Giving your daughter the confidence to be herself is one of the greatest gifts you can give her. It is important for her to understand that she shouldn't be ashamed of her intelligence or pretend to be someone she is not.
Crying is a baby's way of communicating. Responding to your baby's cries builds trust and a sense of cause and effect. Responding to a baby's nighttime cries is an important part of parenting, but so is sleep. Parents should also keep in mind that "sleeping through the night" for an infant means a five-hour block of sleep, no...
As a mom who has experienced colic, I am well-aware of the affects this temperament can have on the care-giver. But do fussy babies grow up into difficult adults?
With more parents placing infants on their backs to sleep, in accordance with doctor recommendations for preventing SIDS, more babies are skipping crawling. Some experts believe the bilateral integration of crawling is important to developing strength, motor skills and neural connections. Because both sides of the body must work togeth...
Tantrums are a normal part of development, so take comfort knowing that you are not the first parent to struggle with your child’s tantrums. When your son gets upset or frustrated, he becomes flooded with emotions that he is not yet able to regulate on his own. As his parent, you can help him build the skill of regulating his emotions ...
Toddlers and preschoolers love to help. You might start by asking your child to care for a plant. Caring for a plant is an age-appropriate way for your child to learn how to nurture and take care of another living thing. To get your child excited about his new responsibility, take him to a plant nursery and let him pick out his favorit...
The National Education Association suggests that parents follow the "10-minute rule," which calls for 10 minutes of homework per day, per grade. Following this recommendation, your daughter would receive little (less than 10 minutes) to no homework at the preschool level. If you find that your daughter routinely takes more than 5-10 mi...
Thanksgiving dinner might feel like comfort food to adults, but for toddlers, it is a table full of new colors, textures, tastes, and experiences. To keep your child’s first experience with these new foods as positive, and low pressure, as possible, try serving some of the dishes you will have at Thanksgiving dinner beforehand at a reg...
Toddlers love to help, so a fun way to keep your child busy while you cook is to have him/her help you in the kitchen. You can do this by having your child help you with the actual preparation of the food (e.g., adding premeasured ingredients or helping you stir with a spoon), or by giving your child play dishes and getting him/her to ...
There are so many valuable qualities we want to instill in our children, but learning to be thankful–or grateful–is one of the most important. Not only are grateful people more pleasant to be around, research has shown that they report higher levels of happiness and optimism, as well as lower levels of depression and stress. But learni...
Cooking together can be a wonderful way for you and your child to spend quality time together, but before you head into the kitchen together, it is important to discuss with your child the importance of kitchen safety. The most important thing to remember is to never leave your child unattended in the kitchen. It is also a good idea to...
As a parent, it can be difficult to see your child struggle with shyness, particularly if you are outgoing. It is important, however, to avoid labeling your child or making him/her feel like there is something wrong with being shy. Instead, acknowledge your child’s feelings and help your child overcome his/her fears by encouraging them...