Support Your Child’s Development: As your babies become toddlers, shift your thinking. Do things “with” them, instead of “for” or “to” them.
Milestones
Probably the most important way that I support parents and caregivers is helping them understand their child’s development. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by 3 month milestones, 6 month milestones, 2 year old milestones, or early elementary-aged skills, I try to help parents feel empowered by them! Having a sense of where your child is, where they’ve been, and where they are going helps you to parent in a developmentally appropriate manner and support your children as they become their most successful selves.
The Value of A Flexible Routine
Check out my article on Mommybites about “The Value of A Flexible Routine.” Use what you know about your child to create a routine that meets their (and your) needs, as well as teaching them to manage change. http://mommybites.com/col2/nanny/the-value-of-a-flexible-routine/
Sippy or Straw Cup? And the Speech Therapist Says…
…Straw Cup! According to speech therapists, straw cups promote more mature oral motor development. Sippy cups encourage children to rest their tongues on the under side of the spout, which can cause what is called “tongue thrust.” Tongue thrust can lead to articulation issues. Straw cups on the other hand promote lip closure, tongue and Read More
Drill and Kill for Toddlers
Where to start? Where to start? One needn’t looking any further than the first photograph in Kate Zernike’s recent New York Times article, “Fast-Tracking to Kindergarten.” The poor munchkin in that picture looks so overwhelmed. And why shouldn’t she be? Developmentally, her mind and body are not ready for this work. I’m all for enrichment Read More
5 Ways to Enrich Your Young Child’s Fine Motor Development (3-5 years old)
I thought about naming this post “big work for little hands” but decided to go with the title you see above. That being said, my discarded title brings up an important point. I believe strongly that typically developing children accomplish tasks when they are ready. Developmentally, not all little hands are ready for big work. The activities Read More
Guest Post: 5 Ways to Enrich Your Child’s Language Development (0-3 years old)
1. Read 2 to 3 books a day with a clear beginning and ending. Books can vary in length Be creative in your reading style (i.e., singing the words, playing with character voices, changing your speech). It is ok to skip pages based on your child’s attention span. Make books accessible throughout the day. The Read More
My Favorite Things: Infant Toys (0-6 Months)
It’s apropos, in light of the fact that my nephew was born last Wednesday morning, that I offer a list of my favorite infant toys and some ways to use them! 1.Light Rattles and Small Rain sticks– These items encourage tracking (following objects with their eyes) and are very attractive to infants. They make different noises and are Read More
New York Family Magazine: Special Needs Article
Concerned about your child’s development? Check out the new article I contributed to for New York Family Magazine. “Understanding the Special Needs Landscape in NYC: Parents Of Children With Special Needs Face A Maze Of Evaluations, Programs And Services. Here’s Some Expert Advice”