Last updated on November 17th, 2017 at 11:35 pmMany of us are now aware of the damaging long-term effects of growing up in poverty. The stress experienced by adults and kids who struggle to meet their basic needs can put kids at risk for lower academic achievement, health problems and emotional difficulties. On the other side of the economic spectrum, however, we are finding that kids who grow up in...
Last updated on August 4th, 2017 at 02:46 amAs parents we’ve probably all had these moments—you are asking your child a question or to complete a chore and they are glued to the TV screen (or tablet). You ask multiple times, you maybe even raise your voice, but no response. You soon realize that the screen is taking all their attention and your efforts are useless. We adults multi-task all the...
Last updated on June 26th, 2017 at 11:04 amHow many times a day do you find yourself saying, “good job” to your young child? I know for me, this cliche phrase slips out numerous times a day. We all know that praise and encouragement (especially for good behavior) can be a strong motivator for children, especially around the preschool years. Preschoolers are in a stage of development where they...
Last updated on April 2nd, 2017 at 11:58 pmI’ll admit it—the first brand name my son recognized was Starbucks. This probably says something about the coffee habits in our family. However, it also says something about the advertising and branded world we live in. At the time of this recognition my son was about 2 or 2.5 years old. It just goes to show how powerful branded messages and advertising...
Last updated on July 13th, 2017 at 12:20 amWe have heard the stories in the news all the time—some say kids are “overscheduled” and need more time to play. On the other side, parents of the “tiger mom” variety tend to want their children constantly in activities and lessons to encourage their growth and development. Until recently, the one voice you hadn’t heard on this topic was the...
Last updated on July 20th, 2017 at 03:40 amIf you have a youngster at home, you probably notice they like to move…A LOT! I have two young boys and in recent months I have especially begun to notice how much they like to fidget and move. My older son is seven years old and I was beginning to worry about his ability to focus in class. Then I came across this great article that has been floating all...
