Develoment FAQ: 18-24 months

My daughter of just 20 months has developed a fear of the vacuum cleaner. I am not sure what started this but now she will scream when the cleaner is turned on.  How do I get her to realise that there is nothing to be afraid of?  I have to get the house cleaned so should I just keep vacuuming in front of her?  Is this sort of behaviour normal?
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My daughter of 23 months is very headstrong and determined to do things her way.  Every morning she wants to get dressed all by herself, which I know should be encouraged, but she is not yet able to cope without some help. This usually ends in her getting very frustrated and having a tantrum as I finish getting her ready for the day.  How can I make getting dressed easier for her so she is able to manage it on her own?
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Over the past few weeks it has become a daily battle to get my 20-month-old daughter out of the bath. We have resorted to just lifting her out and getting her dried and dressed as quickly as we can, over the screams and kicking. We have tried to reason with her, telling her that story time is coming next, but nothing seems to work. Have you any ideas on how to make this time of day more pleasurable?
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My 21 month old son has become increasingly attached to his Winnie Pooh comforter. He continuously sucks the hands of the Winnie - even playing with it hanging out of his mouth. It was restricted to bed times only but the last few weeks he demands it through the day. I have tried to resist but he can cry longer than I can be strong. As he wants to suck it through meals it can be very stressful withholding it and still getting him to have enough food.

I can not pinpoint any emotional upset to link this increased need too to have his comforter so much.

Can you help? Even though I have several of these Winnies they get very smelly and I am a little embarrassed when we go out as he has a soggy flat Winnie pooh hanging out of his mouth.

It is also making his speech very difficult to understand and he has been doing really well increasing his vocabulary. This is discouraging and frustrating us both.

Please can you help?
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Despite eating a good lunch and having a solid nap afterwards I find my 22-month-old son's behaviour every afternoon very wearing.

Didier also has a twin brother and a sister who is 3.5 years old, so life is quite busy for me. Didier is a very active, and entertaining little boy. He is also very sensitive, sweet and caring to his brother and sister. He is quite hilarious, wearing silly hats, jumping around and putting on funny voices to make everyone laugh. The flip-side to his character is that he is very demanding, and voices his discontent (about anything in particular) in an extremely loud way.

Every day he eats a good lunch (12:30-1pm) as he likes his food on the whole. A typical lunch would be 4tbsp chicken casserole or fish pie, 1 small potato and 1-2 tbsp green vegetables. He then settles down (with a bit of fuss) for his nap. I wake him after 1.5 hrs as he was beginning to be difficult to settle in the evenings. I always let him wake up naturally but as soon as he is awake he is cranky and demanding snacks. He loves bread sticks and rice cakes and would happily eat them all afternoon if I let him. He spends most of the afternoon shouting “STICK!”, “RICE!” over and over again. I try to divert his attention and this sometimes works for a while, but then he is screaming, clinging and whining for more “sticks” and “rice” until teatime. He normally eats a good amount at tea so his snacking doesn’t seem to be spoiling his appetite. I try to limit his snacks, and even ignore him, but I am not sure what method to use. I am not certain whether he is: either really hungry and therefore may need something a little more substantial as snack, or does he have a behavioural problem? Dealing with two other small children as well, means he cannot have my attention all the time.
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I have just spent the most embarrassing morning trying to get Harry's hair cut. At 20 months, I felt he needed to have his hair cut in a "big boy" style, but Harry had different ideas. He refused to co-operate, wouldn’t sit in the chair and ended up having a tantrum on the floor of the shop. I abandoned the idea, apologised and crept out. How will I ever get him to co-operate enough to try again?
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My daughter, who is 23 months old, needs to go into hospital overnight for a small operation. I am able to stay with her all the time, but I was wondering how I might prepare her for this experience.
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I have a problem that I want to solve before we go off to Spain in July. Last summer when it was hot and sunny I managed to apply sunscreen to my little boy and also found a hat that stayed on. He was, however, only 9/10 months at the time and very easygoing. This year it is a different story as he is 20 months with a mind of his own.

Last week we were preparing to go to the park, but he refused to wear his sunhat. As it was warm, I started to apply sunscreen to his arms and legs, but he wriggled away and I doubt I got much on. I have tried to explain to Greg why he needs these things, but he won’t listen. Here, the sun is not yet at its full strength, but I am worrying about Spain. It won't be much of a holiday if we have a daily battle before heading to the beach or pool.
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We would love our 19-month-old daughter, Anna, to spend as much time outdoors as possible, but wonder what we should do to make the garden safe for her. Our back door from the kitchen links to a small patio, beyond which is grass, flower borders and a couple of apple trees. My husband enjoys DIY and would like to build a swing and sandbox at the far end of the garden, but I can’t think how much time she will spend there unless I am out with her too. How old does she need to be before I can let her out on her own?
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My 18-month-old daughter has not been walking for long, but likes to do so at every opportunity. We live in a city, so the streets are busy, and she dislikes holding a hand or the buggy. Our Nanny and I want to encourage her to walk, but daily trips to the shops take a long time and are becoming difficult, as she will wander off. I have looked at reins and wrist straps, but which would be the most suitable for her age? Wrist straps seem to be less restricting, but is she too young for them?
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