We have all heard that we need to limit our children's screen time. In this technology-driven time it is hard to know what we should let our children watch, how much, and what that could be possibly doing to our children's development. Defining screen time has become difficult and while many parents know that children over two should not watch more than 2 hours a day, the amount of digital media our children are exposed to has changed. There are ...

Growing up, I had a very difficult time with reading and writing. My mild dyslexia and difficulties with reading comprehension made picking up a book a dreadful chore. Thankfully, when I was starting to fall behind with my literacy skills, my dedicated mother and teachers challenged me to read at least 20 minutes a night. For 10-year-old me, I thought 20 minutes of reading was a steal compared to the hour I was doing before. However, you'd be sur...

Grooming is a process where a sexual predator identifies and gets access and the trust of a child for the purpose to sexual exploitation and/or assault. Unfortunately, the Internet has provided a medium in which this exploitation can be shared and traded, and children can be accessed more easily. We teach young children "stranger danger" but when it comes to sexual abuse, young children under age 12 are most likely to be victimized by family memb...

What's behind a tantrum? When a toy goes missing, when their cookie falls on the floor, when another child won't share. In a toddler's world, moments like these can result in every parent's nightmare: a tantrum. Hidden behind these intense reactions to life experiences is the process of recognizing what emotions are, and how to regulate them. While these experiences can be frustrating, and sometimes embarrassing, there are ways we as parents can ...

Ever wonder how your child can react to and behave in situations so differently than you do? Though parents surely have an influence on children's behavior and mannerisms, temperament is also a unique influence that a child brings on their own. Temperament needs to be taken into account to not only have successful parenting, but also a secure attachment between parent and child-- which impacts a child's exploration, independence, and relationship...

As adults, we use each of our senses everyday to help understand and process the world around us. As children develop, they are learning how to use each of their senses too. Some children may struggle with sensory processing, either feeling overstimulated easily or having a hard time processing any sensory input at all. Whether or not your child struggles with sensory processing, doing sensory activities at home can be really fun and help any chi...

When I was pregnant with my first child I knew that I didn't want to have a bunch of big, loud, obnoxious toys filling my small apartment. It was important to me that we have toys that were developmentally appropriate, safe, and could fit into a small storage space. Lucky for us, one of the gifts we received included a rattle! This is a wonder toy - such a small and simple thing that is capable of teaching and doing so much. Now that I have anoth...

OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers                                        who soar to high heights.                                       One more year has come and pass...

"When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was a huge struggle for my family, as it was early in the technology of Diabetic care and everyone in my family (parents, five older siblings, and a twin) had to learn how to take care of me. My siblings have never forgotten practicing with syringes on oranges. As we became more educated, it became easier to care for my diabetes. About four years after my diagnosis, my twin brot...

Moms are the hardest working people on the planet and they never get the true recognition that they deserve for everything they do. The upshot of being everything from a parent to a doctor, counselor, taxi service, bank, a teacher to name but a few roles, is that it can be very tiring. Studies have highlighted that the average mom works a crazy 98 hours in a single week! What's more, mommas only get to enjoy a mere 17 minutes of free time pe...

"Hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects, occuring at a rate of 1 out of 300 babies." At about 11 months, I was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer. I am fortunate enough to have survived childhood cancer, but one complication was that I became deaf in my left ear. Growing up, I struggled with only being able to hear out of one ear, but I attended many speech therapists, doctors, etc. so I would be able to learn and develop like any o...

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...

Ahh...it's a new year! Nothing like fresh ambition in the air to get you excited. How do you turn your new year's resolutions into a habit that can change your life? Let's talk about six principles you can use to create fulfilling goals that will leave you inspired to work hard and leave you smiling! ​ 1. Create a goal with meaning. Identify what is most meaningful to you. Determine what is important to you and worthy of your time and energy...

The outside world can be a scary place, and kids need to know they can go to mom and dad for help answering their big questions about what they see on the news and hear at school. There are hard questions in life, and as a parent, you may be amazed at the big questions your little ones may come up with. From the refugee crisis to school shootings, having answers for your children will help put them at ease and reinforce the importance of open com...

Meal planning on a budget can be tough, but with a little creativity you can make yummy and nutritious meals. Here are some of our family favorites to get you started.  Breakfast Ideas: Eggs (hard boiled, sunny side up, scrambled, as an omelet or breakfast burrito with veggies and black beans, however you like them) with toast and juice. Add shredded cheese to your eggs if you like! Yogurt and cereal (add fresh berries for extra yum!) M...

You may have seen kids playing a blocky adventure game lately, or seen new toys while out shopping. Perhaps you thought it was Minecraft, or some kind of LEGO game. What you saw was most likely Roblox, a multiplayer online game that has been out since 2006, but grown leaps and bounds in just the last couple of years. In fall of 2018 it grew to over 70 million active users each month. Roblox is similar to LEGO and Minecraft in that it is a game cr...

Is there anything sweeter than seeing a dad with his new baby? Even before my daughter was born, I was almost more excited to see my husband with her than I was to see her. Fathers play such an important role in children's development, even from a young age. Dads interact differently with babies than their mothers do. They play differently, and talk differently. This difference is great for baby. A study done at the University of Maryland found t...

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas! Ah, 'tis the season for oversized sweaters, hot cocoa, red wind swept cheeks and Hallmark movies. It's also that time of year when children young and old start wondering what Santa or their parents might put under the tree for them come Christmas morning. While the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping is real and exciting, how can we make sure we are also fostering an environment of empathy and gratitude with our chi...

Did you know that the flu is so contagious that five to twenty percent of Americans get it each year ? The good news is, the flu is preventable – for both parents and children. Unfortunately, many people ignore the importance of prevention methods that can drastically decrease the risk of getting the flu! Fire up a new health routine and boost your family's immune system by following the methods below! Minimal Efforts = Maximum Prevention : Focus...

Close your eyes… focus on your breath… do not try to change it, just focus on it. Now, I want you to imagine yourself lying in the soft grass. As you rest, you notice a tree next to you; this tree has big, beautiful leaves. Also, notice that there is a stream nearby; you are resting near the bank. As any thought enters your mind, imagine it is a leaf on the tree. Notice the wind and allow the thought leaf to blow from the tree to the stream and f...