Here’s an easy way to explain the extra day to your kid. 2024 is a Leap Year, and if you’re wondering how to explain to your kiddos why there’s one extra day every four years, we’ve got easy answers. It’s simple (especially if they know how to count): Leap Year is all about keeping the calendar in sync with how long it takes Planet Earth to completely orbit the sun. And fun fact: It takes more than 365 days.

These air fryer dinner recipes practically make themselves. It’s mid-week, you’ve got three practices to be at right now, homework isn’t done, the laundry is piled on the couch, and your kids are starving. What’s a parent to do? First, forget the laundry. Second, nip all the “I’m hungry” pleas in the bud with an easy air fryer dinner recipe that will taste great and take less time than ordering takeout. Whether they like steak, pizza, chicken, or tacos, we’ve got simple solutions that’ll get food on the table in a flash and leave you time to do other things—like watching your new favorite show on Netflix. Priorities, amirite?

Dropping these behaviors can do your kids a world of good. Being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, and even those of us who give it our all sometimes miss the mark; things we say or do can be so subtle we don’t realize we’re doing our kids a disservice. In a now-viral Instagram post, childhood therapist Morgan Pommels explains: “Your parents could have been trying their absolute hardest, and yet they still could have made deeply hurtful mistakes.” Pommels goes on to highlight five common ways that even the most loving parents can unintentionally harm their children, some of which we’d never really thought about before.

On Instagram, a child speech expert explains “invitations to play,” a concept that can get your toddler playing independently in no time. Back when your toddler was a “taby”—that’s the post-baby, pre-toddler phase around 1 when they start becoming little people—they were constantly moving, touching, and tasting everything in sight. And as parents, your job was simply to try to keep up and prevent them from killing themselves in the process. (Check!) But toddlerdom brings with it some different challenges. While your kid is making major strides in becoming more independent at this age, teaching them how to play independently feels nearly impossible (time to yourself while raising a 2-year-old? Pfft.). Thankfully, we’ve got some great advice on the issue. Melissa Minney, a speech and language expert for kids, posted a video on Instagram with a genius tip for encouraging toddlers to play by themselves.

Cold weather is here, the holiday excitement is wearing off—how do you keep your toddler entertained? Try these 5 fun indoor activities. When it’s this cold and gray outside, it somehow seems to be fully nighttime by 2 p.m., and you’re staring down the barrel of six more months of this until spring, the idea of keeping a toddler entertained (while maintaining your own sanity) can be a little daunting. Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is over a month away, if you need tips for activities to help your toddler handle boredom while stuck indoors, you need to watch this TikTok video.

These easy dip recipes are packed with meat and veggies that make them a full meal. Have you ever whipped up a dip appetizer for an upcoming party that was so hearty, you could eat it for dinner? Since we rarely hear of kids (okay, except the uber-picky eaters) or adults refusing a warm dip paired with crispy bread or veggies, why not make that delicious dip into dinner? These easy dip recipes include everything from classics like artichoke and buffalo dips to new takes on the viral TikTok baked feta and tomato recipe, and each idea is a great way to spice up your dinner routine.

As Christmas approaches, this dad has a message for other men about how to avoid putting the entire burden of the holiday on their female partners. Many of us have treasured memories of holidays filled with tons of magic—and for that, most of us have a mom to thank. Putting together a Christmas celebration that’s filled with joy and love and nostalgia is no easy feat. And all too often, the brunt of that work falls on moms and female partners in heterosexual relationships. That’s why Michael Vaughn, a TikToker who makes videos about mental load and equity in partnerships, has an important video for dads and male partners this holiday season.

When your kid repeats their question two, three, or 14 times (who’s counting?), here’s what to do, according to a child behavior analyst. We’ve all been there with kids of a certain age: Said child will ask the same question over and over…and over…and over. It’s frustrating. It’s annoying. You wish it would stop—but how? Mandy Grass, a behavior analyst and parent coach, has some tips that parents can use to help combat repeat queries and (hopefully) get some relief.

Here’s how to teach your kids to talk back (respectfully) so you actually practice what you preach. Most millennials grew up hearing a common refrain from their parents: Don’t talk back. But the current generation of kids might be getting a new lesson—that talking back is OK, under the right circumstances. In a TikTok video, parenting coach Destini Ann Davis explains why she actually taught her kids to talk back to her, and why other parents should, too.

Netflix just dropped a trailer for its new kids’ series “Pokémon Concierge,” and we have a feeling some adults will be tuning in to watch the super-chill animated show. What happens when Pokémon stop fighting and start relaxing? Well, that’s the question the characters are trying to answer in a new Netflix series, Pokémon Concierge. The first trailer just dropped, and to say this show looks absolutely adorable would be the understatement of the year.

Is your kid dealing with a bully? This TikToker’s “bear method” is a genius way of getting them to stop their bad behavior. Dealing with bullies is one of the most challenging things that kids go through. They’re mean. They’re scary. They’re relentless. So how do you respond to them in a way that won’t escalate their behavior? Communications expert and professor Jaime Hamilton has the answer: It’s called the “bear tactic.” In a TikTok video, she explains how to do it, and it’s honestly one of our favorite responses yet.

Does your kid go on and on (and on)? A behavior analyst and parent coach has some suggestions. When you have a bubbly, chatty kid, it can be a lot of fun. But what happens when your son or daughter is a little too talkative? A child who interrupts and talks over people can quickly frustrate other family members—and friends and guests. So how do you handle it? Well, thanks to this video from a child behavior analyst and parent coach on Instagram, we’ve got some good ideas.

The best baby tracking apps do the hard work of remembering so you don’t have to. When you’re a sleep-deprived new parent, how are you supposed to remember when you last fed your baby, how long they slept, or even when they were immunized and for what? Especially during those first few months when leaving the house freshly showered and in spit-up free clothing is considered a near miracle. Here’s the good news. You don’t have to. Some of the best baby tracking apps out there help exhausted parents keep track of every milestone, feeding, diaper change, nap, and so much more.

A child behavior expert offers some practical advice on giving in to a toddler tantrum and what to do when you want to draw a line in the sand. With toddlers, tantrums are just a fact of life—it’s not a matter of if a tantrum is coming, it’s a matter of when. What many parents grapple with is deciding when to hold fast to their rules during a tantrum, and when it’s a “choose your battles” sort of situation where it’s better to just give in. Thankfully, Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta, a child behavior expert on TikTok, has a new video that shows you how to do both as successfully as possible.

In the midst of all the carpools and soccer practices and dance lessons and schoolwork and the constant swirl of activity with busy families, there are words. Conversations. Discussions. And lots and lots of opportunities for you to encourage and motivate your potential entrepreneur, budding CEO, or just all-around smart girl.

An occupational therapist on TikTok offers five toddler activities that can help young kids regulate themselves through sensory experiences. When you’re playing with your toddler, do you often find that they want to climb on you or push their body into yours? If so, that’s completely normal! Toddlers seek sensory experiences that help them explore the world and regulate themselves—and Courtney English, a pediatric occupational therapist, is offering five toddler activities you can do with your little ones to help encourage this kind of play in safe, fun ways in a new TikTok video.

Instead of making demands, like “say ball,” do this instead. When your toddler is learning to talk, it’s an exciting albeit potentially stressful time. Experts estimate that one in five toddlers is speech delayed, which means around 20 percent of parents could use the advice in this viral TikTok video from Michael Tatro, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and mom.