Dead Toddler in dreams

A toddler in a dream is the dream's image of a small person in the phase of testing the new fact of self. Toddlers refuse, insist, and explore at the limit of where they are allowed to go; the boundary is the interesting thing. The dream brings the toddler when something new in you — a recently formed identity, a young capacity — is in that testing phase, refusing and insisting where it would not have a few months ago. A toddler held with patience is the dream telling you the new self is being given room to test without danger. A toddler punished for the testing is the dream noting that the young, learning part of you has been shut down for doing exactly what was age-appropriate.