All Questions
6
votes
1answer
148 views
Retrain toddler to potty?
My toddler was using the potty frequently when he turned about 2.5 years, then after Memorial weekend, he suddenly stopped going. He seems to hold it forever and is very stubborn. I haven't had him ...
6
votes
3answers
168 views
How do I encourage my toddler to work on his spoken language?
Our 15 month old has yet to speak any words. He seems to hear well enough, and will, when it suits him, listen to us when we ask things of him ("go get your ball!", etc). He's engaged with the world ...
6
votes
5answers
141 views
What are some good places to find trustworthy babysitters?
Our children are 3 and 10 months, and we're thinking about finding a regular babysitter so that we can get out of the house a little more often.
In the past we've relied on nearby family, a high ...
6
votes
2answers
589 views
How can I potty train my 4 year old daughter?
I have been trying to potty train my daughter over the summer to prepare her for nursery school. She started sitting on the potty for hours just in case she wet in spite of being told this was not ...
6
votes
2answers
664 views
How do I transition a toddler to foods with texture?
My 10 month old doesn't seem to have any problem trying new flavors. However, he has become extremely picky about trying any food that has texture (i.e. any foods that aren't pureed completely ...
6
votes
4answers
5k views
When should an infant stop sucking on her hands?
My little girl about 3 months old and she already mouths quite frequently on her hands. Should we try to discourage this behavior now (by pulling her hand away when we find her doing it), or wait ...
6
votes
3answers
293 views
Should extracurricular activities be required for home-schoolers?
Should extracurricular activities be required for home-schoolers? Of course they should be offered, but should reluctant children be required to attend a certain amount of social activities?
Is ...
5
votes
6answers
465 views
Is it okay for my newborn to sleep in a travel bed instead of his crib?
My "Pack n Play" is easy to move around the house and it contains things I need such as changing pad or diapers.
Is there any disadvantage for letting my newborn sleep in this for a long period of ...
5
votes
8answers
502 views
How can we avoid tantrums over sweets and cakes?
From the moment he wakes to the moment he falls asleep my toddler barely ever stops asking for "chocolate", "sweeties" or "cakes".
He frequently doesn't eat his meals well, but we are fairly strict ...
5
votes
3answers
985 views
How do dealing with infant flipping over during sleep training?
We are sleep training our 4 month old. Its working great except that now he is flipping over to him belly and then he starts crying.
Should we go in and flip him back? Should we leave him to figure ...
5
votes
5answers
5k views
Can temper tantrums indicate a behavior problem?
I understand that temper tantrums are relatively normal for many children.
However, some children seem to have far more temper tantrums than other children their age, and others far fewer.
Can ...
5
votes
3answers
639 views
How do you childproof electrical cords?
I let my 6-month-old roll around on the living room floor. She almost always heads for a cord of some kind (laptop cord, xbox controller cord, etc.) I hide the power strip, so she doesn't have ...
5
votes
8answers
1k views
How much sleep does my infant really need?
Our 7-month old boy is only sleeping an average of 11-12 hours each day. During the day, he usually takes 3 naps, and each one only last approx. 30 mins. From 3 months onwards, he has always been a ...
5
votes
1answer
115 views
How closely should a parent be tied to their child's education?
I know that some kids are relatively self-motivated; I want to be supportive without smothering such a child. I know that some kids have very little motivation; I want to be able to encourage such a ...
5
votes
2answers
146 views
When should a child be allowed to use public transit on their own?
When did you consider your child(ren) old/mature enough for using public transit? How did you go about making the decision about permitting this type of freedom?
4
votes
4answers
539 views
What cartoons teach basic math?
There are some excellent cartoons that teach languages, like Word World, but I'm having a hard time finding ones about math. There's of course Count von Count and other math-related characters on ...
4
votes
4answers
108 views
Where can I find reliable entertainment reviews which are targeted for parents?
Is there a reliable, online, place, where I can find reviews for video games, board games, toys and movies which are aimed at parents, especially parents with young children?
3
votes
3answers
143 views
How to read an English story book to the kid when we don't talk in English at home?
I am not a native English speaker nor is the country I live in. However since English is given a higher preference here over the native language I would like my kid to learn English from an early age.
...
2
votes
4answers
172 views
Teaching mathematics to young children
When I was a child, I learned basic mathematics (addition, subtraction) through practice and memorization of basics (6 + 7 = 13). However, while I was visiting a child (5 yrs. old) over New Year's, I ...
2
votes
4answers
2k views
How can one tell if an infant is developmentally advanced?
How can I tell if an infant is developmentally advanced?
For example, in a 10 month old baby boy: he likes to play the piano and drum; he is always making sounds or noises with his mouth or toys all ...
2
votes
3answers
288 views
How to comfort a new born with gum's ache whose teeth are about to grow?
I like to know how to comfort and relax a new born whose primary teeth (or milk teeth) are about to grow. What about soothing the gums with a Teether? What i have read about Teether s is that they are ...
2
votes
1answer
339 views
Are there techniques for sleep training that actually teach a child how to sleep?
I finally found some time to read the books my mother borrowed for me about sleep training. I was sorely disappointed: neither book mentioned anything about actually teaching the child how to fall ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
How can I wean my toddler off the pacifier at night?
Our 14 month old is sleeping pretty well these days (last night down at 8pm, woke at 7 for a drink, still in bed with mum when I left the house at 8am!)
However we do have a problem with him losing ...
2
votes
1answer
142 views
Switching a newborn to the correct timezone
We live in London, but our new-born son (3 days old) seems to operate in the US west coast timezone, so he is mainly active during the night. What is the best way to switch him to the local timezone? ...
2
votes
3answers
319 views
How to deal with potty trained 3 year old who now won't go to the potty?
My daughter has been potty trained for about 8 months and going well. Currently, we still put her in a diaper for her nap and when she sleeps at night.
Suddenly, she doesn't want to go to the potty ...
2
votes
2answers
147 views
What books are in your parenting reference library? [closed]
There are alot of books about parenting. Some are better than others. Which book(s) do you turn to as general, all-purpose, parent guides?
1
vote
2answers
112 views
What are the pros and cons of giving nutritional food supplements?
There are lots of nutritional food supplements that (arguably) makes our children
Stronger
Sharper
Taller
Me and my mom are having a difference of opinion here. She tells me not to give them. She ...
19
votes
6answers
688 views
How do you discipline someone else's child?
We have friend who is living with us and he has a 5-year old boy. The child has been disrespectful and distructive. He tore a ceiling fan down, and has been breaking stuff and writing on the walls.
...
17
votes
5answers
342 views
How do you determine when to start a child on music lessons without pressuring them?
I have a 5-year old who has shown some interest in music. We started him with some very basic piano lessons (30 min/week) from an instructor who specializes in teaching children and got him a keyboard ...
13
votes
5answers
3k views
At what age should opposite-sex siblings stop bathing together?
When should I stop bathing my son and daughter together? What signs can I watch for that would indicate that they should be separate? Also, what are the average ages in the US and other countries and ...
12
votes
6answers
1k views
Raising a bilingual child when one parent knows both languages while the other doesn't
I am in the USA, originally from India, and my wife is American. My native language is Hindi. My wife knows only a little bit of Hindi. It hasn't been a problem because we usually talk in English ...
11
votes
7answers
766 views
Can you guide a toddler to learn specific words?
My 14 month old has a pretty good vocabulary for his age. However, it is a source of frustration for my wife that "mommy" (or some variation thereof) is not part of his vocabulary.
He says "daddy" ...
11
votes
4answers
4k views
At what age should my child start schooling (formal education)?
What is the best age to start schooling for my kid. In India, some start schooling at 3 few at 4-6. So, I just want to know what is the age come out from research which is the best age for schooling. ...
11
votes
4answers
356 views
How to get a child to stop pretending to choke on foods he doesn't want to eat?
I have a 4 1/2 yr old. We're at the stage where he's definitely finicky over foods. The issue is not so much that he's finicky, but that he expresses it by taking a bite and then mock choking. I am ...
10
votes
5answers
1k views
How do you explain World War II to young children?
My 7-year old son asks many questions about World War II. I have the habit not to hide anything, but concepts such as Nazism or the Holocaust are so inherently dreadful that he sometimes seems to ...
10
votes
8answers
1k views
How do you stop a toddler from trying to get into bed with her parents in the middle of the night?
For a few weeks now my 2 year old daughter has woken up in the middle of the night crying for mom or dad. This started out when we took off her diaper and she would cry to go to the potty. She picked ...
10
votes
3answers
270 views
Why does the baby consistently fuss at nightfall?
My daughter (2 months old) consistently fusses or screams around sundown/nightfall regardless of the sky is overcast, the lights in the house are on, or apparently any other factor.
Is this common, ...
9
votes
6answers
2k views
What should you do after you've raised your voice at your child?
We've all lost our cool at one point or another. We all know its terrible to raise your voice at your kids, but every once in a while we slip. I've occasionally raised my voice to my teenager and to ...
8
votes
5answers
379 views
How do you respond to minor injuries?
I have a 21-month-old daughter. Sometimes (not always), if she bumps her head, or stubs her toe, or whatever, this results in crying and asking to be held (and not wanting to be put down once the ...
8
votes
2answers
222 views
Is it bad to use a pacifier?
I've been using it when she gets fussy and she seems to love it. Is this a bad habit to get into? I've heard there are potential dental/breastfeeding/dependency issues. Is there any truth to this?
7
votes
4answers
288 views
What if my kids don't want me to speak my native language?
My children are raised multilingual; we live in Austria and they learn all their German from my wife and from the world around us. I'm Danish and I want my kids to know that language too, so since ...
7
votes
4answers
165 views
Does teaching your child sign language improve his emotional health?
We're expecting our first child and trying to make decisions about what parenting trends to follow. I've been reading about teaching sign language to babies. It seems like the jury is out on whether ...
7
votes
2answers
359 views
Toddler likes to hurt herself?
My almost 2-year old toddler enjoys falling on her knees (purposely) and then saying "ouch" with a big smile on her face.
I didn't think much of it when she used to do it on carpet, but now, she has ...
7
votes
5answers
490 views
Should I let my 5 year old watch the news?
My 5 year old is very mature for his age. He has an amazing vocabulary and a great attention span. He is very interested in watching the evening news, but often times the news is filled with stories ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
When should my child transition from tricycle to a bicycle?
I know that every child is different and each advance at their own age. So the question is not "How old" but what should I be looking for in behaviour, maturity, coordination, and physical control to ...
7
votes
6answers
2k views
How do you decide when it is time to change schools?
My son's school is not a good fit for him. I want to move him but minimize the disruption. When is the best time (grade) for boys to change schools?
EDIT: "not a good fit" = not responsive to his ...
6
votes
3answers
381 views
How can I avoid ugly arguments with my wife?
I was recently playing a board game with my 12 year-old son and wife of 18 years. We reached a point in the game where it was my turn to play while my wife could win the game with her next move. ...
6
votes
8answers
1k views
When should I allow a child to swear?
Disclaimer: I do not have kids of my own yet, so this is more of a curiosity question.
I'd met some kids via online gaming who were ages 13 or so, and swearing quite skillfully. I think in ...
6
votes
6answers
4k views
How to fit 3 children car seats into the back of a car
My 3rd child was just born and I've discovered fitting the seats for all my children into the car is a real problem.
My oldest child is using a booster, my middle child a car seat and the new baby is ...
6
votes
6answers
436 views
How can I handle my toddler's bedtime-avoidance tricks?
My son is 2½ years old and he thinks he's figured out a smart trick to avoid having to sleep. Our responses sometimes work, and sometimes they don't. Even when they work, it's time-consuming and ...
