Baby, Its Cold Outside! (Part 1)

Yet another way of empowering parents, caregivers and teachers. Let’s be honest, as it gets darker and colder, no one really wants to take young children to the park. It’s always been remarkable to me that children don’t seem to feel the frigid temperatures in the same way adults do. From an educators’ standpoint, gross Read More

The Great Potty Debate

When a parent comes to me for advice about potty training, I always start the conversation the same way.  Let’s consider what it takes to pee on the potty.  A child has to be aware that they need to pee, let you know, hold the pee, get to the bathroom, adjust their clothing, sit on the Read More

A Problem Solving Activity

Next time you and your child are faced with a problem, try this out! Take out a large piece of paper and a marker and tell your child you are going to do some important work.  Children love to be involved with making lists and writing words.  It makes them feel very grown-up. Write down Read More

The Parenting Dance

  Many parents go through a period where they struggle to understand what their children are telling them.   In more challenging situations, parents can have a hard time connecting with their babies.  I often suggest they try considering these times in a new framework.  Consider parenting to be a dance. Starting from the first moment you hold your infant in Read More

Giving Thanks

Today on Thanksgiving, but really every day, it is important to think about raising children who are thankful and appreciative.  How can a parent or teacher instill these traits in children? When children are about 18 months old, they can repeat the phrase “thank you.”  While they will not truly understand what it means until they Read More

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

Showing Emotions to Children

I recently wrote about how aware children are of what their parents are communicating through language and behavior. This is true both after extreme events and during the typical day. When a parent is anxious during separation at school, the child knows. When a grownup holds the child’s hand just a little bit tighter while Read More

Plan to Play: The Animals on the Bus

For most children, farm animals are a standard toy chest item. Two of my favorites are Soft Touch Baby Farm Animals and Aurora My Barnyard Friends Carrier with Sounds. For a barn and animal set, the Fisher Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm is a favorite! The problem is, one can only play with animals Read More