The famous words of my childhood summer days were, "I'm bored." Often my mom would reply, "Read a book." Quickly I would snark, "No, I don't want to." The times in children's lives that are most unstructured, such as during a break from school, are the times we hear the word "bored" the most. About a month ago, I wrote a blogpost on " Alternatives to TV Time ." There I outlined the importance of self-directed independent play in child development...

During this time of the "Stay home, Stay safe" directive, You or your child (or both!) might find yourself feeling bored. Just know it's okay to be bored! In fact, we need people to get bored. It's while we're bored that our minds are free to create. Creativity is the heart that moves us forward into newer brighter ideas for the future. Boredom also provides the building blocks to build relationships and confidence. So what is actually happening ...

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, ...

I can remember the fun times that my brother and I often had with my dad growing up. We used to cook while watching movies together, and talk about what we would cook later. Oftentimes, I can remember my dad and brother playing basketball in the backyard while I played with the dog. I'd often practice throwing razor sharp knives while my brother played with nunchucks… Wait a minute, knives and nunchucks? Now that I've got your attention, let's fo...

We all remember the fun days playing with our friends when we were younger. Whether it was playing "House" or "School" or even being a Chef in a fancy restaurant. What we didn't realize at this young age while having fun, is that pretend play boasts important benefits for a child's development! The beloved Mr. Rogers said, "Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play IS serious learning." Someti...