.

I’ll be in the middle of telling the 4-year-old something, and I’ll find her dangling off of a doorknob by, like, her leg. Then, the 2-year-old, in a total monkey-see-monkey-do move, will push the door with all his might to swing it — and her — on it. And while I’m shrieking because, hello, I don’t want someone to fall and crack their head open, they’re hysterically laughing. Gotta love parenting.

In a way, I totally get it. Doors are fun. They do a whole lot more than just let people pass through them. “Toddlers find new spaces and tasks exciting, and doors are one of them,” Anastasia Gavalas, MS, SDA, a parenting expert and author of Leadership Through the Eyes of Children, tells Romper. Still, I’ve seriously considered stripping my house of all the unimportant doors (as parents, do we even really need a bathroom door, anyway?) as a way to keep my littles safe.
But as it turns out, toddlers can learn a lot from doors. Here are some reasons why you might want to keep them on their hinges — without you becoming unhinged yourself.

This article in it’s entirety is available at this link. Kevon Owen is a featured contributing author in this article and if you are seeking help with a toddler or need child and adolescent therapy in Edmond Oklahoma you can contact Kevon Owen at 405-740-1249 or you can visit his website at https://www.kevonowen.com.

Upcoming Books

Recent Post

Living with Bipolar Disorder: Building a Steady Routine

Living with bipolar disorder often means learning how to protect stability, lower stress, and notice early signs of change before life feels unsteady. A daily routine cannot erase every symptom, but it can support treatment, reduce chaos, and make each day feel more...

Affirmations That Feel Real: Reframing Negative Patterns

 Affirmations can be helpful, but only when they feel believable. A statement that feels forced is often rejected by the very inner voice it is meant to calm. When someone is stuck in a cycle of shame, fear, self-criticism, or hopeless thinking, repeating a phrase...

PTSD Symptoms People Often Miss

Post-traumatic stress disorder is often reduced to flashbacks and nightmares, but many overlooked symptoms show up in quieter ways. Trouble sleeping, irritability, emotional numbness, shame, avoidance, body tension, concentration problems, and a constant sense of...

A Simple Gratitude Practice That Actually Sticks

Gratitude is often framed as a quick fix, yet many people give up on the habit after a few days because it feels forced, repetitive, or disconnected from real life. A simple gratitude practice that lasts is usually small, flexible, and grounded in daily experience....

Depression Signs and When It’s Time to Get Help

    Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood. Millions of people live with depression for months or even years before recognizing it for what it is — or before reaching...

Time Management That Protects Your Work-Life Balance

 Better time management is not about squeezing more work into the day. It is about protecting energy, relationships, sleep, and mental health while still meeting real responsibilities. This guide explains practical scheduling, boundary-setting, and stress-management...

Parenting Teens with Firm Limits and Real Empathy

 Parenting a teenager can feel like walking a tightrope. Too strict, and the relationship shuts down. Too loose, and safety, school, and mental health can slide fast. The goal is not “control.” The goal is steady leadership with real connection - firm limits paired...

Adult ADHD: What It Really Looks Like and How to Manage It

  Adult ADHD is often missed because it does not always look "like "hyperactivity." Many adults show it through time blindness, scattered focus, emotional reactivity, chronic overwhelm, and unfinished tasks that quietly stack up. This page explains what adult...

Quieting Your Inner Critic: Practical Self-Compassion

   An inner critic can sound like “helpful motivation,” but it often fuels stress, shame, and burnout. Self-compassion is not self-pity or letting things slide. It is a skill set that builds steadier self-talk, better coping, and healthier choices. This guide...