33-Month-Old Child

Now that your toddler is nearing the age of 3, you may be wondering whether you should keep (or start) him in day care or enroll him in preschool. 

Day care and preschool have a lot in common. Both types of programs are licensed and regulated by the same state agencies. Plus, many day care centers also use an educational curriculum, which can mirror those of a preschool.

The main differences: Preschools sometimes have shorter daily hours, and ask parents to choose between half-day and full-day programs. Day care facilities, however, tend to operate with longer hours to accommodate working parents.

Preschools may also require your child to be potty trained, whereas day cares admit tots in diapers, though may have requirements for moving up to older-age classrooms (usually it’s by the age of 3, if at all).

Can’t decide between the two? Try visiting a few specific centers in your area to see which one you and your child like best.

Toddlers aren’t exactly known for their innate sharing skills. But there’s one thing that many toddlers don’t mind sharing — their bedroom. In fact, sharing a room with a baby sibling can help children fall asleep easier and teach them valuable lessons about cooperation, communication and problem-solving.

Still, the experience won’t be all giggles and carefree togetherness. To ease your toddler’s transition from sleeping solo to room-sharing with a sibling, try putting him to bed later than the baby. He’ll feel like a big kid for getting to stay up later, and will appreciate the extra time he’ll get to spend with you.

You can also create separate spaces in the bedroom for each child. Keep your toddler’s smaller toys, such as cars and blocks, up higher so your baby can’t reach them, and store the baby’s toys in lower shelves for easy access.

It can be hard to watch your animal-loving tot start to sneeze and wheeze every time he cuddles up to a puppy or kitten. But just because your child has a pet allergy doesn’t necessarily mean you have to dash his dreams of owning a furry family member.

Children who have pet allergies are typically reacting to the saliva, urine or dander — the dead skin cells — in the animal.

If your child’s allergies are severe, you may have to avoid owning a cat or dog for the time being (though there are other options, like allergy shots), but if his allergies are mild, you might be able to choose a breed that produces less dander.

Sometimes, puppies and kittens produce fewer allergens and the child will get used to them over time, so pet allergies won’t be an issue later.

While there’s no such thing as an allergy-free pet, less allergenic dogs include poodles (including poodle mixes, like labradoodles), schnauzers and the Portuguese water dog.

As for cats, the rex and sphynx breeds are said to be less allergenic (among other breeds), but this evidence is anecdotal, not scientific.

To help keep your toddler’s allergies under control if he has them, try to bathe your pet frequently, cordon off a pet-free zone (like your child’s bedroom and playroom), and use a HEPA air purifier to keep the air clear of dander as much as possible.

You can’t spoil a newborn, but you can certainly spoil a toddler — which can set the stage for more tantrums later on.

As tempting as it is to give into his demands, try to set — and then stick to — clear rules. Kids will try to push your boundaries, but consistency is key.

If they learn that whining or throwing a tantrum will get them what they want, they’ll continue to do so for as long as it keeps working.

Likewise, don’t give your child a million chances to correct his behavior (“Put the toy down on one, two … two-and-a-half, two-and-three-quarters …”) or strike up a deal with him every time you need him to leave the playground. Otherwise, your toddler will come to expect a treat every time he gets in the car to go home.

Around the time your toddler transitions to training pants — or starts potty training, where private parts become a major focus — he may also take an interest in his genitals.

Rest assured, this is normal — and innocent — behavior. When a toddler touches himself, there’s nothing sexual about it, so don’t shame or scold your child for his actions.

At home, you may be better off ignoring it, but in public, it’s okay to tell him that some things are okay to do in private, but not in front of other people.

Your toddler might want to spend the entire day at the park — but he’ll need to reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, even on cloudy days. Sun damage early in childhood can increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.

About 15 to 30 minutes before your child goes outside, portion out about a toddler-sized palmful of sunscreen (look for “broad-spectrum” brands that are SPF 30 to 50) and apply it to your tot’s legs, arms and face as well as the often-missed areas like the ears, neck, backs of legs, feet and hands.

Top it off with sun-protective clothing that has SPF woven into the fabric, a broad-brimmed hat and toddler-sized sunglasses with at least 99 percent UV protection.

Young children are a lot more susceptible to the effects of caffeine than adults. In kids, it can do more than just interfere with sleep — it can also cause jitteriness, headaches, tummy aches and trouble concentrating.

The stimulant can be found in some surprising sources: sports and energy drinks, vitamin waters and even chocolate. Of course, it’s also found in iced teas and sodas, but you shouldn’t offer those to your toddler anyway.