It’s every parent’s nightmare – losing your child in a public place. And yet, many toddlers love going off to explore, oblivious to – or perhaps in spite of – the fright it can cause their parents. Why?

Is it wrong to leverage this idea and encourage our kids to “disobey” us? Are we teaching them that it’s good to be bad?

Don’t worry, parents. Toddler untruths are associated with highly developed cognitive skills. After all, lying is a pretty complicated task.

Patience is critical during the toddler stage – the toddler needs to learn it, and the parent needs to have endless reserves of it.

Sure, it takes a village to raise a child, but what happens when tribe members insist on spoiling your wee one?

Sometimes this will result in difficult behaviour.

My two-year-old sucks his thumb. I’m worried it will affect his teeth. Is a pacifier any better? When should I be really concerned that he hasn't given it up?

Reading the same book over and over? Singing the same song? You’re not alone.

If you're like most parents, one of your goals is to maintain and restore peace within your home as quickly after an eruption as possible.

Find out what Dr Susan Dundas, Child Psychiatrist at the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, has to say on the topic of fear based responses in children.