During this time of the "Stay home, Stay safe" directive, You or your child (or both!) might find yourself feeling bored. Just know it's okay to be bored! In fact, we need people to get bored. It's while we're bored that our minds are free to create. Creativity is the heart that moves us forward into newer brighter ideas for the future. Boredom also provides the building blocks to build relationships and confidence. So what is actually happening ...

I'm Elise Brimhall, the Education Program Manager for PBS Utah. With COVID-19 impacting everyday life, especially schools, we know that you are now entertaining and educating children in the home 24/7. It's a big task, and we know it can feel overwhelming. To ease some of the pressure, we at PBS Utah have put together trusted resources for you and your kids. First, checkout our blog series for Utah parents to get educational hands-on activities, ...

As a desiring future mother myself, I often wonder if I am preparing in the right way for this transition into pregnancy. When should I see my doctor? What foods should I eat/avoid? What vitamins should I be taking? When should I be concerned I am not pregnant? If you find yourself asking similar questions, I hope that together we can explore these uncertainties and find some useful answers. Make a List of Goals It is easy to feel bombarded with ...

  Have you ever heard the terms "language delay" and "speech delay" being thrown around almost interchangeably? Perhaps you've heard that children who learn two languages are more prone to speech delays? These terms and possibilities can be very overwhelming, especially when we want the best possible speech outcomes for our children. Hopefully this article will help to provide some clarity and dispel some of the confusion and myths around wh...

Please note: This article was submitted prior to the CDC guidelines regarding Covid-19. Please observe all safety measures as they are currently outlined, including social distancing.  Have you heard the term " nature-deficit disorder " and wondered what all the fuss is about? Don't worry - this isn't a disorder that can be diagnosed medically, but it is something we should all be aware of. That's because our health and well-being suffe...

Raising children is so much more than a full-time job for parents — it's a lifelong adventure aimed at raising those children into healthy, happy, and productive adults. So, what's the secret to accomplishing this feat? There's not really one secret; after all, if there was, we would all be putting it to good use to nurture and protect our little ones. But there are some helpful resources and tools that can make life as a parent a little easier. ...

Dixie Sevison has been working with students her whole career. Currently, her focus is on all female students at Brigham Young University as the director of Women's Services & Resources. I got a chance to sit down with her and talk about the resources available to young mothers, some of whom might still be in school. What are some common issues with student moms? The common theme is who is going to take care of my child while I'm at school? W...

As someone that has had glasses since sixth grade, contacts since high school, and lasik later on, visiting the eye doctor was part of my regular life growing up. But when should children start  going to the eye doctor? According to the American Optometric Association  children should receive their first eye exam sometime between 6-12 months old. During this comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will test for: ​ E...

Finding meaningful activities to share with the kids in your life can be a challenge. With so many attention-grabbing screens to compete with, it might even be intimidating to suggest something like gardening. But make no mistake! Kids can get every bit as excited about growing plants as they do about a video game or TV show. The secret is to keep things simple, engaging, and — most of all — fun! A Perfect First Garden Indoor herb gardens are an ...

I remember babysitting my young niece not too long ago. All evening she asked, "Cars?" This was code for, "Could we watch the movie Cars?" Soon I turned on the TV and sat with my niece as she watched intently. I became intrigued as I started to notice she did not take her eyes off the TV. She, like many of us, had watery eyes due to the amount of focus she put on the screen. This experience caused me to think about what she could be doing instead...

  I never considered myself a particularly emotional person. Well, that is, until I had kids. Becoming a mother has a way of helping our emotions to "blossom." And of course by that I mean, all the wonderful emotions, like deep love, elation, pride, real joy. . . but let's be honest-- most of us have had other emotions blossom in motherhood as well, like guilt, frustration, anger, loneliness, anxiety, exhaustion. . . among many others. I fea...

There are many perks to being the oldest child; every little milestone is tracked, celebrated, and recognized. Everything from my first words, to walking, and even toilet training, it was an exciting time for my parents to watch me grow. There was a sense of anticipation with each milestone, and as I learned new skills, they looked forward to what I'd be learning next. I was able to experience a little bit of that excitement when my youngest sist...

  Have you ever heard the saying "boys will be boys"? Or "girls are so emotional"? These may seem like harmless phrases that explain our parenting experiences, but they may actually be limiting our children's potential. Gender Differences We are always hearing about another new finding on the "many" differences between boys and girls - whether that's in how they learn, who's better at math, who's more aggressive, etc. Researcher Christia Spe...

  Having a baby in your 30's can be stressful enough. Trust me, I know firsthand about all of those challenges. In addition to avoiding all of the peer pressure that comes with being an older mom, you also need to worry about navigating the financial changes that come with starting a family. Thankfully, being older also tends to mean being wiser when it comes to your budget and finances. Still, even if you think your budget is stable, it nev...

  If you have already read Part 1 of Early Childhood: Sexual Behavior, you know that two very big topics were left to Part 2: How to promote healthy boundaries and communication with trusted adults, and What you (the parent) should do when something is troubling regarding your child's sexual behaviors. Since these topics can be quite broad and lengthy, we will go over them superficially and generally. For more in-depth information, plea...

  We all know it's part of human nature and development, but many questions are associated with self-touch and sexual behavior in young children. It's a sensitive topic for parents for many reasons: religious beliefs and personal values, inexperience in explaining body development and appropriate behaviors with children, uncertainty around what is typical at this young age range, and others.  Though we cannot expound on all reasons list...

Before working at Help Me Grow Utah, I spent ten years as a children's librarian and fell in love with early literacy. No, I was not teaching toddlers and preschoolers to read, but I was instead teaching parents to put into practice the underlying skills kids need to be good readers when they are ready. Those practices boil down to things parents do with their kids all the time, like talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing! The best thing...

I was reading an article the other day that talked about studies in favor of toddlers sincerely enjoying and wanting opportunities to help those around them. After finishing the article, I wondered, "where does all that 'helping spirit' go when they get older?" And why is it that some older children are more willing to help than others-- why do some children have more intrinsic motivation? The Deets on Motivation Motivation is generally categoriz...

  Thumb sucking and pacifiers can be a real worry to some parents. We've all heard the horror stories about children's teeth becoming deformed and needing orthodontic intervention. Sucking on a pacifier and/or thumb is a healthy, natural reflex that infants and toddlers use to soothe themselves. Sucking is very relaxing and may help children fall asleep. Sometimes infants and children will develop thumb sucking in response to the popular Cry...

Growing up I always loved summer. I loved being able to play in the sun, spend more time at my grandparents and most importantly not having to go to bed early! It was always a sad time when my parents started putting us to bed early to prepare for school. With school approaching quickly I wanted to talk about sleep - why it is important and how to make it easier for both you and your kids! This is the suggested amount of sleep kids should get acc...