Previously asked questions:
Billie from Minnesota asks:
"How do you get your kids to share? It's so embarrassing when we have play dates and my almost 3 year old takes toys from other kids and is the only one who won't share?"
Answers:
Eilleen from Oregon writes:
Just keep plugging away! Remind them daily of how to share and that other kids will play with him when he does. Try giving a reward after a play date, but remember to follow through with it. You could also show him photos of himself being nice and sharing so he can see that it's ok.
Georgia from Florida writes:
It's pretty common for that age group to have issues with sharing. I have a daycare and there is not ONE child between 2-4 years old who hasn't had a sharing issue - don't let anyone tell you different. You may just have to wait it out until the stage is over. It is just a stage, by the way.
Leah from Arizone asks:
How do you potty train a child who knows how to use the potty and knows the feeling of having to go, but she just WON'T do it!?
Answers from other parents:
Joanne from D.C. answers:
"Seriously, you can lead a child to the potty....... My experience is that they absolutely will not be potty trained until THEY want to do it."
Francie from Florida writes:
"I know it sounds very basic, but what worked for both my kids is really talking up the underwear and letting them pick out character underwear that they are excited about."
Kris from Nevada writes:
"I tried for months to get my 2 1/2 year old to be potty trained. Then, we went on vacation where his 3 year old cousin was potty trained and when he saw his cousin do it, he finally got it!"
Natalie from South Carolina asked:
"My 3 year old won't sleep through the night anymore. He wakes up every night and won't stay in his room."
"Try putting a lamp on a timer and tell him that he can get out of bed when the light goes on. This is what we did for our 4 year old and it seems to be working. You just have to reinforce it for the first few nights. Make up a story about the lamp being magic and make him excited for it to come on."
"Make a chart and have him/her put fun stickers for every night he stays in bed. When the chart is full, give a reward."
"We always tell our 3 year old that everyone in the house will check on him..... Mommy check on you in 5 minutes, Daddy check on you in 10 minutes, Bo (the dog - which he thinks is funny) will check on you in 15 minutes. He doesn't understand time, so usually by the time it's Daddy's turn, he's out like a light."
Jolene from Montana asks:
"My 2 ½ year old daughter will go on food strikes where she will not eat all day long, for several days. She only drinks milk and a few snacks. How can I get her to eat her meals?
Answers from other parents:
Cindi from Wyoming writes:
"Try not to worry too much. Kids go on eating strikes from time to time. They'll eat when their hungry. These phases don't last long.
Kim from New York writes:
"You could make it fun by cutting veggies and fruit into fun shapes and make faces from the food. You could also try getting fun character paper plates with a face on the bottom and have the kids eat everything until the funny face appears."
Jodi from California asks:
"My 10 month old won't sleep through the night anymore. He slept through the night at 2 months old until 9 months old. He wakes up at around 2 a.m. crying and only wants to be held."
Answers from other parents:
Tracey from Rhode Island writes:
Try going out of town for the weekend or on a mini-vacation. Both my kids, ages 3 and 1 were waking up at 4 and 5 in the morning. We happened to be going on a vacation and when we got back, their schedules went back to waking up at 7am! Being on vacation, their schedules were so mixed up and they were so tired, they started sleeping until a normal time when we got back. I think just being back home made them bounce back to normal.
Tammy from Oregon writes:
I had to do the dredded "cry it out" theory. It works, but it's painful. The first night, he cried for 45 minutes. I went in there after the first 5 minutes - I didn't pick him up, I just patted him and tried to comfort him, then I waited 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, each time just trying to soothe him. It only lasted 2 nights and he went back to sleeping through the night. It sucks, but it works. You may be sleepless for a few nights, but it beats being sleepless for weeks on end.
Ruth from Illinois writes:
Maybe he's teething. Give him or her some Tylenol or infant Advil or some teething medicine on his gums. Teehting is very painful and can make them stuffed up, conjested and many other things. Get a cool mist humidifier, too, in case he's conjested.