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...

Did you have a pet growing up? I know I did! Dogs, bunnies, snakes, frogs, tarantulas-- you name it, and I bet you I had it! My dog was named Biff, he was my best friend! He would hang out by my side, steal my diapers, and give me countless cuddles. He taught me how to be gentle and loving; I pulled on his tail once, he did not like that and I learned that QUICKLY! He taught me to be responsible; dogs can't open doors or fill their water bowls! L...

When my son was three months old, a woman at my childhood church looked lovingly at me and said, "Isn't it just wonderful? Could you ever even imagine loving anything or anyone as much as you love him?" I cannot remember how I responded to her question, or if I even did. Inside I thought, "Well, I actually can. Because, I do not love him." Her comment, made in kindness, absolutely tore me into pieces. I was on a therapist prescribed vacation, see...

 Adoption is a topic close to my heart because my husband was adopted. I have learned from him the wonders of adoption, but also the hard topics and situations that may arise due to having a child come into your family in such a way. Adoption can be a hard topic for families to talk about with their child. However, feelings about being adopted can influence a child's sense of self-worth and esteem. While every family's situation is different...

Have you ever noticed how life has a tendency to throw all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, especially at the least convenient times? I've heard enough experiences to know that this doesn't just happen to me; everyone has their own story. It's often hard for me (but really, most adults as well) to deal with these types of challenges. Imagine what it's like for a child! Yet we often have huge expectations of our children at their first sign o...

Not only did your partner just finish carrying the baby in her belly for 9 months, if she chooses to breastfeed, she'll be spending hours each day and night feeding. It can be easy to feel left out or uncomfortable with a new baby; there are a lot of adjustments to make! But don't worry, you aren't expected to know everything or be perfect. To help smooth over the transition to fatherhood a little better, here are some tips for first time dads an...

Your child's day is filled with noise, motion and lights. From TVs blaring, phones buzzing and more, their days can be filled with devices and distractions. These distractions make the brain work harder. A National Safety Council white paper said , "Human brains do not perform two tasks at the same time. Instead, the brain handles tasks sequentially, switching between one task and another." Over time, these distractions cause stress, decrease pro...

Infertility is unfortunately the reality of 1 in 8 couples. It's hard, lonely and painful. After being on our road to our baby for two years, I've learned a few things. Honestly, I'm still a rookie in the infertility department, but after learning these things, I've found so much more peace and happiness in our journey than before I started applying these things to my daily life. Number One: Accept it. It can be so hard to accept that infertility...

As a parent, you are always concerned about our children and we tend to ask ourselves an abundance of questions. For instance: "Is my child doing well in school?" "Why is my child so picky?" "How can I tell if my child's speech is normal?" These are questions parents can usually answer or seek out resources to obtain answers for. But what answers do parents have when the question is "how do I explain the LGBTQ community to my child?" It can be a ...

Mother's day- What a great day to celebrate our mothers and all they have done for us! However, I never considered that a mother might feel what I call "Mother's Day guilt." I first heard of this while my husband and I were having dinner with my aunt and uncle, who frequently invite us over for dinner. Somehow, Mother's Day was brought up, and my aunt said, "I hate Mother's Day." I was surprised to hear this, who would not love a day dedicated to...

  Nesting is the act of preparing one's home for the arrival of a new baby or child. Typically, nesting involves things such as painting a nursery, buying a crib, baby-proofing the house, and making sure everything is as clean as possible as the due date approaches. However, when you are a parent living with a disability, your nesting process is generally more intense. Beyond the normal nesting practices, parents with disabilities need to ma...