Read this month’s column by parenting expert Karen S. Deerwester and view a collection of stories about preschool issues from previous issues of South Florida Parenting.

Which Battles are Worth Fighting?
Find out in this month's column by Karen Deerwester
Parents have been told for decades to choose their battles. Which battles are most important? Of course you want your child to eat, but you can't force him if he spits the food back out. What can you reasonably expect at each stage of development? Educators say that biting is normal but you can't ignore teeth marks in another child's arm. Who's right when one parent is strict and another is relaxed? You just want to know – which battles really matter?

Is it ever OK to offer your child a "treat" or a "prize" to encourage him or her to do something? Find out in this month's column by Karen Deerwester
After all, grown-ups are rewarded all the time for doing things -- with money, frequent-flyer miles, points for using a credit card. Incentives are as American as apple pie. Is it possible that rewards teach your child self-management and personal responsibility?

Fighting the Grinches
Sometimes holidays can make parents of little ones a little doubtful. Here's how to keep your perspective.
December bursts into busy lives with the promise of holiday joy. Holiday miracles and magic are everywhere. The oil burned in the temple for eight days. A special baby was born. And Santa Claus, who sees you when you're sleeping, delivers presents in record time to children all around the world.

Toddler to Preschool
Learn how to teach empathy and acceptance to your children.

Look out for the Littlest Learners
Is preschool OK for 2 year olds?
Like most kids, Ilan Enteen enjoys his cartoons.

Do kids need preschool?
With all the talk about school readiness, parents are beginning to feel enormous pressure about getting their inquisitive, talkative, energetic preschoolers on the fast track to success.

Which Preschool Is Right for Your Child?
Most parents start their child's education with some form of preschool. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 60 percent of children ages 3 to 5 attend some form of center-based child-care program. But in South Florida, the choices seem endless; there are hundreds of preschools in the tri-county area, many with vastly differing principles and methods of teaching. How to choose?

Preschool Music Lessons
Anxious to stimulate their baby's brains, some moms play music for babies in the womb. Newborns are calmed by soothing lullabies sung by parents and recordings of the classics, and research has shown that exposure to music in the earliest years does improve children's brain power.