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#66 – How to Find the Best Childcare Center

#66 – How to Find the Best Childcare Center

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #66: How to Find the Best Childcare Center   In this episode, we explore the world of childcare and share practical tips for parents who are on the hunt for the best care for their children. We explore some important...

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#65 – Learning with Fred Rogers Productions

#65 – Learning with Fred Rogers Productions

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #65: Learning with Fred Rogers Productions with Mallory Mbalia   As a parent, you play an important role in helping your child learn and grow. You get to choose what shows they watch, and it's a great chance to pick ones...

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#64 – Teaching Diversity with Books

#64 – Teaching Diversity with Books

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #64: Teaching Diversity with Books with Tracey Baptiste   A great children's book should have a well-crafted story, engaging language, and entertaining illustrations. This combination can stimulate your child's cognitive...

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#60: 5 Simple Ways to Support Language Development

#60: 5 Simple Ways to Support Language Development

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #60: 5 Simple Ways to Support Language Development   You know it's important to read to your child, but what's really happening as you read? Probably the most important is the cozy connection that happens when you hold...

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#49: What New Parents Need to Know about Babies and Music

#49: What New Parents Need to Know about Babies and Music

  Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #49: What New Parents Need to Know About Babies and Music   There's just something about music and babies. New parents seem to know intuitively that it will soothe their baby and will naturally rock and sway as they...

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#47: New Year Intentions for Every New Parent

#47: New Year Intentions for Every New Parent

   Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #47: New Year Intentions for Every New Parent What will happen in 2023 for you? What will happen for your child? You’ve likely got some new year intentions for yourself... or maybe not. Some people love setting...

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#43: Attachment Parenting Explained

#43: Attachment Parenting Explained

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #43: Attachment Parenting Explained with Diane Goyette and Gabrielle Holt    There's a lively conversation on social media about attachment parenting and sometimes it feels like just one more thing to get right, or...

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#37:  Making Holiday Plans that Work for Your Child

#37: Making Holiday Plans that Work for Your Child

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #37: Making Holiday Plans that Work for Your Child with Prerna Richards It's time to make holiday plans, which will likely include get-togethers and parties with lots of people. What do you do when your child screams,...

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#34: What Grandparents Need to Know

#34: What Grandparents Need to Know

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #34: What Grandparents Need to Know Grandparents, aunties, uncles, extended family all play an important role in your baby's life. Babies have a way of bringing a new dimension to families and learning what works for your...

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#30: 5 Things to know about starting preschool

#30: 5 Things to know about starting preschool

Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast   #30: 5 Things to know about starting preschool Starting preschool is an exciting milestone for your child and will build a strong foundation for kindergarten. In this episode, you'll learn what types of programs are...

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Why your toddler needs to play with puzzles

Why your toddler needs to play with puzzles

  Why should you get some puzzles for your toddler? Play is essential for toddlers - it's how they figure things out. They need opportunities to play with good toys and materials and use their imagination. Puzzles fit the bill! They provide lots of learning - from...

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Can toddlers write?

Can toddlers write?

Can toddlers write? As soon as your little one becomes interested, you can give them some big paper and a marker to get them started. Learning to make a mark on the page is actually an important part of early literacy, which begins in the first three years of life....

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What new parents need to know about loveys

What new parents need to know about loveys

What's a lovey? It's a blanket, a teddy bear or some other object that children attached to. They use loveys to comfort themselves at bedtime and in other situations where they feel the need for something cozy and familiar.  The psychological term for this is...

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How to choose toys for babies

How to choose toys for babies

We've got a closet full of toys upstairs in the kids room. When the grandkids are here, they spend LOTS of time playing up there! In fact, sometimes when we're FaceTiming now, I'll walk up there and we'll "visit" the toys and they get so excited! 😂  If you were here,...

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How to make your own toddler books

How to make your own toddler books

It’s one of those things that connects us all. We love to look at pictures of people we love! How about making some toddler books with pictures of familiar people and places?

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Reading supports emotional development

Reading supports emotional development

Make reading a part of your daily routine. You’ve heard about the importance of social-emotional development in the first years. But what does that actually look like in the day to day? Social-emotional development includes your child’s experience, expression, and...

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How to read books to your baby

How to read books to your baby

There's not much better than snuggling up with a good book. It's one of my favorite things, especially when I'm snuggling with a child. 🥰 If your brand new to parenting, you may feel unsure how to go about reading a book to a baby that's so young they can't talk yet....

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Tips for great sleep patterns for your newborn

Tips for great sleep patterns for your newborn

It's one of the first things people ask, "Is he keeping you awake at night?" (Um, yes he's awake at night, he's a newborn) This week I sat down with Joanna Clark of Blissful Baby Sleep Coaching to talk about sleep patterns for newborns. I asked her what you should...

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Bond With Your Baby and Help Them Grow

Bond With Your Baby and Help Them Grow

For many new parents, the first time they hold their tiny bundle of joy triggers an instant bonding. In the early years, a baby’s brain grows rapidly making millions of neural connections, so a variety of experiences and exposure aids physical, cognitive, social and language development. Read about a few ways in which bonding and baby development in the early years can go hand-in-hand.

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Playing Peekaboo With Your Child

Playing Peekaboo With Your Child

Do you have a young child and wonder why they love to play Peekaboo? Read about why they love to play this popular game and how it helps with their development.

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Why Do Toddlers Bite?

Why Do Toddlers Bite?

Do you have a toddler that bites others and don’t understand why? Learn why biting is a part of a toddler’s development and suggestions that you can do for when it happens

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Giving Toddlers Choices

Giving Toddlers Choices

Are you tired of your toddler constantly demanding that they get their way ? Learn about how offering choices can help reduce the amount of arguing.

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The secret to a happy baby (it’s you!)

The secret to a happy baby (it’s you!)

You are really, really important to your child.  You see it in the way your baby gazes at you, prefers you over others and cries when you leave. We know we’re important in our child’s life but do we truly understand this?  Attachment researchers tell us that we become...

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Love on that baby

Love on that baby

Love on your baby. Then they'll be really smart.   Love is in the air. Even though Valentine's day focuses on romantic love, it’s a great time to hone in on the love connection between you and your child.    It’s amazing to realize that your child’s brain...

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3 Ways you can actually see brain development happening

3 Ways you can actually see brain development happening

Recently I had the privilege of presenting a training to over 150 Head Start teachers in Houston. The topic was understanding autism and we covered lots of information about neurological development that happens in the first several years of life. One of the word...

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Cheers to parenting!

Cheers to parenting!

I love new beginnings. Today we not only ring in a new year, but a new decade. Your baby will be doing all kinds of things in 10 years!  As we begin the new year there are so many things to think about. Goals, intentions, dreams and visions.  I don't know about you,...

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About ann


I’m a child development specialist, parent coach and teacher trainer. I’ve cared for countless babies in child development programs, plus 3 kids, 3 grand babies and 5 foster babies! I LOVE babies and would come hold yours if I could. ❤️

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