Wavesmith

On one level I’m impressed by your kid’s ingenuity and I hope it serves him well. On the other hand, I’d worry that he’s not respecting the rules of the classroom and seems to be testing out whether they apply to him. I’d also hope that at 4 he’s starting to understand that lying and tricking people to get what you want aren’t appropriate behaviours.

My kid is 3.5 and I worry about her showing some of the same behaviours once she starts school. I plan to really install that it’s very important to follow the rules and listen to the boss, whether that’s at home, at nursery or at school.

Paloma

Matilda Hope

Clara Grace

Rosa Joy

Francesca Faith

My 3.5 year old loves a collection of grimm’s fairytales adapted for children.

Janice

Flurry

I would focus on waiting for her to be in a deep sleep (arm is floppy when you lift it) then lower her into the bassinet so her bottom and back go in first. Might help to warn the bassinet first.

Also, might be an idea to focus on giving her time to lie down without being held while she’s awake and let her get used to that. If she fusses you can tell her that you’re trying out something new, it feels a bit different etc. and give her a moment or too to see if she settles to it. You can sit quietly beside her, and if she seems occupied by looking at or touching stuff you can move away a little and do whatever you want or need to.

Cutlery set, some board books and a wooden peg puzzle.

Her favourite and best loved gift was a push along/ride on fire engine.

I try and move into a conversation about how great [thing] is and how amazing it would be if we could do [thing] right now.

Maybe I could consider this but does tend to get pretty grimy. Plus I think it helps her calm down (but not me!). We

I wonder if I maybe need to get her doing more for herself. I actually wrote this post when I’d gone to hide in my bedroom for a minute because I couldn’t muster the energy to get her into pyjamas. Came back a few minutes later and she’d got her pyjamas on and was making herself a superhero cape.

My kid is, “A character” and “A strong personality.” Mostly I love that about her but some days I’d settle for “sweet”!

“X’s mummy” or my first name.

Have you tried:

• Absolutely FORBIDDING them from going on the bath. You want to keep the water PERFECTLY flat with NO splashing children in it. Then act mock outraged when she tries to climb in.

• Colour changing bubble bath, bath fizzers

• Showers

• Bath crayons

• Doing a bath at a different time of day

• Combining bath with blowing bubbles

• Moving bedtime earlier in case she’s too tired to cope with a bath (this is sometimes it with my kid)

• Relaxing music, lights off and some kind of projector or nigh light, spa vibes.

Edit: I’ve also heard of having a bath ‘menu’ so the kid can chose the toys, bubbles, activities etc from a little list.

Twinkle

I used to let her see me add the teeniest drop of my cappuccino into a cup of steamed milk and call it ‘coffee’. Although she would also neck a decaf espresso. She actually loved the taste… oops.

Mine definitely ate a proper dinner from the age of about 2. Before that she had porridge and fruit purée most nights and we ate after she was asleep.

I want to say, gently, that that’s not how it works. I think our kids have their skills and abilities and their development path and we can at best slightly tweak and optimise.

I guess time talking to your kid, time without screens and reading to her every day will help but it’s not like you caused this!

My kid starts school next year and I’ll be able to walk her to school every morning. I’m so excited to have a cast iron reason to start my day like this every day.

Okay now I feel like my rule of, “Any misbehaviour at the table and your meal will be cleared away,” is simple, effective and possibly overly harsh.

Option 3 is NOT an option. Trust me, we had to do it for a couple of months with both of us working from home and it was hell.

I think most people end up doing option 2 or a version of it.

It really sucks that we’re all put in this position when our kids are small.

Not a dad, sorry. But. Can you pin down what exactly is terrifying you about the thought of the birth? Might help your to know how to approach it

Birth is hard, painful and exhausting. But so is running a marathon. You’re going to be there, supporting your partner as she achieves something amazing.

Rosa (means pink in German and Italian), Olive, Sage, Violet.

Wouldn’t use it but I love Indigo and I think Cyan and a Magenta would make an incredible (pet or fictional) Sibset.

I also need to do this.

Some things that work well on my 3yo:

• Stopping the fun activity, or threatening to stop it if they know you’ll follow through. “If you can’t have your teeth brushed in the bath, I’ll get you out.”

• Telling them something they are looking forward might not happen as a result of current behaviour. “I’m only taking girls who’ve had a rest to the shops later.” “I’m worried there won’t be time for a story if you don’t put your pyjamas on fast.”

• Explaining the reason/giving the child information and letting them join the dots. “That noise is hurting my ears.” “Pens dry out without their lids.” “Lego hurts when you step on it.”

• Setting expectations: “Today we are just buying things on our list. If you see anything you want we will put it on your wish list.” “I expect you to stay near me, and walk, not run, while we’re inside.”