Q: Is it okay to buy my child a cellphone?

Children’s singer-songwriter Raffi says no way. He’s active in the fight against marketing to children, and cellphones—which allow advertisers to reach kids directly—are in his crosshairs. But if you insist—or your kid does, and you can’t hack the nagging—Disney and other companies now offer kiddie-specific phones (for 10- to 15-year-olds) that allow parents to control when and how much kids can chat and text.

Q: Is it best if we plan it so our baby is due in the spring?

Totally. Summer is sweltering, and in the winter, getting out of the house with your newborn without having to worry about stuffing them into snowsuits or slipping on ice and falling onto your baby sling is tricky. But good luck timing it. It took me forever to get pregnant with my first kid. The second time, however, it took (literally) one shot.

Q: We yell at our kids a lot when we discipline them, but we know that’s wrong. How can we change our ways?

Count to 10. When you’re yelling, you’re just having an adult tantrum. Not cool. You’re only validating your own kids’ tantrums. So count to 10—go into another room if you have to—and then use your indoor voice. Here’s your inspiration for harnessing the power of the scream: My husband’s dad always kept his parenting cool. But the rare times he did lose it and started roaring, the kids knew it was serious. “Holy shit,” my husband and his brother would say, “we cracked dad.”

Q: What is this whole yummy mummy craze all about?

I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I’m all for it. My friend Jon says that no woman is truly sexy until she’s a mom. And when I look at Paris Hilton, I know it’s true.

Q: My two-year-old started daycare, and they say he’s great. But from the moment we pick him up until bedtime, he throws tantrums. Help!

Is he exhausted? If he’s less than a few months into the new schedule and the iffy behaviour isn’t showing up until he gets home, I bet he’s exhausted. Kids don’t come in from a busy day and declare they’re tired and need quiet time. Instead, they cry and beat their fists and scream into the carpet. Ask if he can have a nap at his daycare, or—if he’s already having one—ask for him to have a longer one. Also, plan a short stretch of time when he gets home where he can chill out—read books to him, put on some soft music, cuddle with him, even put on the TV if that’s the only option. He should adjust to the new schedule within a few months