Supporting families through science-based parenting
If you’re the parent of a child between about 2 and 4 years old, it’s more than likely that you’re thinking about toilet training. In fact, you’re probably not just thinking about it, you may be doing it, considering doing it or even obsessing over it. Once a few years of seemingly endless diaper changes … Read More
Toddlers aren’t much for sitting down and having long conversations about their day. In fact, it may seem difficult to learn even the most basic information about what your child does, likes and thinks. This type of reciprocal conversation requires some pretty complex skills that most toddlers have yet to master. The type of language … Read More
If you’re the parent of a toddler, your days are filled with the word “no:” both your child saying the word to you and you saying it to them. Your day is also likely filled with activities, routines, and movement, all of which you need your toddler to agree to in order to maintain some … Read More
We all dread the day – whether your baby goes to daycare at 3 months old or starts preschool at 3 years old, the idea of sending your little one off into the care of someone you don’t know can be devastating. No matter how much research you do on the quality of the care … Read More
I often get asked about alternatives to screen time. With the pandemic still among us and lots of variation in childcare availability, many parents find themselves at home with their children, trying to stay productive and happy. Screen time is absolutely okay in moderation, and for the 2 to 5 age group, one hour or … Read More
This blog can be relevant for any age, but I’ve chosen the toddler group because I think the ages from about 16 months to about 2.5 years can be the most challenging age group to fly with. At this age, your little one has just enough language and mobility to be dangerous but can’t yet … Read More
You know the scenario: You’ve prepared a healthy meal and think to yourself “this will finally be the night we’ll all sit together and eat. No fussing, no crying, everyone eating many bites of food, laughing, talking about our day……” BUT your toddler has other plans. If your life is any bit as crazy as … Read More
You’ve made it through the first two phases – modeling signs in blog #1 of this series and then more actively prompting your baby to make signs in part #2 of this series. This final blog is about how to transition from sign language to vocal communication, a desire for all parents! Of course, we … Read More
Welcome back! If you’ve followed the procedures in part 1 of this blog and your baby is older than 8 months, you’re ready to move on. I consider 8 months to be the very earliest you can start the next phase of sign language training, so don’t be discouraged if your baby is not quite … Read More
The toddler stage is filled with rapid growth, learning and budding interest in the world. Kids quickly go from relying on their parents for getting all their needs met to successfully navigating many parts of their environment independently. This transition to independence is often coupled with strong motivation to engage with the world and the … Read More