If your child is facing a hospital stay, you want to do all you can to make the hospital less strange and frightening. Fear of the unknown can be worse than fear of the known, so letting your child know what to expect will go a long way toward lowering fear and stress. Here are some things to try: Talk to your child...

Speech and language lessons start in the uterus. Your developing baby hears and responds to familiar voices. Soon after birth, your baby prefers and responds more to the mother's voice than to any other. And your newborn can recognize whether sounds are part of his or her native language. Your newborn learns language by...

As a parent, you are the ideal teacher to help your child learn about sex. Talking openly about sexuality helps your child understand their feelings, and it can help them have a positive attitude toward a natural process. It's best to keep your explanations honest and simple. A 6-year-old child won't need the details...

Weaning is the process of switching your baby from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding, or from a breast or bottle to a cup or solid foods. Weaning usually works best when it is done gradually over several weeks, months, or even longer. There is no right or wrong time to wean. It depends on how ready you and your baby are...

Habits are hard to break. That's why the sooner in life we build good, healthy habits, the easier it is to keep them and stay as healthy as possible. And when good habits are in place, it's easier to resist bad ones. The most important thing to remember is that you are your child's role model. Your habits affect your...

Learn about common behaviors and problem behaviors in teens.

What are temper tantrums? If you have a young child, you probably know what temper tantrums are. Experts define them as sudden, unplanned displays of anger or other emotions. During a tantrum, children often whine, cry, or scream. They may also swing their arms and legs wildly or hold their breath. Anyone can have...

When should you start toilet training your child? Your child must be both physically and emotionally ready for toilet training. Most children are ready to start when they are between 22 and 30 months of age, but every child is different. Toilet training usually becomes a long and frustrating process if you try to start...

Your newborn starts to communicate with you right away. Newborns need and, in their own way, ask for social interaction with others. They communicate by moving their arms and legs. They gaze toward a familiar voice. Your baby's face may brighten as they watch your face and movements. When they break their gaze, it means...

Some premature babies can't be fed by mouth right after birth. If your baby was born before the gestational age of 32 to 34 weeks, he or she can't feed by mouth. The reasons are: Poor coordination (or lack) of sucking, swallowing, and gag reflex. Weakness of both the oral and stomach muscles. Small stomach capacity...

Your child may seem anxious about everyday things. School-age children usually have a number of fears that began in their early childhood, such as fear of ghosts, of the dark, or of dying. Every child's fears are different. Parents may not recognize that some behaviors are based on fears. Children this age try to deal...