are an individual thing, Françoise does admit that many babies who attend the classes crawl and walk fairly quickly. Babies who do yoga tend to sleep better. “Babies do most of their growing during sleep, but lots of them aren’t getting enough deep sleep because

the love affair between toddlers and any form of mess. It’s for the same reason as they drop their food from the high chair (what happens if I do that?), bang things together (what sound does that make?), and stop to pick up sticks and stones (what does

A happy and content child is what every parent wishes for, so we spoke to Dr. Harvey Karp the author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block, to find out his thoughts on nurturing happiness.What are the most important

. Transport your baby in a bubble of familiar comfort. On no account vary mealtimes.1-2 yearsMobile babies are hell on moving day. If you can find someone they like to look after them during the critical hours while vans fill up and unload, do so. If you must

to him, he may open and close his mouth in a direct imitation of what you’re doing. And even if you’re doing something mundane such as the washing, you will find that your older baby will want to join in. He will try and put things in the washing machine

that his hands can do things with objects that his eyes can see, which is why he will constantly reach out and grab things – at this stage, it doesn’t matter what the shape is. However, within a few months, three dimensions become very important: as he

understanding of stories and can improve reading and language skills. In short, a little gender bending could actually help close the literacy gap between girls and boys. But toddlers are not driven by lessons in empathy or developmental goals. So why do they do

.Try to spend some time each day with your child when you can give them your undivided attention in a calm and relaxed atmosphere, chatting about what you are doing.Try to remain relaxed about things. Children have to be allowed to move at their own pace. If a

In the first year, babies are big on silent comedy. Gentle actions such as blowing on a her face or tickling seem to do the trick in the early days. After about six months they become more robust and enjoy a bit of rough and tumble. Although we

parent’s love for their baby: it’s scientifically the very best time to do it, too. What’s more, fathers have a particularly powerful influence on a child’s social development. “The function 
of the father is to introduce the child to the social world