Alternatives to T.V. Time

Alternatives to T.V. Time
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...
Continue reading
  512 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Children Activities & Crafts - Spring Activities & Crafts - Winter Cognitive Development
Pinterest
512 Hits
0 Comments

Ages and Stages Questionnaire: What is it and should I do them?

Ages and Stages Questionnaire: What is it and should I do them?
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...
Continue reading
  394 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Communication Fine Motor Gross Motor
Pinterest
394 Hits
0 Comments

How to Break the Cycle of Gender Stereotyping

How to Break the Cycle of Gender Stereotyping
  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...
Continue reading
  320 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Education Child Development Parenting Tips
Pinterest
320 Hits
0 Comments

Early Childhood: Sexual Behavior Part 2

Early Childhood: Sexual Behavior Part 2
  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...
Continue reading
  382 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development Behavior Child Safety Parenting Tips
Pinterest
382 Hits
0 Comments

Early Childhood: Sexual Behavior: Part 1

Early Childhood: Sexual Behavior: Part 1
  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...
Continue reading
  1190 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development Behavior Child Safety Parenting Tips
Pinterest
1190 Hits
0 Comments

Guest Post: Weaning from the Bottle & Cup Introduction

Guest Post: Weaning from the Bottle & Cup Introduction
Many parents do not realize that it is recommended to wean babies from the bottle by 18 months. Getting rid of the bottle can turn into a frustrating experience for both parent and baby! However, there are some things that you can do to make it easier. Here are some ideas on how to wean your baby off the bottle and using normal cups. When should I wean from the bottle? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends weaning befo...
Continue reading
  875 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Developmental Milestones Food and Nutrition Parenting Tips
Pinterest
875 Hits
0 Comments

Things to Consider when Choosing Between Cloth and Disposable Diapers

Things to Consider when Choosing Between Cloth and Disposable Diapers
Pee-yew! To scoop the poop or toss the loss? - that is the question. Regardless of whether or not you decide to use cloth or disposable diapers on your little one's backside, remember, they both serve the same purpose. Ultimately, you will need to use the type of diaper that best works with your family and lifestyle. Here are some tips, tricks and fun things to keep in mind when deciding what diaper to don your baby's behind. ​ Cost: Although clo...
Continue reading
  745 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Family Child Development Parenting Tips
Pinterest
745 Hits
0 Comments

Tell Your Story! 3 Ways to share Help Me Grow Utah

Tell Your Story! 3 Ways to share Help Me Grow Utah
A surprisingly common question we get here at Help Me Grow Utah is "Can I tell my friend about this program?" Our answer is always "Yes! Please do!" While we love that most parents feel like Help Me Grow Utah is just for them, we want all parents in Utah to know they can feel that way too! Help Me Grow Utah envisions a vibrant community in which all families have the desire, resources, and confidence to make the best decisions during pregnancy an...
Continue reading
  548 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development Community Resources Developmental Milestones Family Challenges
Pinterest
548 Hits
0 Comments

Lying and the Theory of Mind: A Newfound Ability in Preschoolers

Lying and the Theory of Mind: A Newfound Ability in Preschoolers
"Johnny, did you just take a cookie after I told you not to?" "...No..." When you find out that your child has lied to you, it can be pretty distressing. Your sweet, innocent child chose to deceive you, which could only mean that they are now headed down a road full of deceitfulness, bad choices, and possibly crime. Well, not necessarily. Before you start drawing conclusions and panicking, it's helpful to take a step back and to try to understand...
Continue reading
  771 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Cognitive Development Developmental Milestones
Pinterest
771 Hits
0 Comments

The Grieving Child

The Grieving Child
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 ...
Continue reading
  1019 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Children Cognitive Development Family Challenges Social Emotional Development
Pinterest
1019 Hits
0 Comments

A Parent's Experience with Help Me Grow Utah

A Parent's Experience with Help Me Grow Utah
  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...
Continue reading
  694 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Family Challenges Pregnancy/Prenatal Social Emotional Development
Pinterest
694 Hits
0 Comments

Screen Time Recommendations for Children

Screen Time Recommendations for Children
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 ...
Continue reading
  1369 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Health & Safety Cognitive Development Family Challenges
Pinterest
1369 Hits
0 Comments

The 20 Minute Challenge: How Reading Just 20 Minutes a Day Can Help your Child's Learning

The 20 Minute Challenge: How Reading Just 20 Minutes a Day Can Help your Child's Learning
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...
Continue reading
  1892 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Education Child Development Parenting Tips Reading & Literacy
Pinterest
1892 Hits
0 Comments

Tantrums: What’s Behind Them, and How to Help Your Child Through Them

Tantrums: What’s Behind Them, and How to Help Your Child Through Them
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 ...
Continue reading
  903 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development Behavior Parenting Tips
Pinterest
903 Hits
0 Comments

Easy Sensory Activities to do at Home

Easy Sensory Activities to do at Home
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...
Continue reading
  1291 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Sensory Autism Spectrum Cognitive Development Gross Motor
Pinterest
1291 Hits
0 Comments

9 Ways to Use Rattles with Your Baby or Toddler

9 Ways to Use Rattles with Your Baby or Toddler
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...
Continue reading
  818 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Activities & Crafts - Summer Cognitive Development Developmental Milestones
Pinterest
818 Hits
0 Comments

What You Need to Know About Your Child's Hearing

What You Need to Know About Your Child's Hearing
"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...
Continue reading
  820 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development Health & Safety
Pinterest
820 Hits
0 Comments

Following Your Child's Ages and Stages

Following Your Child's Ages and Stages
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...
Continue reading
  901 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Communication Fine Motor Gross Motor Social Emotional Development
Pinterest
901 Hits
0 Comments

3 Ways to Support Your Gifted Child

3 Ways to Support Your Gifted Child
 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...
Continue reading
  1009 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Parenting Child Development School Readiness
Pinterest
1009 Hits
0 Comments

Hot Off the Presses: New Information in the World of Child Development

Hot Off the Presses: New Information in the World of Child Development
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...
Continue reading
  1457 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
Child Development Communication Sleep Social Emotional Development
Pinterest
1457 Hits
0 Comments
    Previous    
1 2