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Will I become a lighter sleeper after my child is born? My wife and I are expecting our first baby very soon. However, I am a heavy sleeper and I am worried that I will not wake up to cries from the baby. Do people generally become lighter sleepers with the knowledge that they have a little one to care for during the...	Be sure, though, that your sleep is not so heavy that you might roll over the baby without waking up! Looking around, I don't see any studies (though I don't have access to PubMed, maybe @Anongoodnurse or someone else can find some there), but I see lots of anecdotal evidence like this page supporting my experience - m...
How do I instil confidence when my child (aged 5 nearly 6) declines to read a book as 'too hard' when sent home from school as homework? My daughter is 5 (nearly 6) and approaching the end of Kindergarten. She brings home three books to read every day for a week from school (new ones every week). Today she said: No ...	If she's still struggling a lot, that could be an indication that the book actually is beyond her reading level. While you're reading, follow the words with your finger, so she can follow along.
How to get my 1-year-old child to like me? My 1-year-old son likes his mom a lot. He never wants to leave her side and this is kind of a problem for her and sort of for me. She has to do domestic work but he doesn't like to stay with me. It's like a stranger holding someone else's baby. How do I get him to like me as...	It's also pretty easy to solve, it's just a matter of spending time one on one with your child, without your spouse around. The parent with less time has to simply put in more time to build the relationship with the kid. Gotta differentiate yourself from moms, make yourself fun and interesting in other ways. Go on a bu...
How can I pick out safe headphones? I want to buy my preteen a pair of headphones, but I don't want them to damage her hearing in the long-run. I teach her not to listen to music too loud, but just in case, are there certain types of headphones that are scientifically proven to be safer than others, assuming they're u...	I researched many volume limiting headphones for my Pre-K aged kids, and finally settled on LilGadgets brand, which were not to quiet and not too loud.
If an establishment allows breastfeeding, but not outside drinks (juice, etc.), is bottled breastmilk an exception? I'm visiting an indoor kids park (trampolines, slides, etc.) with a "no outside drink" policy. I understand the reason for the policy is to up sell, and while my toddler son can drink their (cow) milk ...	In general, in my experience, businesses do not approach you for bringing in food or drinks for infants. In general, while I would be surprised if they did not let you in, the best way to find out is to ask them. It's always best to be clear about the rules of an establishment you are visiting before you visit and the ...
How can we effectively clean our baby's nose? We have a 10 days old little cute girl. She can't sleep because of stuffy nose. There is nothing inside her nose from the outside view but we can hear the stuffy nose sound. Is there any effective way to clean her nose? <Q> One of them is NoseFrida - there may be other wit...	To remove the stuff from baby's nose you can use special suction tools designed for children. Have her sit with you in a hot shower (obviously, not under the shower!)
CISV: should I trust? CISV is a seasoned organization which stages (among other activities) villages : 28 days-long exchanges for children aged 10 coming from all the world. I am considering letting my child take part in an exchange. The exchange itself looks very promising. I took part to a couple of meetings with ...	You might want to search Google to see if there are any news reports from your country about problems with CISV. The organisation itself is also very well structured and has good training for all volunteers leading any activities.
Baby choke when drinking too fast My new born is too fast in drinking milk from breast and even feeder. The nipple size of feeder is 1, don't know if they make 0. What should I do? He chokes a lot and scares me. He is 2 weeks old. <Q> First: don't worry! <S> The fact that he chokes is scary, but it also shows that his ...	You want to slow the flow of milk and/or allow the baby to control the flow better, and you can achieve this by playing with the baby's nursing position.
What to do if baby is still sucking when the bottle is finished? My 5-month-old daughter is normally breastfeeding. However, we are starting to bottle-feed her with milk from her mother. When breastfeeding she does fine: she eats as much as the breast can provide and then relaxes, burps or falls asleep. On the other ...	Offering a bottle of warm water right away after feeding will allow her to suck if she feels the need, but the reaction when she realizes it's only water may be a bit dramatic as well.
Do I move my son to a new school? I am the single dad of a wonderful son. We have recently moved to a new house only a few miles away from where we previously lived, but it is in another school zone. So I have been debating moving him to the new school. For me, it is not a big a deal. I now live close to the new schoo...	Of course, you should make sure that you and your child are aware of any benefits or problems of moving / staying before you make the decision. Many children find the process of changing school to be disruptive and distressing .
Is a small kindergarten class a problem? We have to choose between 2 good schools but one of them is rather small. There are about 8 children in the class. Is it bad or good for a child to be in a low populated classroom? Social interaction will be a bit less, but than again the personal coaching will be better. Our c...	Even the best teacher can only spend on average [time per school day]:[number of children] time watching over or interacting with your child - smaller classes means less attention, especially as there will always be those "special cases" that need more time due to social / academic / other challenges.
As a father, how to improve my relationship with our 2-month-old baby? My son is coming to 2 month+. I have been doing the housework (pooping, bathing, wet cloth cleaning, feeding and etc, laundry). I still fail at putting the baby to sleep after feeding and can't seems to improve my interaction with the baby. My wi...	I initially tried to copy everything my wife did to sooth and bond with our son, but the singing and other tricks really didn't work for me. One thing I've found works is simply have the baby around when you're doing things, and explain what you're doing. Then when he begins to crawl and play, always make time to play ...
Our son is slightly autistic, Is it wise to have an indoor cat? I never had an indoor cat, especially in the UK. I am familiar with their behavior as I had plenty of outdoor cats. My son is slightly autistic, I have no idea if it is advisable to have my boy and pet/cat under the same roof. <Q> You may have heard the e...	Instead of getting a cat right away, consider taking him to an animal shelter, to see how he's interacting with cats and to teach him how to interact with them.
How to go out with a toddler learning to use the potty without diapers? My little girl is about 2 1/2 years old now, and she's been doing bare bottom potty usage for the past two months or so with good success (not including poop because she's upset to go poop at all so we're tackling that problem alongside potty learn...	Constantly ask do you have to go to the potty. Take lots of spare panties and trousers with you, and a bag for putting wet ones in.
Why does my son of 12 yo only talk and behave nonsense in front of me? Since 8 years old, my son always likes to talk and behave nonsense in front of me. He likes to act cute or like a baby mimicking a cute voice and pretending to be like a baby only to me. To others he behaves like his age. When I talk to him seriousl...	Make sure to explain thoroughly to him the difference between ignoring his behavior and ignoring him; of disliking his behaviors and disliking him. There is also something called theather (or acting) therapy which could be helpful too. Be sure that he does an improvisation course and not a standard one, because otherwi...
How to get a 16 month old to eat? Our 16 month old daughter is a great kid. She is active, social, goes to day care (part-time), happy kid. The primary issue that we have at this stage is her eating. She does not care about food much except for crackers, milk and other crunchy snacks. We try to distract her quite a bit...	Then I place the food in front of her and tell her to eat as much as she wants and that's all I say. Always eat dinner at the table, together as a family, at the same time. It will come naturally, a d they will stop acting out once they stop getting the attention they desire by not eating. Also, kids go through growth ...
What to do about my infant who sucks his thumb constantly? My 5 month baby boy is always sucking on his thumb non stop. Is it okay for him to do it while he's asleep? I try to take it away and he just wont let me. Sometimes he makes him self sick so I am very careful watching over him. <Q> Our doctors encourage it fo...	Our doctor also encouraged it due to feeding issues. The thumb sucking at this age isn't a bad thing at all.
How to make the 2.6 year old toddler drink more water in winters? She passes urine once in 2 hours. She does drink 1 or 2 sips of warm water when I ask her during the day time. Usually I have to run behind her for the same. She does drink some water with lunch and dinner. What can I do to to ensure that she intakes m...	The most important thing is to look for signs of dehydration like others say here and to always provide access to water. My advice: do not worry too much. If you choose your battles and only correct when really necessary, they will be a lot more likely to see your correction as the loving care that we parents normally ...
14 month old won't eat solids My daughter is 14 months old and I feel like she's the world fussiest eater!! It's really getting to me now as I'm imagining a 2 year old still eating baby food :( Basically she'll eat crisps, crackers, biscuits, cookies, raspberries, garlic bread, yogurts, weetabix, porridge and rusks ...	timing: a hungry baby will be more willing to eat whatever is offered, a ravenous baby won't have the patience for eating "strange stuff" that comes on a spoon or to fiddle with tiny pieces that need picking up, chewing and swallowing. Just try all sorts of fruit. Do the same with biting, pretend bite some food (i.e, t...
Teaching kiddo to swallow semi-solids Kiddo is a little over seven-months old. We've been trying to get him on semi-solid foods for about a month now, trying once a day or every couple of days. We've tried the standard stuff: baby oatmeal, rice cereal and packaged pureed fruits. It's not too hard to get the stuff in hi...	I'd start meals with breastmilk or formula, then offer solid or semi-solid foods, and then wrap up with breastmilk or formula. Also it helps if he's choking a little bit because it makes him stop what he's doing (trying to swallow something a bit too big or dry) and gives him a chance to break it down a bit more. Basic...
Playing with legos with a toddler around I need your advice on how to get my 4-year old son to play less with legos (or to play in a more controlled fashion) when his toddler brother is around. Currently my son goes through a period where legos are his only toy. He takes them apart, builds something new, plays with it...	What I don't recommend is taking the Lego away from your elder child.
How to make my 18-month-old son eat without screen time? My 18-month-old son, who is very active and social, likes to eat only when we allow him to watch rhymes.Even though he is super hungry, he refuses to eat (even his favorite food) without watching rhymes. How can I make him eat without screen time? <Q> It sounds ...	Simply tell the child that the television is not going on. He'll eat when he gets hungry enough.
What age to stop son from sleeping in same bed as Mother? A 5 year old boy has been sleeping at night in the same bed as his single mother for basically his whole life, although he has his own bedroom and his own bed. They go to sleep together at the boy's bedtime and the mom gets up after the child is asleep (sometim...	I have noticed that among other parents of toddlers and pre-schoolers, IF you practice co-sleeping, many kids are still in their parents bed at this age. I really don't think its a big deal at this point in time. So, that's why I say it depends a lot on the son and what the mother knows about him.
When does a child start showing jealousy? At what age is it normal for a child to begin showing signs of jealousy of other children? I ask because my 13-month-old God daughter seemed like she was a little resentful of another child who was visiting at the same time. <Q> that he was jealous of any attention that his br...	I have twin boys and it was certainly obviously well before one was a year old
How do I find out who the bully is? So my kindergartner came home with some scratches that I'm 99% sure could not have been self inflicted. They are at the wrong angle and too deep - I tried to do it to myself and I couldn't and I'd hurt too much to continue. They are also staggered in a half moon at the start and th...	Just gently work towards what to do about it and try and make her feel good about it, or you might lose her trust for next time. Try roleplaying with a toy or a doll.
How to keep my baby's hand warm at night I live in a cold place. The temperature of my house drops to 60°F / 16°C at nights. What is the best way to keep his hands warm? I've tried mittens, but he puts them in his mouth, which makes them wet, and even colder. We used to swaddle him, but we're trying to transition hi...	If his chest is warm, and his feet are warm, it really doesn't matter if his hands are a bit cold. I would suggest a wool sleep sack.
Discipline and managing a 5 year old My daughter will turn 5 in the next 3 months. I am having a hard time controlling her and getting her to listen to me. She is defiant and argues about everything. She has even started hitting me. If I tell my husband, he says that it is because she feels she isn't getting enough at...	She isn't going to learn socially acceptable behavior unless you teach it to her. You and your husband need to sit down and figure out what the consequences should be when your daughter misbehaves. What matters are your standards have to be consistent.
PC mouse and lefty Personally I would prefer that my lefty son would use PC mouse with his right hand. Is it worth a try or let him use his main left hand and prepare for infinitely changing of mouse button assignments? <Q> I didn't start using a mouse until I was around 20 (yep, I'm old). <S> I'm a lefty and suggest l...	Another option might be getting a ambidextrous (excuse my poor spelling) mouse (a mouse that can be used with both hands), on which you can create profiles and preferably with a button to easily switch between the profiles (with a button on the mouse). I don't recommend forcing right-hand use at this age, unless you ar...
How to deal with jealous and stubborn twin girls? I have 19mo old twin girls. Recently we have been noticing a change in their behavior to each other. They are jealous to each other about getting our attention. Whenever we are near, they fight with each other. They are also behaving very stubbornly. If they ask for som...	If it gets serious, try separating them and treating them independently of each other. Don't worry though, it is just a phase. But just love them and keep at it and it will all work out.
Why does my infant occasionally regurgitate breast milk? I have a 5-month-old infant. It's always many hours after feeding - he is burped. He has always done it, but not every day and mostly just a little. Sometimes, it's a lot of volume. Is he losing nutrition or there not much actual milk coming out? <Q> A book I rea...	Acidic foods are a common culprit.
How can I get my 2.5 year old to go to sleep without me? She used to be fine going to sleep by herself. Then around Thanksgiving, nothing changed mind you, she began refusing to sleep unless my husband or I was in the room. We have tried changing her bedtime routine, skipping naps, a night light, and she still screams ...	The bottom line is that she feels insecure (afraid, uncertain, worried) being alone in her bed at night for some reason, and I think the best thing you can do is to be with her to allay that insecurity. In fact, don't be surprised if, after a while, she suggests that you don't need to stay with her till she falls aslee...
Should a toddler who weaned only a few months ago be allowed to see mom nursing younger sibling? My wife became pregnant with our third child when our second was only ten months old. She was nursing our second at the time, but she always had a problem of not having enough milk even though both her and the baby wanted t...	Make sure that you set some boundaries (the older sibling can't climb on or roughly hug while the baby is nursing, and may need to wait patiently for attention), but those are inevitable parts of being an older child (the same restrictions apply during diaper changes, for example). Talk about the differences that happe...
When is the right time to tell my daughter she's not my biological child? To try to keep the story short...I got divorced almost 4 yrs ago and I have a 11, 12 & 15 yr old. Now I had my suspicions, but I guess I wanted to look the other way and not find out whether it was real or not. Going through the divorce I found...	But first you need to talk to your ex about it so that she is prepared for the inevitable questions and accusations. I think you need to get the facts straight before you do anything. What she needs to know is that you're her dad I think the best answer is "as soon as possible".
I'm worried my son may have autism I have an 18-month-old son and some questions about possible autism. I had a complicated pregnancy: I had premature rupture of membranes and at 36 weeks I went for a check up and needed to have him straight away. He was delivered at 37 weeks weighing 3 pounds 12 ounces, but he didn't...	Also, diagnosis at this stage is quite difficult to completely recognize the signs of the autism spectrum. With the signs you have mentioned, it is better to consult a doctor to help you diagnose better. Every child is different, and every child will have some kind of challenges and difficulties in life. The silver lin...
Three months crying a lot. Cannot determine reason My baby just turned 3 months old and he is crying a lot, he is hard to put to sleep as well as he fights it and cry a lot. We tried everything, changing his pampers on time, milk on time, give him time but he won't stop crying. He doesn't have temperature or any rash. ...	Take him to the doctor, and if the doctor says he's okay, just be patient and watch for other odd symptoms. Outside of the vague diagnosis of "colic," there could be gastrointestinal issues at play.
How to prevent infants from rolling out of bed? My seven months old daughter is rolling quite a lot nowadays. This is cute when she is awake and we are present. However, lately she is also rolling in her bed during the night, when she awakes for a while. This is a bit problematic, because we have a Montessori-bed: the...	One common suggestion is a pool noodle under the edge of the mattress sheet.
Story of a sad mom - adult son who is violent and suffering from depression Please read my story: a sad mom and let me know what your suggestion is. I have a 23 year old son. Since 7 years ago, my husband and I have had lots of problems with our son. He was living with us until a year ago, during those years he cause...	You need to talk to someone over the long term who can help you with what you're going through. I think all you can really do is try to keep yourselves safe, and never be in a situation where either of you is alone with him. Unfortunately all you can do now is demonstrate "tough love" and cut him out of your lives, unt...
Is it normal for a 2-year-old girl to throw 30 min tantrums several times per day? My 2-year-old daughter throws extremely bad tantrums that last at least 30 minutes. She's pulling her hair, throwing things, hitting, kicking, biting people, hiding under things. They happen about 1-3 times a day. Is this normal? <Q> Tan...	Quite the opposite, in fact: If possible (depends on the tantrum's severity), you can express your love for her, comfort her, express your understanding that she is upset, be sad with her about it – just never give her a chance to gain anything by throwing a tantrum. That can be normal - or something like normal. What ...
4.5 yr old not making friends A brief background. The kid in question is a bit naturally reserved. She has few friends. Her best friend moved to a different country recently. She now has one friend with whom she plays in park. And plays with no one else. Now things have come to such a pass that she sits in park and kee...	If she's in a different environment, doing different things, she won't have the expectation that she will see her friend there, so may be more inclined to interact with others. Sounds to me this 4.5 year old was very attached her best friend that moved and is having trouble moving on as evidenced by her waiting for her...
At what age should children start taking swimming lessons? Swimming lessons are available from 6 months, but i suspect they do not learn much there or at not any more than just taking them to play in the pool. When will they benefit from swimming lessons more than just playing. The objective of the swimming lessons is...	All my siblings, my self, and related children were taught to "swim" by holding on to the edge of the pool, no too long after we started to walk around freely. If water / water sports / boating etc is a big part of your life, having them comfortable with water is a good thing.
Is it a good idea to go on an overseas holiday with a 6 month old baby? Thinking of going on a short holiday to Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Do babies enjoy travelling and going to new places? Is it easy to travel with a 6 month old? Flight is 10 hours so not too bad. Will the experience will enrich my baby in some way...	It's not a bad idea, but if you're hoping it'll be a particularly enriching experience for your baby, you may be disappointed.
Isn't it too much having 5 times a week soccer trainings? I am not against soccer, but my son is 9 and still doesn't know what is right for him. My husband completely supports him. But I believe so much soccer could influence the child's mentality and to reflect his results in school. <Q> Many children who focus on a...	As long as your child can get the academic results they need, taking part in a sport is going to keep them healthy.
Are playpens (playards) physically or mentally damaging? I just cancelled my order for a playpen. The playpen that I ordered is 1.2 m x 2 m (we live in a city apartment). I read online that putting your baby in a playpen is akin to neglect. Babies placed in a playpen could grow up to be less intelligent than their peer...	If you're sensible and careful, things will be fine. A playpen is a way to limiting your child's ability to travel.
How do I child proof a NEMA 6-20 socket? Our apartment has what appears to be a NEMA 6-20 socket in the living room (used for the air conditioner). Right now the circuit breaker is off but in the summer we'd like to use it. I can't find any child proof covers or guards. Any suggestions? <Q> You could buy a blank wal...	Here's an example of a watertight outlet cover which has a cover that can be fastened shut with with a zip tie, or even locked with a small padlock if desired. It's not a perfect solution, but you should be able to use a pair of snips to modify an existing 5-20 cover to fit in a 6-20.
As soon as I say the phrase 'science experiment' my six year old daughter turns up her nose - what do I do? I grew up doing science experiments with my Dad, in a kind of playful exploration. My wife and I are both 'sciencey' people (Software Engineer and Civil Engineer). I'm trying to create an environment where my d...	Talk about questions where you aren't sure of the answer, and then say, "Let's find out." The easiest solution is to avoid calling it a science experiment.
Should I make contact with my son's dad after 3 years? My 6 year old son's dad hasn't been in his life for over 3 years now. He is getting older now and asking questions about daddy. Me and his dad have had a volatile relationship, we were both young and eventually fell apart shortly after our son was born. Since then ...	Do not make the first step again. I would just send him a message saying you will keep a phone number available for his son, and offer to keep yours available to him should he wish to make contact.
Watching movies 7yr old and 5yr old The two are practically inseparable and we have what seems like an unsolvable dilemma: we want to allow the 7yr old to watch, for example, Star Wars but feel it's not adequate for a 5yr old. How should we proceed? <Q> Arrange something like a playdate for your 5yo or one of you the 5...	At that age, their attention span is not great anyway, so while they may love the intro with all the explosions and lasers, they are likely to get bored after that once the plot starts to become evident, and getting them to draw a picture can be a wonderful distraction.
How to get a 3-year-old started with running training and contests so that it's a fun experience? I use to run during my free time, preparing for some races, and my 3-year-old daughter often asks me if she could go with me. She says that she'd like to run, too, and participate in contests (she saw me some times doing s...	If you treat it as an active game, then she may really want to participate, but you won't know the best approach until you try. Turn it into a play run, by doing things like side skips, run to a tree. Start by scheduling a block of time in which to do this, start gently, build it up over time and try to instigate it as...
Raising polyglot children through television - a reliable method? Doing some research on strategies for raising polyglot children, I stepped on this paper (not peer-reviewed) on academia.edu. Also available here . It suggests that through television it is possible to teach children a language not spoken at home or ...	I'm not sure if it would be different for a child, but in my own experience learning a second language, I found that television is great as an additional resource and to use for reinforcing what I am learning.
7 month old wants to sleep on its belly -- is it safe? We have two 7 month olds (10 month premies). One of the girls wants to turn on her belly during the night. She seems to like that better than sleeping on her back. However, we heard that sudden infant deaths usually occur when babies are sleeping on their belly. ...	When they can roll over themselves, then it's ok to let them choose their own preferred sleeping position. Just be sure to use light-weight coverings, and when you put them to bed don't pull the covers up too far. At 7 months, it's safest if the babies can comfortably and safely move around on their own.
Threat of internet predators -- how significant is it? There is a lot of talk about securing your children's access to electronic devices, the web, etc. There are lots of scary stories about terrible things happening, no doubt many terrible things have happened. However, what I have not been able to find is any solid ...	As with so many of these things, the risk is real but a lot smaller than some would have you believe.
Where can I get help for my 13-year-old daughter whose tantrums get physical? I have a 13-year-old daughter. She has had a tantrum tonight after her and her sister got in a little argument. My 13-year-old daughter got to the point where she got physical with my other daughter. She then grabbed a knife and I had to take...	Whenever any child shows acute signs of self-harm or other-harm, you should take them to get assessed for everyone's safety. Your child's therapist should be called immediately for advice; I am sure he or she is plugged into all the local options for psych assessment and can give you meaningful guidance.
My wife is under treatment for depression and just had a traumatic labor. What can I do to help her? My wife gave birth two weeks ago. It was all very traumatic and it has certainly taken its toll on her mood. She suffers from depression anyway, and now I am concerned that she is probably suffering from post-natal depr...	Sleep deprivation really feeds into PPD. It is well documented that exercise can help lift people out of a sad/depressed state. Provide opportunities for breaks -- time out with friends, running errands without the baby, even a nap and shower and an hour of "quiet mommy time" is remarkably refreshing.
Child afraid from diving head into water My child has a phobia when diving his head down the water. Is there any entertainment exercise we can do or any other suggestions? <Q> One of my favorite diving games growing up was "penny fetch". <S> My folks would toss coins into the pool and we were supposed to go down to f...	Then my friend suggested to show my kid cartoons and animated videos and also videos from youtube that shows how babies and toddlers swim and play in the pool. Get him used to having water poured over his head until he treats it as an occupational hazard of playing in the water.
How can I help my 11-year old boy create his first videogame? Today I sent my child a link to a report about a boy, whohas created a commercially viable videogame. My son repliedthat he may intend to do something similar. I asked him about the bottleneck of this project - whatprevents him from making progress, but he ...	I would say first (if you have not already), sit down with him and describe all of the plugins he may want to do in the Minecraft world. Once you get three or four kids with a common interest together, the synergy will form and things will start to happen. Apart from Scratch, there is another, more advanced system for ...
How to give a 5-year-old "the talk"? We have a 5-year-old son and my wife is pregnant with a second child. Our son asked us how the baby got inside of her. Should I give him the talk? If so how much detail should I go into? <Q> You are already giving it more importance than it has by calling it The Talk . <S> It's suc...	Little ones often have their curiosity satisfied with small answers. They can help, and in the meantime, make sure your child knows that your question is important to you and that you are going to answer it, that you want to make sure that you give him the right information first. Ask them what they think first.
How can I help my 7 year old overcome his fear of playground equipment? My 7 year old seems to be afraid of a lot of playground equipment. It's not the height so much as I believe that he's afraid of falling and getting hurt. (He'll climb up tall stairs and go down tall slides, run across high bridges...) We were at a ...	Go do something that makes him feel strong, something that he does fearlessly, something that excites him. IMO, I say ditch the playground and go do something else. Another thing my son did was to decide that only older children could do things. If you get impatient and push him into doing something he isn't ready to d...
Our 4-month-old child is allergic to milk products. Can we start giving him solid foods? My 4-month-old son is allergic to milk products and as per pediatrician's advice we're giving him formula milk Zerolac – and no breastmilk. Can someone advise whether we can start giving him the solid foods from now on? If yes, pl...	On the advice of our pediatrician, we started giving our kids solid foods after 6 months. Mashed up, or puréed fruits or vegetables - banana, apple, pear, carrot, potato, parsnip etc. It sounds like your child's needs are different than the average child that is the same age, so your child's doctor is the best place to...
Out of control sibling I'm a 17 year old student, in their last year of high school and under shared custody of my parents. I have 2 siblings, a 14 year old sister and a 16 year old brother. For nearly my whole life, I've had no problems with my parents. I feel like I skipped the naughty teenager phase, I never went to...	Talk to your mother and simply explain how serious your brothers situation is in your opinion. Once you move away to University, and you and your brother are no longer under the same roof, I predict your relationship with him will improve dramatically.
How to wash a 10-month-old whilst camping for 4 days? We are taking our 10-month-old baby camping this summer. It will be four days of festival. We were planning to just sit him in a bucket for washing. Does anyone have any suggestions/experience for baby washing whilst camping? <Q> The two options we used when campi...	Cloth wash - as long as you can heat water, you can then dip a cloth or sponge in it to wash baby, starting with the face, and working downwards.
What techniques can I use to get my six-year-old out of bed and dressed for school? In the morning I have to wrestle my six-year old girl to get her to remove her Doona (Duvet/Comforter/Quilt). Then I have to wrestle her to get her up and get her clothes on. I feel like she should get up and dress herself. (My wife a...	If she's not getting enough sleep, then it's not terribly surprising she has trouble getting up and getting moving. For my 7-year-old, we created a few checklists including the following items: Items to do every morning until she is ready for school Items to do when she is back from school Items to do before going to b...
How do I help my four-year old feel like they can do a challenge? Today I offered my four-year old some flash-cards we had made together of the letters: M, N, O, P, Q and R. (Having done A-F, G-L on the two days before). We'd draw the letter, think of something for that letter, draw it, and then cut out the flashcard...	Rewarding effort teaches them to try.
Helping my four year old not mistake 'b' and 'd' (or 'p' and 'q') My four year old (nearly five) is reading very well, level 2 easy readers already, and in general showing signs of enjoying reading quite a lot. He still has one issue that trips him up constantly, though: 'b' and 'd'. He gets them wrong 50% of the tim...	If your son thinks it's fun (my boys liked them because it made them feel grownup), you might try a handwriting notebook. Continuing with reading and writing should be enough. The most important thing until the brain per se takes the next step is practise , but please not boring repetitive exercises for a child that is...
My 2 year old baby gets confused with "I" and "Y" while saying the alphabet, how can I help her? My 2 year old child loves reciting the alphabet on her own. Her mother and I take turns to recite the alphabet one by one with her. However, we noticed that when she reaches I she says Y and then Z. And also the other way r...	A long list of alphabet letters is still a very abstract concept, and it is totally okay if they aren't getting all the letters, or aren't saying them in the right order.
How to deal with an 18-month-old toddler pretending to not understand what we say to him? I have an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old son. It seems that the younger is growing up more slowly than the older one did. For instance, he doesn't speak yet, he walked late in comparison with his brother, same for his teeth growth....	It might even be a certain tone of voice (for example, the one your wife uses when she wants him to do something) that's become a cue for him to ignore whatever is said. If you have any doubts, ask a professional. It's good to consider any challenges such as hearing or a neurological issue, but barring those I highly r...
Is being left-handed going to be more difficult for my son? My boy is 16 months and I have noticed he is left-handed. He can scribble well using a pen and some crayon with his left hand. I also noticed whenever I gave him a spoon to feed himself he would move it to the left hand and eat well. Back in our place, due to...	The biggest challenge your son is likely to face is that some things (e.g., scissors, can openers) are primarily designed with right-handed users in mind. Early on, it only takes a small amount of gentle encouragement to get a toddler to prefer to use the right hand by default. Nowadays in the US, it is extremely rare ...
The children are making home messy I have 2 kids. 3.5 yrs old girl and 10 month boy. We live in apartment. Daily my kids used to make mess in whole house. What I mean my "mess" is that they put their toys everywhere, drag their washed cloths here and there, take out kitchen items and play with those, never allow us t...	Just make sure they don't have too many toys and things they can pull out of the closet. Kids love unpacking so they'd unpack whatever they can put their hands on. When you get home (or even once a week) do a clean up game with your kids.
At what age is handedness preference firmly established? Based on the discussion in the comments here: Is being left-handed going to be more difficult for my son? Some of us are interested in knowing when hand dominance becomes firmly established. I'm looking for a general timeline of the related developmental mile...	Although many children exhibit clear left- or right-handedness from the age of two—and handedness usually is determined during the third year—it is not unusual for a child to repeatedly switch hand preferences well into their preschool years. Our pediatrician told us that you can often tell which hand a baby will prefe...
How do I give my child's age? People ask how old my baby is, and I'm not sure what to tell them. He was born May 16, 2016. Do I give his age in weeks? Days? When should I give it in months? <Q> Do not count the day he was born - that is "Day Zero". <S> After that is day 1, 2, etc. <S> Every 7 days is a week. <S> Ge...	"He's x months old" until he's 2 years old, then go with years in the usual way, maybe adding in some fractions if you want to be more specific: You can give your child's age however it suits you.
How a child can tell if his bottom is clean enough? This is the situation. My 5 1/2 year old is concerned because he does not know if his bottom is clean when he wipes himself after a BM. He knows that sometimes his bottom needs a lot of cleaning and sometimes very little. He does not know which is the case after an...	It helps to have baby wipes (fresh wipes) that are moist and clean the area faster and with less irritation.
Acting up for Daddy My partner's 4 year old daughter lives with us. I look after her more than my partner. She is generally well behaved, polite little girl and we have lots of fun. As soon as Daddy comes home she turns into this demanding whiny little brat. I can not stand it! I think it is because Daddy is much softe...	Yup, agreeing with everyone else, your kid whines for Daddy, because she has empirically learned that it gets her what she wants from him, not from you.
How do you entertain a 7 week old infant? I have a 7 week old baby and I stay home with him. The days can be long. I run out of ideas of how to entertain him. He doesn't talk or walk or crawl. He can't hold any toys. I don't want to always lie him on his back because of fear of a flat head but dont want to carry him. A...	Talk to him and he does make eye contact. If they don't like sitting for long periods maybe get a sling. From personal experience, a house pet will do better than most toys to help your kid stimulate himself. Everything is new for a small baby and everything is stimulating as they discover the environment around them. ...
Should soap be used when bathing a new born When bathing a new born should you use soap? are there any benefits or harms to using soap vs just using water? This is on top of the question How often should I bathe my newborn? Some time frames to consider 0-1 Weeks - Month 0 1-4 Weeks - Month 1 4-12 Weeks - Mont...	If they get excrement all over themselves, then soap may be the only way to get them clean.
Do Soothies cause nipple confusion? My wife and I had our first 6 days ago and have been having a lot of trouble to get him to sleep at night. We were exclusively breastfeeding until we found we needed to supplement a bit to get him the correct amount of food, at least until my wife's milk had come in. Now her milk i...	I agree with @anongoodnurse about nipple confusion is more likely due to bottle use being easier. This may be controversial, but I believe it's a myth.
how to teach a child to keep calm when encountering a setback My 2-year old boy likes to pipe up a stack of wooden toy pieces and ferry it from one place to another. Once the balance is lost and the wooden pieces fall in the process he becomes very upset and throws himself to the carpet and rolls on and screams. I d...	Helping the child to recognize and identify their own emotions is key in this stage. I also always talk about how you have to keep trying and practicing to learn to do something new. Children do learn to modify their behaviour with different people, so its possible you can teach him to behave around you even if he stil...
How to tell parents of guests that we had a loud fight during a sleepover? My 9-year-old daughter had a few friends sleep over. My husband and I got into an argument in our room after we sent everyone to bed. He lost control and got really loud. He started slamming doors and yelling through the house. It got really sc...	Explain to them there was a misunderstanding and you overreacted in front of the kids and promise not to go through that path again. Explain that you did help the girls settle down afterwards, and apologize sincerely (and I would add profusely.) Tell the parents the truth. There is really nothing you can do to make thi...
Is 5 hours too long of a drive for single parent with 2 year-old? I'd like to take my 2yo son on a 5h road trip - but the mother is against this idea. I have to admit - it does seem daunting - but would like to try. <Q> 5 hours doesn't seem that long - double that is definitely doable. <S> regular stops, whether for ...	If they are able to amuse themselves for long periods, then a five hour drive with a couple of "get out, run around, snack, bathroom" breaks might make it work. I would not recommend doing that much driving in a single day with a 2 year old. The important thing is how you plan it- Have some entertainment your son can p...
My 9 year old saw an R rated movie My 9 year old son recently made a new friend who lives in our neighborhood. My wife and I like the friend and are happy that our son is being more social. Apparently, there are very few rules at the friend's house. For example, he's allowed to ride his bike in the street without a he...	Follow up, and if for a moment you sense your son isn't in a safe parenting environment then you should definitely consider not letting him be there alone - only allow the friend to stay over at your house, or have a parent go with him when he visits his friend. It doesn't have to be a big deal.
Raising a bilingual kid in monolingual community I speak to my kid in 2 different languages at one time now . I used to speak to him only English and his mom our native language for 2years now but seems it didn't work so I decided to communicate the 2 languages to him myself to be sure things go right because I am the ...	But your children should get the language that you know really well.
Should we let our toddler cry herself to sleep when she asks for night feeding? Our daughter just turned 2 and it has been since 8 months since she has been weaned off breast milk. She now drinks whole milk. On some nights she sleeps through the night but on some nights she wakes up crying between 1 and 3 AM. We usuall...	Most of the toddlers don't need the calories, so you can try to change the milk with water and see if that works to make her sleep. I let my child cry for up to five minutes, at which point I go in there and calm him down without picking him up.
Kid reading too fast My kid is reading multiple books a day (He is home for summer holidays for now). I gather it is a good, but I doubt that he reads every word & line while reading. Should I worry that this will develop into a bad habit & result into poor comprehension? I did test him on the overall stories & unde...	Some possible suggestions: Get him books above his reading level, good ones . Finally, you can just leave it to his teachers, who actually test for stuff like this, even early on.
Getting used to Stomach Sleeping My daughter is going to be 5 months. She has recently started to turn herself over onto her side and that is how she likes to sleep. She then in her sleep rolls onto her stomach and sleeps on her stomach but only till her binky falls out. Then she wakes up and cries until we can get her...	Our ritual : Go in her room, hug her, give her her pacifier back and put her plushie on her belly (one appropriate for kids, of course), put on a lullaby on low volume. There's nothing you can do to keep your baby on her side, once babies realize they can flip themselves over
Encouraging good homework habits at preschool age Our 4 year old daughter's preschool gives out little homework books to help the kids start to learn letters and numbers on their own time. They work in these books weekly at school, but participation is largely optional. Our daughter is very active and has some troubl...	According to research , homework for preschoolers is an educational trend without any real benefits to the child.
How to discuss with my kids returning to dating My situation is perhaps a bit unusual for a single parent: my wife passed away three years ago. My kids, six and eight, have clung to me since. When I approached the topic about six months ago, they specifically asked me not to date. Which was fine since we're for the mos...	Even if your kids are hurt, if they see you are honest and genuine, (and genuinely considering their feelings), then, even if saying whatever you have to say is less than perfect, it's better than seeming manipulative or evasive. I think they will completely understand how lonely you can be because of the passing of yo...
Baby fights to get out of arms, cries when I put him down I have an 11-month-old son. Sometimes, particularly when he's very sleepy, he will fight to get out of the arms of whoever is holding him but the moment he is put down he starts screaming and crying. Is this something that many babies do? If so, does it mean som...	Basically, he feels rubbish because he's tired. Try holding him face down, resting on one of your arms. Massage him (to release gas and further calm down AND check for rash & wounds) You can try shifting positions, rocking/bouncing, having a different adult hold him for a while, let him lie down while you rub his back ...
Playing Imagination Game with my 5-year-old girl A couple of days ago, I started playing a small game with my almost 5-year-old girl, before she goes to sleep. The game is about imagining fictional stories happening with her. For example, I say "Let us imagine that you have a beautiful horse, and you go on a ride on th...	I think it's great to have daydreams, if we can learn to be content in the knowledge that not all our daydreams can become reality.
Worried that Kumon tutoring is not working for our daughter We have enrolled our 6 year old daughter in the Kumon tutoring service for maths since November 2015, and at first she enjoyed it, completing the worksheets well and seeming to really understand her mathematics. We then started her English a few months ago, an...	Absolutely - Kumon is not just about math but great for character building.
Son cries intensively every morning when I bring him to day care, but he ostensibly likes it there My son (2y5m) always cries when I bring him to the day care in the morning. I thought it could be because he doesn't really like it very much there, and would rather stay some time with his dad. However, the people worki...	The problem isn't the emotion or whether he has fun once he accepts that he's there, it's the pivot.
What skills should a 4-year-old have when it comes to counting and memorizing numbers? Our 4-year-old daughter just turned 4 and just started Pre-K. She can count to 10 and recognize 0-10 written on a board, with really no issues whatsoever. However, we've been working with her for half an hour to just learn the number...	It might also be that the younger one is memorising the words and visual signs for the numbers by heart All children are different, learn at different paces and are stronger in some things than others. She's picked it up so quickly because she's effectively been doing it for 2 years longer. They start formally teaching...
From what age should I require the child to complete her homework? She started getting homework when she was 2 years 3 months old. How to encourage a 2 year old toddler to complete colouring a sketch? Now she is 3 years 2 months old. Now she gets the homework of tracing lines and alphabets. Her daily homework constit...	Unfortunately, schools follow the research less often than you might think, so I would just hold out as long as possible, and replace homework with learning activities she chooses herself. If she doesn't want to do the work, she shouldn't get the reward, so don't use things you plan to give her anyway.
Can wife and I handle pre/post our baby birth problems without our parents' help? I currently work in an IT firm and my wife stays at home. She is thinking of going back to her hometown in 8th month to stay and give birth to our first baby. She thinks it requires her parents' (especially her mother's) help during, befo...	It doesn't so much matter what we think, it matters what your wife thinks, and it sounds like she'll be happiest and most comfortable giving birth and learning to care for an infant with her mother's help.
10 year old avoiding school as parent criticises and changes school texts My 10 year old grandson has been avoiding school because his father (my son) doesn't support some material in schoolbooks which he believes is political, not information. My grandson is embarrassed because his father writes in his textbooks. My...	If your son doesn't agree with school policies or the materials in his child's schoolbooks then he should take it up with the school officials.
What happens when you feed cold milk to a baby? I often read the recommendation that milk for newborns and infants (breast milk or infant formula milk) should have body temperature (~ 37°C). Usually, this recommendation is just stated as a fact (without scientific reasoning) or with some useless "generic" reasoning ("I...	For breast milk when the mother has been on a bland diet, this can cause chilled milk to be less enticing to a baby. Room temperature is fine but you do want to knock the chill off cold milk out of the fridge.
2 1/2 year old boy, hates meat, and most veggies 2 1/2 year old boy, hates meat, and most veggies. I will admit, I am not the greatest cook and we sometimes eat not-so-healthy meals, however, I am still worried about it and want to make sure that I am giving him the best nutrition I can. Any suggestions? <Q> Sit down...	We will sometimes add cooked peppers, carrots, eggplant, squash or the like to tomato sauce in the blender, mix it all up, then use it as you would any tomato sauce. Things that can help are Routine & Consistency: set fixed meal times every day. Most kids will eat fairly well and self manage if you set the right bounda...
Is it normal for a 3.5-year-old child to get sick every month? My son is now 3.5 years old and had recently started going to play school. Ever since, he had been getting sick approximately at a rate of once every 4-5 weeks. Each time it is the same story, he gets fever, cold (sometimes cough as well) and we take him to...	A fever by itself in a kid that is still acting fine is not a problem. Sure, it's normal to have a cold when he hanging around other kids, but a fever every month isn't normal. Quite simply, there are hundreds, if not thousands of cold and flu viruses circulating in society.
How to tell off a 2-year-old boy I assume that this question has already been asked on countless occasions but I haven't been able to find the answer to it! I'm a separated father who sees his son 2 days a month. As you can imagine his education is out of my control as there isn't much communication with the mother. He...	Hey, do not push that other kid; it is not nice. Timeouts when they're older and monitoring what sort of input they are modeling their behavior on are the best shot you've got. It takes time for a kid that hasn't had interaction with other kids to warm up.
How do I tell my daughter she has a half-sister who wants nothing to do with her? When I was young, I'd had a daughter, "Sam". She's now about to turn 17. Her mother and I never married, and never considered being together. I pay child support, and communicate frequently, but we have no real interaction outside of emai...	Just leave Sam alone and don't force Rene into her life.
How to temporarily straighten very thick and curly hair? My 5 year old daughters hair is very thick and very curly. I am well aware of proper hair care, protective braids and curls. Sometimes she wants it straight. I've encouraged her to embrace her natural beauty (I wish I had her curls!). However she is 5 and very s...	This electric hair straightening tools make straightening quick and easy while treating the hair kindly. It is also possible to use large rollers and relax the curls a lot which is satisfying. Seems like you're looking for Argan Oil.
How should the parent respond when a teenager tells about their ended relationship? http://www.eruptingmind.com/the-effect-of-parents-on-a-childs-psychological-development/ Or perhaps as a teenager they confided in a parent about the pain they felt regarding a relationship which had ended, but instead of receiving co...	support (what can you do to help), empathy (acknowledge the legitimacy of their feelings), truth. Again others might do some activity to take their childs' mind off of the ex-partner. It all depends on who they are as a person and how your relationship is.
What's a healthy, non-perishable, keep-it-in-the-car-and-forget-it snack for a toddler? I would like to offer my 1.5 year old toddler snacks while we are in car and its snacktime or she is hungry. Currently, I rely on goldfish crackers but these are not much healthier than potato chips, especially with the salt and fat...	Bread sticks hardly ever go off and kids love too munch on them although they crumble and go on the car interior, flapjack in a sealed container sugary and a bit sticky but will a bait an appetite, banana chips and apple rings are great for teething, homemade oaty biscuits and those packets of mini salamis x the pouche...

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