Most first teeth appear at 6-10 months, but babies get teeth at different times. When teeth arrive, brush twice a day with water and a soft infant toothbrush. Avoid tooth decay by feeding your newborn only breastmilk or infant formula. Don’t give your baby a bottle in bed.

Some children are naturally shy or "slow to warm up." This means they’re uncomfortable in many social situations, especially new situations. You can help a shy child by recognising that shyness is normal, but also supporting him in social situations and gradually encouraging brave social behaviour. Seek help if shyness is causing a problem for you or your child.

Nightmares are bad dreams that can wake children up and leave them feeling scared and upset. Be patient if your child has a nightmare. She might need you to reassure her that everything is OK. If your child has a lot of nightmares, think about what he’s doing or seeing during the day that might trigger the nightmares, or what is happening in the news that is scary. Nightmares can be caused by stress and trauma. See a professional if you’re worried.

You can do a lot to prevent sibling fights by helping your children learn to get along and guiding them towards better ways of resolving conflict. Lay the groundwork with our eight essential tips.

Key points Sexual behaviour is a mostly typical and healthy part of your child’s development. Preschoolers might touch, look at and talk about bodies. Your approach to preschooler sexual behaviour depends on your values. But staying calm is very important.

Early conversations about sex can send the message that sex and sexuality are healthy parts of life. It Is important for children to feel okay about coming to you for reliable, honest information. Young children might want to know about how girls’ and boys’ bodies are different and where babies come from. Explain things at a level children can understand and make sure they have the facts.

It is normal for typically developing children to have many different feelings about siblings with disability. Their feelings might be positive and negative. Children can find it harder if siblings with disability have challenging behaviour or communication difficulties. Your child’s age, personality, temperament and birth order can affect how he feels about having a sibling with disability.

Key points When your child asks for something, listen and think about it before you answer. If you have to say no, try to negotiate first and always give a reason for refusing. The way you respond to your child’s requests teaches your child about communication, respect and compromise.

Genetic counsellors help you learn about and manage genetic conditions. You might see a genetic counsellor if a genetic condition runs in your family. If you have a genetic condition in your family, genetic counseling might help to understand how the condition might affect your life, and how you might be able to prevent other family members getting the condition.

You don’t need to cut baby nails very often. It can help to cut nails while your baby is calm or drowsy, or try singing or distracting baby in some other way. Babies might get an infection around the fingernail or toenail. If you see signs of infection, see your doctor.