30-Month-Old Child

Sometime around the 2½-month mark, many toddlers conjure up an imaginary friend. So why dream up a pretend pal when she can play with you (or one of her many stuffed animals) instead?

As it turns out, there are very good reasons to have an imaginary friend. Not only are they agreeable, easy-going playmates, but they can also help build her sense of security. If your toddler is afraid of the dark, for example, she may tell her pretend buddy not to be afraid — thereby soothing her own fears.

Far from being an unhealthy habit, research has shown that kids who have pretend pals tend to have active imaginations, rich vocabularies and (yes) plenty of real friends too.

Not every 2-year-old is gifted with the gift of gab. Toddlers who aren’t speaking much (or at all) by the age of 30 months — and who are otherwise developing normally — may be considered “late talkers” and should undergo a speech evaluation as soon as possible to help with language development and communication skills.

A late-talking toddler may have a speech delay (trouble articulating words or being understood), a language delay (only having a few words or an inability to put more than two words together) or both.

Language delays are the most common type of developmental delay, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and an estimated 17.5 percent of kids up to age 3 may have either a speech or language delay.

The good news is that most late talkers catch up to their chattier peers before they start school. In the meantime, ask her questions that elicit a “yes” or “no” answer, and work your way up to more complicated words: “Do you want an apple or a banana?”

Your toddler can pee in the potty with no problem. But when it comes to pooping, all systems are no-go. What gives?

Refusing to poop in the toilet is fairly common among the potty-training set. Some tots are afraid they’ll fall into the toilet, while others are afraid of the loud flushing noise. And still others are upset by the idea of losing a part of themselves when the poop disappears into the bowl.

First and foremost, make potty-training pressure-free. (The more you push, the more likely she may be to hold it in, which can lead to constipation.)

If looking at her poop upsets her, encourages her to wave bye-bye to it before flushing. You can also offer her a reward for each time she goes — like a sticker on a chart or a few M&M’s. Although it may seem like your toddler will never get over her fear, rest assured, dirty diapers will one day soon be a thing of the past.

Is your on-the-go toddler too busy to sit down for a snack? Make it more interesting — and more educational — by filling a muffin tin with animal-friendly snacks like berries, pumpkin seeds and baby carrots.

As she munches away, ask her to guess which animals prefer which foods (bears eat berries, birds eat pumpkin seeds, rabbits eat carrots, for example). You can also sneak in a few silly options, like mini marshmallows — a food that raccoons have been known to eat.

One way or another, taking flight with a toddler is sure to be an adventure. There’s no way to know whether your little flier will love or hate her first ride in an airplane, but there are steps you can take to make for smoother skies:

• Book a nonstop flight. Preferably one that coincides with your child’s nap. In the case of a flight delay, or the need to take a connecting flight, let your toddler run around in circles — something she won’t be able to do once she’s at 30,000 feet.

• Opt for a window seat. As eager as she may be to traipse up and down the aisles or go to the potty a zillion times, it's safer for your little one to be in a window seat. She may get her arms and legs caught or bumped by passing carts, or hot liquids spilled on her. An added bonus? She'll have something to look at during the flight!

• Enlist the help of a flight attendant. Can’t juggle a toddler on your hip and a suitcase? Ask one of the flight crew for help. They can also bring you extra pillows, blankets or water if needed.

• Plan for ear pain. Takeoff and landing can be hard on a little one’s ears. To prevent ear pain from air-pressure changes, bring lollipops or sippy cups with a straw and let her suck and slurp away during those times.

Just because your toddler loves to splash in the bath doesn’t mean she’ll be eager to dive into a swimming pool. In fact, being afraid of the water — a pool, a lake, the ocean — is normal in young children, who may realize that they’re small fish in a big pond.

While she waits to get her feet wet, give her a life jacket to put on — it might help bolster her enthusiasm and give her the confidence she needs to wade into the water. (Be aware, though, that this flotation device isn't a substitute for learning to swim, so always keep your child at arm’s length.)

And if you can, go into the pool with her. Swimming solo might be too intimidating right now, but if you’re in the water too, she may just overcome her fear.

Your toddler has been a pretty good, consistent sleeper for a while now — so why is she suddenly waking up once, twice or even three times a night? Could she be going through another sleep regression?

It’s possible. Sleep interruptions and night wakings are a normal part of toddlerhood, especially when children are sick or going through a big change, like transitioning to day care or learning how to use the potty.

Try not to rush in at the first sound of a cry. Instead, wait a few minutes to see if she settles herself back to sleep before checking on her. If you do have to go into her room, don’t pick her up — just gently pat her on the back and reassure her that everything is okay.

Once she’s calm, but not fully back to sleep, leave the room. Repeat the process, and be consistent. It may take a few nights before the lesson sinks in, but by the fourth or fifth night, wake-ups should be a thing of the past.