Children are funny little people that are capable of great creativity and joy, and are very talented in bringing out that joy, love, and innocence in others. I admit, whenever I see a baby at the grocery store or at church, I just have to point them out and say something about them to others. They are just...too...adorable. There are indeed times when they are a handful, to say the least, but at the end of the day, you know you love them. Okay, b...

When we contemplate of the grieving process, we tend to think of the five stages of grief ( Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance) first proposed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book On Death and Dying. Many people's general understanding of these stages is that you move from one to another at a steady pace. You are supposed to start with 'denial' and end with 'acceptance'. Right? When my father passed away a couple of years ...

  Being with Help Me Grow has been one of the most rewarding experiences. I have worked with Help Me Grow for nearly 2.5 years, and I have learned so much from all of my coworkers and the parents I've talked to. As I reflect on all of the things I have done with regards to this job, I hope that I have helped make a difference in the lives of the parents and families that I've worked with. One of the mothers that I've worked with for over 2 y...

We've all been there (or will be there soon!). Your child is trying to tell you something, but you just can't figure out what he is trying to say. Your child isn't ready to be done with the activity he is in the middle of when it's time to leave. Or maybe you are trying to play referee between two children. My amazing friend and coworker put together some phrases that all parents can benefit from. This list is too amazing and helpful not to share...

You just spent the last several weeks inside the house (hopefully during winter) watching "The Princess Bride" over and over while potty training your toddler. It wasn't exactly like climbing the cliffs of insanity, but close. Now that it's Spring you want to get out of the house and go on an outing, but there's one problem: What do you do if she's gotta "go" while you're out? Inconceivable! Public bathrooms are scary, loud, and often less than s...

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...

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...

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...

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...

 Do you have a child who seems to be ahead of their physical, intellectual, and emotional stages? This kind of development is called "asynchronous development", commonly called "gifted" or "talented". So, what is a gifted child? According to  The National Association of Gifted Children : "Gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (doc...

Parents naturally want to provide the best possible environment for their children.When your child is on the autism spectrum, surroundings can make a big impact in helping her to prosper.Here are some suggestions to help you design the best possible bedroom for your child with autism. Create zones .  Creating zones in your child's bedroom can be a boon to helping her feel comfortable and thrive. Make a space dedicated to playing, another spa...

Does this sound familiar? Get your brand new baby ready for college! Prepare your child's resume to look spectacular. Get them involved in extracurricular activities early! Get them into classes to learn how to play sports and dance, so they can be the best when it counts. These are all opportunities that will set them apart and get them into the best universities. If your child is not involved in at least three extracurricular activities or unab...

It seems like news and information about child development is always changing. It can be hard to keep up with the most current science, theories, and parenting techniques. ZERO TO THREE recently compiled a list of hot, new articles and we wanted to share them with you!  Touch to Baby's Lips Sets off Intense Brain R esponse New research reveals a special neural signature associated with touching a baby's lips. It's an indicator of h...