A new sibling means some major changes for your toddler. From the toddler’s perspective, once the ruler of the roost, they now have to share you with a tiny, crying, pooping machine. Not fair, right?!
You may have heard that it’s going to be a bumpy road as you adjust to your newest addition, but planning […]
It’s important for family members to model reading for children. Not only is it important to read TO your child, but it is also to read AROUND her. Children who see adults reading and see reading material in their houses are more likely to pick up the habit of reading themselves.
But what if you, the […]
The Art of Negotiation
Children are born negotiators. They learn early on that with a little persistence (and pestering) they can eventually wear down their parent’s resolve. “Pester Power” is the power children have to repeatedly make requests until their parents give them what they want. Whether it’s cake for breakfast or wanting to go to […]
Encouraging children to read during the summer helps them to keep their reading skills strong. There are a lot of different summer reading programs both at local libraries and nationwide (check out this list) that offer incentives for kids to read. You can also start you own, homegrown summer reading program. Here are some tips […]
The phrase “Helicopter Parent” gets thrown around a lot these days. It’s used to describe parents who overprotect their children from risk or failure, whether it’s physical or emotional.
Most of us are not as extreme as “Helicopter Parents,” but we want to protect our children. Allowing our children to take risks can be challenging for […]
Spend just a few minutes playing with a toddler and it becomes clear that their imaginations are capable of taking them to wonderful places and on amazing adventures.
The downside to their busy brains? They don’t come with an “off” switch. At around age 3, the fear of imaginary creatures (such as monsters or shadows in […]
Let’s be honest: Most of us don’t waltz into parenthood knowing what we’re doing. We seek guidance from family, peers, and pediatricians, but even then, parenting is still often a learn-as-you-go process, which is why we make mistakes and fall into parenting traps.
The good news is that when it comes to parenting there is always […]
As parents, we invest a lot of time and attention in our baby’s language development. We sing songs, read board books, make extra effort to point out what things are called and to describe what we are doing throughout our day—even if it’s only folding laundry.
And we delight in their accomplishments: first word, first sentence, […]
Before you had children, how did you unwind after a long day at work? Maybe you met up with friends, hit the gym, went for a hike. . .maybe you did nothing at all—how amazing was that?!
In that era, laundry could wait until the weekend; groceries could be put off until there was nothing left […]
With the pressures that come with being a parent, it’s easy to fall into common parenting traps. Parent traps are specific ways you act or speak with your child or partner, or even how you treat yourself that can get in the way of your parenting goals. We all fall into traps at least once […]
