The Power of Emotion Coaching

The Power of Emotion Coaching
One of the most inspiring ideas I learned about in college was the idea of "emotional coaching." I remember feeling overwhelmed with this practice and asking myself "how am I supposed to emotionally coach a child when I struggle to understand and navigate through my own emotions?" Perhaps, you may feel similar thoughts and fears about emotional coaching, I want to look more into why emotional coaching is important and simple steps that can help m...
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Animal Breathing to Calm Your Child

Animal Breathing to Calm Your Child
I love training in martial arts. There's something really fulfilling for me to be able to master a new technique while getting a really great workout in. One aspect of martial arts that I really connect with is the need to breathe. We all struggle with different challenges. We are all more capable of handling life's challenges a little bit easier if we can just breathe. Gentri, Help Me Grow's Call Center Manager, wrote an amazing article on Copin...
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10 Alternative Tummy Time Activities

10 Alternative Tummy Time Activities
We all know that tummy time is important! Tummy time helps your baby develop her neck, back, and shoulder muscles. Not only does tummy time help your child be ready to crawl and walk, it also helps her to be ready to drink from a cup and eat solid foods. The recommended time for tummy time varies upon who you talk to, but the goal is for baby to spend as much time as they can on their tummies. Do tummy time for as long as the child can tolerate, ...
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Special Time: Beyond Just One-On-One Time

Special Time: Beyond Just One-On-One Time
When talking to families about special time, parents often respond, "I already spend all day with my children" or "We have lots of one-on-one time together." I love hearing when parents are able to be home and enjoy spending time with their children! I also wanted to highlight some of ways that "special time" differs from other one on one time and the benefits it can offer to ALL families – whether you are home with your children all day or not. ...
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Three Ways to Make Meaningful Moments with Your Child

Three Ways to Make Meaningful Moments with Your Child
Take a moment to think of someone you just love to pieces. Are you thinking of them? What is it about them that you love? Do they have to act a certain way to earn your love? I can think of two people that are very special to me. My parents. I love to joke around and have fun with them, I love to listen to their stories and talk with them, and I love to share experiences with them. Some of the most important attributes my parents have which make ...
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Tantrums: A Good Thing?

Tantrums: A Good Thing?
As a Parent Support Specialist, one of the most common concerns that I hear about are tantrums. Often irrational, unpredictable, and unpacifiable, it comes as no surprise to me that tantrums can be so concerning to parents that are simply trying their best to keep their child happy and breathing. What is a parent to do when it appears that their child is the only one crying on the floor in the grocery store, or when they seem to still throw a tan...
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What Children Do For Us, and How to Say "Thank You"

What Children Do For Us, and How to Say "Thank You"
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...
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11 Helpful Phrases to Confidently Parent the Toddler Years

11 Helpful Phrases to Confidently Parent the Toddler Years
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...
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The Princess Bride and Fear of Public Restrooms

The Princess Bride and Fear of Public Restrooms
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...
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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...
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Guest Post: Grooming Online: What Parents Should Know

Guest Post: Grooming Online: What Parents Should Know
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...
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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 ...
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How to Talk to Your Child about Adoption

How to Talk to Your Child about Adoption
 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...
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10 Coping Techniques to Use with your Child

10 Coping Techniques to Use with your Child
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...
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Tips for Teething and Oral Hygiene

Tips for Teething and Oral Hygiene
There is arguably nothing cuter than a baby's gummy, ear-to-ear grin...until they get two little teeth in the front, then it's game over. But that extreme level of cuteness doesn't come without a price, especially on baby's end. Fussiness, swollen gums, sleeplessness, and even a fever are just some symptoms your baby will express when teething begins. Teething usually begins around age 4-6 months, and by 3 years old your child...
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Guest Post: Focusing in a Tech-Saturated World through Mindfulness

Guest Post: Focusing in a Tech-Saturated World through Mindfulness
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...
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Guest Post: Alexa, Cortana, Siri and Google Assistant: AI in your home

Guest Post: Alexa, Cortana, Siri and Google Assistant: AI in your home
  We are excited to have Carrie Rogers-Whitehead from Digital Respons-Ability back for today's guest blog post. Have you recently bought a virtual assistant for your home? Another word for a virtual assistant is an artificial intelligence, or AI. These tools are convenient for remembering numbers, sending reminders, purchasing items and more. More and more of these devices are coming into homes. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners report...
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Age Appropriate Chores for Children

Age Appropriate Chores for Children
Do you ever find yourself wondering what types of chores your child is capable of performing or how to help motivate them to do chores in the first place? Here are five helpful tips to consider. 1. Make the chore seem manageable to the child. Sometimes a task like "clean your room" can seem enormous and possibly even overwhelming in a child's eyes. Parents can help by breaking the chore into little pieces so the child knows exactly what is expect...
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Guest Blogger: Potty Training for Children Who "Take Their Sweet Time"

Guest Blogger: Potty Training for Children Who "Take Their Sweet Time"
  We're so excited to welcome Laurie Bowen from Kids on the Move as our guest blogger today!  Kids on the Move offers all kinds of programs for parents and children, from preschool to parenting classes; and today Laurie is sharing some secrets that their Bridges program uses to assist parents in potty training their children. Most kids are ready to start potty training somewhere between the ages of two to shortly after their third birth...
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