All Questions
45
votes
11answers
2k views
What are some strategies for raising a bilingual child?
We are planning on raising our child bi-lingual. The plan is for my husband to only speak English to her and I would only speak Tagalog (a dialect of the Philippines). I have asked my parents to also ...
24
votes
17answers
2k views
What are some do's and dont's for an effective bedtime ritual?
I think most parents agree that it's helpful to follow some fixed ritual when putting a child to bed.
What elements in such rituals are particularly useful, and what should be avoided?
There are ...
6
votes
6answers
3k views
How can I get my 12-month baby to sleep in her bed?
My 12-month baby doesn't want to fall asleep in her own bed. We could do it in her rocking cot, but now it's too small, and currently we get her to sleep outside of bed, but every time she wakes up ...
61
votes
17answers
4k views
How can you deal with tantrums without spanking?
My son just turned 2, and he started throwing more tantrums on us.
He doesn't eat well or drink enough milk ... and he is becoming more adamant and says "No" more often. If we force him to drink ...
23
votes
11answers
924 views
How do you handle bilingual education in a country where you do not speak the language natively?
Our 2 year old son is growing up in a different country (New Zealand) than we did (Brazil).
We try to speak to him in portuguese all times, and we noticed that he is learning english reasonably well ...
19
votes
12answers
15k views
How do I get my 6-month-old to sleep better at night?
So our 6-month-old boy still doesn't sleep through the night. He still wakes up at least once and wants to eat.
He takes 3 naps during the day, ranging from 30 minutes to 1.5 (sometimes 2) hours.
We ...
11
votes
1answer
470 views
What should I consider when deciding whether to homeschool my child?
This is an often-controversial topic, one where it's easy to find conflicting or misleading information. What are the important points to consider when making the decision to enroll in a mortar and ...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
How can we potty-train our pre-schooler outside the home?
We're having problems with our 3.5 year-old boy concerning potty training:
Since his birth it seems, that being cleaned is much more unpleasing to him than running around with brimful diapers for ...
23
votes
8answers
27k views
How can we discipline a strong-willed, misbehaving 5 year-old?
My 5 year old son receives and fears punishment but repeatedly exhibits the same unacceptable behaviors. He's always been strong-willed, and is usually the kind to view a statement like "Don't do ...
18
votes
10answers
934 views
How do you feed a picky eater?
Dinner with my 5-year-old is an ordeal. I do not want to cook separate meals. How do I stop the fighting at dinner and get them to eat?
14
votes
4answers
9k views
Getting a 2-year-old back to sleep in the middle of the night
We have always had trouble with our little boy not sleeping through the night. He will do it in spells (every night for a week, then not at all for a fortnight). But he has recently developed a ...
25
votes
13answers
1k views
How do you decide if a movie is suitable for young children?
Movies have ratings, which vary a little around the world, but the ratings just don't convey a full understanding of some scenes which may be scary for young children. For example:
Monsters Inc. is ...
9
votes
6answers
2k views
Is TV harmful to my infant's development?
My wife and I use our TV to watch shows and streaming movies. Our 2 month old daughter is sometimes drawn to the TV and will turn her head towards it and will 'focus' on it. I know that their eye ...
46
votes
15answers
1k views
Is bribing children with cash incentives a good idea?
I pay my 5.5yo $1 if she sleeps in her own bed and take $1 in rent when she sleeps in our bed.
I've also taken to offering her $1 to pick up her 2.5 year old brother's Lego messes.
Good or bad? ...
15
votes
9answers
19k views
How do you know when it is time to take a child to the Doctor?
Our children have recently been sick and I am wondering when is the right time to take them to the doctor. They both have had runny noses with coughs, diarrhea, and fevers off and on for a week, ...
16
votes
11answers
4k views
Is an expensive stroller worth it?
Strollers seem to come in all ranges of prices. From $100 to well over $1000 (sorry for the US-centrism, but I'd guess it is the same in other places).
Given that this will probably be something that ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
How do you you encourage siblings to share their toys?
I have 1yo and 4yo boys and it's very usual that the elder child takes away toys or doesn't allow the youngest to play with the toys, arguing that all the toys belong to him. We tried to explain to ...
7
votes
2answers
238 views
Is there any consensus among researchers concerning the effects of watching television and the likes for a child's development?
I've tried to find out whether or not TV-watching is harmful or not for a child's development but haven't really found any good sources. Any tips on studies etc highly appreciated.
14
votes
10answers
2k views
At what age should a child be introduced to the Television?
At what age should a child be introduced to the TV?
11
votes
6answers
782 views
Can we afford to have a baby?
I'm not a parent (yet!), but the wife and I are seriously thinking about starting a family. We both really want kids, but I'm just worried about the financial strain a baby could have on us.
Am I ...
11
votes
11answers
2k views
What to buy to prepare for the arrival of a new baby?
Our baby is going to be born in a few months, what should we make sure we have before she gets here?
8
votes
1answer
976 views
How do you discourage a toddler from hitting people?
From talking to other parents, it seems like most boys (children?) go through an early stage of hitting at around 1. I have a 14-month old (2nd) son who occasionally hits me in the face, and ...
15
votes
8answers
518 views
What do we do when timeouts are not effective?
We have a three year old toddler, and he has just seemed to realize that timeouts are nothing more than him sitting in a corner for a few minutes. He has recently started doing a whole suite of bad ...
10
votes
2answers
6k views
How much noise does it take to negatively impact an infant's hearing?
In our apartment complex we have fire alarms that are outrageously loud. Last night, we woke at 4:30 am to the alarm going off all through the building. We got out as quickly as possible, but I'm ...
17
votes
4answers
699 views
What are the psychological impacts of a split-religion household?
This is quite related to THIS question about how to deal with a non-religiously-participating child when both parents are Christian. My situation is a bit different, and while some of the answers at ...
21
votes
9answers
2k views
What are the objective arguments against immunizations for infants and children?
There has been a lot of talk lately about the alleged harmful (potential?) side effects of vaccinations/immunizations for infants and children. What are the objective arguments against immunizing?
12
votes
3answers
716 views
How can we discipline our toddler?
TL;DR version: Toddler doesn't understand disciplining. Help needed.
At 22 months, our toddler is incredibly active and always has been. He's also mostly very well-behaved, especially when being ...
18
votes
7answers
992 views
Is punishment necessary?
I'm a young parent, and still have a lot to learn, but I have been wondering a lot about whether punishment needs to be a part of parenting. Maybe I'm being too optimistic here, but are there any ...
12
votes
12answers
2k views
When is physical punishment appropriate? [closed]
In what instances do you feel that striking your child is the most appropriate course of action?
10
votes
7answers
1k views
How do I cope with my toddler's jealousy towards her newborn brother and sister?
We had 2 adorable twins in January. Our older daughter is jealous of them and our life has become a nightmare. How can we address her jealousy and improve our situation?
8
votes
5answers
9k views
Are ExerSaucers/walkers/jumpers bad for children or is that simply a misconception?
I have heard my whole life that the above mentioned types of toys delay walking and/or independent sitting (depending on the age they're used). I've even heard that they can hurt the infant's legs. ...
5
votes
4answers
336 views
How can a Single Father prevent his child from becoming addicted to video games?
Scenario:
My neighbor faces the tough situation that his 7 year old boy has started to play video games and he wonders how to stop him from getting addicted to them. Sadly, his wife is no more.. he's ...
14
votes
10answers
6k views
My 5 year- old daughter is constantly defiant!
My 5-year old daughter is very defiant.
It started getting bad about 6 months ago. She doesn't do what she is told, and any time she hears the word no she throws terribly over dramatic fits screaming ...
12
votes
7answers
2k views
How often should I bathe my newborn?
He's starting to get pimples. We had thought that we only needed to bathe him once a week, though I can't remember where we read that.
8
votes
6answers
2k views
Can pacifier-use interfere with breastfeeding?
I don't really want my newborn to use the pacifier because I'm afraid it will interfere with breastfeeding. The first week I'd nurse her for an hour to an hour and a half - basically until she was ...
14
votes
9answers
4k views
How to calm a toddler before bedtime?
I don't know about older children, but toddlers often get more agitated as they get more tired and by the time they are in bed it can take a while before they actually sleep.
I often read that taking ...
13
votes
8answers
9k views
How do you stop a child from using bad language and profanity?
My child has started to use swear words. This is shocking because he is using words that we don't use. I'm not sure how to react! How do I get this to stop?
6
votes
3answers
251 views
What home-safety aspects should new parents consider?
There are very many products available that claim to help make a home safer for baby.
I'd like a list, based on some kind of evidence, for which of these products are more important.
For example, in ...
41
votes
9answers
4k views
How do you cope in the first few months?
How do you cope with the sleeplessness, the stress, the fear in the first few months?
Our baby just came home yesterday. He was five weeks premature, so he was in the NICU for two weeks. The stress ...
30
votes
10answers
1k views
What are some suggestions for punishing a child?
My daughters are clearly pushing the boundaries lately. They are trying to find out what is possible. I am really looking into ways to setting the boundaries. A friend recently suggested creating a ...
20
votes
3answers
334 views
How should I talk to my child about death?
How should I explain death to a child under 5-6 years old if a close family member or friend dies?
42
votes
17answers
3k views
How do you teach a child religious views?
Since a few weeks my 2yo son refuses to pray for his food. His refusal probably has nothing to do with religion; being a 2yo he simply refuses to do anything we don't force him to. Nevertheless, this ...
12
votes
11answers
632 views
What are some hacks and gadgets for a soon-to-be dad?
My wife's pregnant, and December I am going to be a father for the first time. Apart of being happy and exited, I am asking myself:
1) Are there any hacks I could apply to this new life situation?
...
16
votes
5answers
3k views
How can I potty train a 12 month old?
I want to potty train much earlier than is common, when my son is 12 to 14 months old. What's the best way to go about it?
18
votes
13answers
1k views
How do my wife and I stop our son from learning to swear from us?
My wife and I both tend to have... colorful language (for me it tends to be far worse when driving). Our son just turned one, and is starting to become more verbal. He's not quite at the point where ...
13
votes
8answers
866 views
Is it okay to let a baby cry at bedtime?
My 4-month-old has a set bedtime routine and will generally go happily to sleep - but occasionally (for no particular reason) he'll work himself up into a fit and cry for long periods of time, ...
18
votes
3answers
267 views
Is it reasonable/common for a daycare to show TV shows during the day?
My son is 18-months-old and he is in a daycare room with kids 16-months to 2.5 years. Most days when I pick him up they are watching TV. The shows range from somewhat educational (Dora, Sesame St.) ...
16
votes
5answers
2k views
At what age can/should a child be able to clean themselves after bowel movements?
How can parents find the right time to encourage a child to clean itself after bowel movements?
Our son is nearly 4 years old and it is still difficult for him to get to the toilet early enough (see ...
13
votes
2answers
961 views
Does it hurt my baby (developmentally) if she watches while I'm on the computer?
I have a 6 month old who likes to stare at my glowing computer while I code or browse the internet. Most of what I view is text or static web pages, so it's not content I'm worried about her viewing, ...
12
votes
6answers
953 views
How can we improve a trilingual toddler's basic language development?
Bilingual and trilingual kids have a slower language development than others, so this is probably quite normal, but our 14 month old daughter talks a lot but doesn't use any words, not even for mum ...
