Restaurant Sanity Savers

Dana’s tips for teaching appropriate restaurant behavior. Having a child shouldn’t mean you can’t go out for dinner without hiring a babysitter.  Taking your young child to a restaurant holds the possibility of a wonderful experience in a new place with new foods, as well as an enjoyable time for you and your partner.  It can Read More

2 More, Fun (And Educational) Fall Activities

1.  Decorate A Pumpkin: Babies can explore the texture, weight, smell, size and let’s be realistic, taste, of a pumpkin, simply by having it in their play space.  Toddler will love using craypas or face paint crayons to decorate them.  Older toddlers can peel stickers for decoration and preschoolers will love using paints.  Children in Read More

What Kind of Parent Are You?

For some time, when people referred to opposing sides of the parenting argument, they were talking about working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.  Today, the reference is to parenting styles.  It goes without saying that we live in a more complicated, and in some cases more dangerous world, than existed just a few generations ago.  But Read More

Three Ways Kids Can Learn Good Recycling Habits

As parents and teachers, we are often concerned with the future world our children will inherit. As more packaging waste is generated and left to slowly decompose in landfills, the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling dramatically increases. The act of practice good recycling habits by “being green” helps to ensure that today’s kids and Read More

Drop the “Okay?!”

“Okay,” let’s talk for a minute about the power of language and tone with young children.  Parents of toddlers know that a well-placed, excited “ooh” or “ahh” can redirect their child’s attention away from the cleaning of a hurt boo boo (although, first you should reflect and acknowledge your child’s emotions and pain).  Those words and the Read More

3 Fun (And Educational) Fall Activties

Fall is here in full force.  Whether your child is transitioning into school for the first time or has headed back to grade school, chances are you are looking for ways to enrich their learning…not to mention have some fun together!  Here are 5 activities that are perfect for the Fall. 1. “Collected Leaves” Collage:  Read More

How Your Child’s Temperament (And Your Own) Affects Your Parenting Style

Within the first few days of a child’s life, many parents will describe them as calm, easy going, demanding, or high strung.  Each child is born with a temperament that influences the way they react to the world around them.  That being said, it is important for parents to remember that temperament is not static.  Read More

How Are We Going To Separate?

Separation for the first time at school can be a spectacular, and sometimes challenging, experience for grown-ups and children alike.  I find that having a plan helps immensely.  You can talk to both your child and his or her teacher about “the plan” and then follow through.  Try these tips: 1. Have Your Child Walk In To Read More