Preschooler

... then let her know grandma is sick but the doctors are working to help her. Again, so sorry to hear this. Best of luck!

... that she has an illness which may make her very sick. I wouldn't jump into it too soon. Perhaps start picking up on facts about illness nad death, explaining that all things die one day, thats its normal and nothing to worry about. Get her used to the idea that death is natural before making her aware that gran is sick and may die from it.

... with them about it from the beginning, because the prognosis was grim. Since he doesn't live nearby, we actually made a trip to say goodbye, and I wanted my little one to know what he was doing and why, so that he would a) understand why there was a lot of crying and b) get a chance to say whatever he wanted to say. He didn't want to say much, but I do think it really empowered him to know what was going on around him, and to have the CHOICE to tell Grandpa that he loved him. It was hard on me (he would ask me almost daily, "Is Grandpa dead yet?" or bring it up at uncomfortable times, like when we were at our synagogue at services and he would announce "My Grandpa is going to die soon.") but I never really regretted telling him. BTW, if you were talking about a different type of cancer, I would have probably handled it differently. But my dad's cancer was advanced, and pancreatic cancer has very unimpressive remission rates, so there was really never a chance that he was going to live very long. Hopefully, your situation is different. (Reading that back, that sounds harsh; I'm just saying that I would treat a situation where death is almost inevitable, as it was for my dad, differently from one where there was/is a good chance of a cure. Only you know your situation well enough to tell the difference.)

... Grandpa is very sick and will probably not be alive for very much longer. I think it's always good to be honest but not too detailed. Sorry to hear about that my prayers are with your family.

doll. Show your 1st how important it is to take care of that doll (i.e. if he/she is treating the doll badly, then remind them the proper way to handle it) and he/she will have something that makes them feel important after the new baby is born. You can change your babies together (bathe, feed, play, nap, etc...).

yourself ... She doesn't want to be with you when you're doing the boring housework. Maybe you could get her involved in a pre school type play group. The time away from you will help her realize that there are other sources of entertainment besides yourself, and give you a chance to reenergize.

i'm having a little lie down on the couch or i'm going to read something for a little while... mostly she is fine if i find her something to play alone, like playmobile or lego, but sometimes if she is not happy i give her pens and paper and sit her with me each doing our own thing... i sometimes say we are doing our homework and it becomes a game, but one i don't have to be 100% part of.

this situation - I'd say about HALF of us have been there, slept with that! The same thing happened to us with our first (you know when you make all of your mistakes...with the next ones you know better!) and my husband and I took turns sleeping with her in her bed for a week so she got used to that bed and waking up and feeling safe in her room. Then we sat her down and created a great night time routine...whatever she wanted...1 book or 2, backscratch, warm milk...we gave her tons of choices so she really felt IN CONTROL. She picked, we explained that she was a big girl and could do it and we believed in her, etc... We did the routine she picked out and when it was time to go to bed, she cried a little, she even came out of her bed a few times...but we stayed nurturing and strong (you need to - give in and all that work is just undone!) Believe it or not, that night...SHE DID IT! On the first night! She slept in her own room all by herself. Of course she woke up early...at 5...and came in bed with us, but that was OK. We let her do that for a while...then she started just naturally sleeping longer (cause she was comfier in her own room) and then we made a rule that she couldn't come into our bed until 7....and she followed it. It's AMAZING what kids will do when they TRUST that YOU know what you're doing. The secret (and trick) is for the parents to stay strong! YOU CAN DO IT! Good luck!

explain that he is a big boy, and big boys sleep in their big boy beds, so from now on you need to sleep in your bed ok? You can offer to read him a story, and you MUST NOT do this UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH 100%. If you do GIVE IN you are only reinforcing his knowing that all he has to do is scream and cry and protest and he will get his way. So....with that in mind.....you will simple put him in his bed, he will cry/complain/protest, and you will tell him "sweety/honey/darling/baby/jr. (whatever you call him), it's time to go night night". If he gets up (which we all know he will) you will say "it's time to go night night", and place him back in his bed, and walk out. Stay close, but not too close. When he walks out of his room, you will take him and put him back in his bed WITHOUT saying anything to him. You will do this for about 2 exhausting hours until he finally gets so beyond tired that he will comprehend that nothing he does will change your mind and that's where he needs to sleep. HE WILL SURRENDOR TO YOU, so you need to STICK TO THE PLAN. You will continue to bring him to his bed over and over and over again, until he stays there. He will scream bloody murder, he will make you feel like you are a horrible mom, but you will *say nothing, and continue to place him in his bed. You and your husband can alternate, one time he takes him, the next time you take him.
GOOD LUCK!!

sometimes just after we have gine to bed. I was wondering if this was a problem but we decided it doesn't bother us enough to stop it. We have read before that it can actually be good as it builds a closness. It depends of course how bothered you are by it on a personal level. For us it is not every night although it is most. He will grow out of it as at some point he'll realise his friends don't do it. It might work to get some older boy he is fond of to come by and say something about how nice his room is and how fun it is to sleep in your own bed. I find with my daughter also 4 that if she knows other kids are doing it she wants to also. Personaly i plan to let mine grow out of it at her own pace, but as i said she never goes to bed in our bed, but can come in whenever she likes... could saying that work??

... is not a problem. The kids will eventually want to be on their own. Those who don't want to co-sleeep start their children in cribs and move them up to beds. I don't think there are that many who change their minds in the middle.

... bite your child when an adult is not around. It has happened before if with the most calm and laid back dogs.

the school so you can become more comfortable with the school and general expectations. Don't get stressed out about things. There will be a lot of things that are new for both you and your child. If you don't understand something ..... ask. If you are not stressed by it your child won't be.

... the driveway. For me it was harder then I thought it was going to be. Then be prepared for excitement because they learn so fast; it will amaze you and cement that you did a good job raising him because he will do just fine!