FamilyCorner.com Magazine: Ages and Stages : Toddlers

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Top : Ages and Stages : Toddlers

10 Reasons to Hold Your Toddler - Some parents begin to think that toddlers shouldn't be held as much as they were holding their babies a few months ago. But I think that's largely a misperception. Toddlers still need a lot of holding. Think of life from their perspective: They've just discovered a whole perspective on the world from their legs instead of their knees.

10 Tips for a Peaceful Holiday Season: Helping Kids Relax - Kids get pretty anxious over the holidays. It's a time of excitement and wonder, and they often have a hard time relaxing, staying calm and sleeping well. Here are some tips to help your kids stay relaxed and on a healthy sleep schedule.

A Perfect Parenting Plan - I have a 4 year old son that I can no longer control, and on top of that I will be having another baby in 3 days. My son yells at me and my husband that he doesn't want to do something or that he is not going to do something....

All You Need to Know About Birthday Parties - At all ages, simple events tend to be successful and more fun. Complicated parties usually require extensive planning with little additional fun-value. What's most important to the kids? Friends, goodies and gifts!

Baby-sitter Safety Tips - Making sure your family has a fire plan is one of the most important things you can do, especially important is that everyone knows where the meeting place outside is. Having everyone meet in one spot not only helps the firemen know if everyone is out makes their job easier. Unfortunately, most babysitters are not given this information.

Back to School for Your Toddler: Fun Learning Routines for Young Children - As children are in the midst of their first few weeks back to school this year, they're not the only ones who are starting off a new year of learning. Younger children, especially those younger than three, can be exposed to learning-routines as well. Bette Holtzman, Vice President of Consumer and Family Advocacy at The Goldberger Company, has some pointers for families to keep in mind for their toddlers going "back to school."

Been There! Done That! Toilet Training Tips - Toilet Training should be a fun and exciting experience for both you and your child. Remember, your child should feel in control of the process, not you. Take a slow, casual, matter-of-fact approach, and make it fun! Always encourage and praise your child.

Can Twins Have Too Much Togetherness? - Many twins begin to interact with each other around six to ten months of age. As same-age siblings begin to discover one another, it's a thrill for parents to watch as the two hug, play, and communicate. Even their sibling squabbles are fascinating to parents who are learning to discern each child's unique personality. Most enthralling to parents of twins, however, is the ease with which each twin seems to anticipate the other's needs.

Chicken Pox Vaccination or Not? - My family physician has suggested that we have our 18-month-old daughter vaccinated with the chicken pox vaccine. Is there enough information out there to support this recommendation?

Child�s Play is Anything But - Child developmental experts have studied children at play for over a century. Their research shows that play is a child�s most important work, a way of learning, growing, and understanding the world. A parent�s involvement can make play a richer, stimulating, and more valuable activity for children.

Daycare Dilemma: When Your Child Cries - Does your child cry when you try to exit the daycare center and head to work? Leaving your child in the hands of another person is stressful enough, but to receive the guilt trip from your little darling doubles the pain. Read our expert's tips on how to ease the transition and make for a smoother morning all around.

Dealing with "Monsters" and Nighttime Fears - It can be difficult to think straight when your crying child shakes you awake in the middle of the night frightened and tearful by a nightmare or the monster she knows for sure has taken up residence in her closet or under her bed. Or a terrible dream that leaves her feeling shaken. Groggily, I would find myself talking half-asleep to my 4-year-old daughter, "Honey, I know that the monster moved out last week. He doesn't even like it here. He's completely afraid of you." But, to no avail.

Despite Some Mature Moments Kids Will Still Be Kids - Whenever we get together with family and friends who have small kids I can't help but to think to myself "I'm so glad we're out of that stage!" I recall vividly eagerly awaiting the days for our children to finally be past that phase of the unexpected.

Early Bird: Waking up too early - I don't need an alarm clock. Every day my daughter wakes up early - usually before 6:00. Is there any way to get her to sleep longer, or is she just an early bird? See what our expert has to say.

Easing the Transition from the Family Bed: From Co-Sleeping to Solo - Even if you are a proponent of the family bed, there will come a time when your child will need to sleep by himself. My rule of thumb is that when anyone in the family bed is uncomfortable it's time for the child to sleep on his own.

Eating Right for Sleep - Food has a huge impact on a child's well-being. It can energize, increase hyperactivity or induce fatigue. Just as a lack of sleep can jumble a child's thinking or cause learning problems, so can an inadequate diet. Each child is a unique individual, and it's unreasonable to think that "one size fits all" diet advice is realistic.

Find Your Best Friends in a Playgroup - Quicker than I expected, isolation and loneliness set in as I spent my days at home with a toddler and a preschooler. Realizing that I had to find other children and at-home parents nearby, my solution was to start a playgroup.

Finicky Feeding - Picky eating habits are a major dilemma for most parents, and even pediatricians. Although this may seem disturbing, this is a normal and expected behavior of infants and small children. As their taste buds develop, your child�s preferences are apt to change.

First Born Jealousy - Our first-born is showing extreme jealousy towards the new baby. She's obviously mad at us for disrupting the predictable flow of her life with this new challenger for our attention. How can we smooth things out?

Get Your Toddler to Cooperate! - Toddlers require more finesse to gain their cooperation, because they have not yet reached the age at which they can see and understand the whole picture. Robert Scotellaro is quoted in The Funny Side of Parenthood as saying, "Reasoning with a two-year-old is about as productive as changing seats on the Titanic."

Helping Kids Overcome Their Fears and Phobias - Children love the fantasy and fun of dressing up in costumes and Halloween is usually an exciting and fun event for them. During October, however, the television networks begin running their annual horror flicks. Remember, young children still have trouble differentiating real life from make believe and many scary movies should be "off limits."

Helping Your Child Say Bye-bye to Ba-Ba - "Mommeeeeeee! Ba ba!" It's the third bottle already today for your two year old, and it isn't even lunch time yet. Did you wait too long to take the bottle away? Is she ready to give it up? Will she ever be?

Hotel Stays With Small Children - Packing up and flying or driving with small children can be stressful enough. You certainly do not need to add hotel hassles once you arrive at your destination. Staying in a family oriented hotel will help, but it won't eliminate all of the headaches.

Imaginary Friends: Should You Be Concerned - Young children often have imaginary friends. Sometimes they're human, other times they're animals, like the life-size rabbit in the old Jimmy Stewart movie, "Harvey." Sometimes the imaginary friend is an occasional visitor, stopping by only once every few days. But other times it may be a child's constant companion. Children may talk to their imaginary friends, draw with them, or even read books to them. And plenty of parents have had to set an extra place at the dinner table for the "friend." So are children's imaginary playmates causes for concern? In most cases, the answer is No.

In Search of the Perfect Playgroup - Many parents these days are seeking playgroups for themselves and their children. Although the perfect playgroup does not exist, one will likely be better suited for you and your child than others. To find the right one, you need to ask yourself:

Interrupting - Whether you're on the phone, busy on your computer, or talking to another adult, it can be frustrating when your children constantly interrupt you. What's surprising to learn is that they do it because they always get a response from you when they do!

New Baby: How to Make Sure Your Older Kids are Sleeping Through the Night - If you are expecting a baby and already have one or more children, it's wise to solve their sleep problems before the new baby arrives. Remember, a newborn typically awakens every three to four hours and adapting to a new baby's schedule is very tiring for everyone in the house.

Nightmares & Night Terrors in Children - One of the most common concerns of parents is sleep disturbances, including nightmares and night terrors. Nightmares occur quite commonly in young children.

On Fast Food and Silver Bullets - When I sat down to write "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations," I vividly recalled how, when I was a small child, my mother had taken me to the local high school auditorium to stand in line with many other children to get my sugar cube laced with the polio vaccine. I must have also received a vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella, but I got the measles anyway. The chickenpox vaccine wasn't available when I was young, so I dutifully got my red spots like so many of my friends. We all survived.

Other People's Kids - Do you have a friend, relative or neighbor with kids who drive you crazy with their misbehavior? I think we all know one family that fits this description. It puts you into a very uncomfortable position. You know you can't discipline the kids, but you want to be able to enjoy your time with their family. What to do?

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