Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #55: 5 Myths about Newborns with Deborah McNelis It's easy to feel lost and overwhelmed when it comes to caring for your newborn, but don't worry! Let me introduce you to Deborah McNelis, who's here to help guide...
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,...
Holidays are often a full of excitement and a fun break from the hum drum of daily life. But as fun as they can be, they can also be a stressful time for kids and parents alike. Here are a few tips to help holidays...
Holiday shopping can be one of the most stressful parts of the year as we look for ways to stretch budgets a little further to buy the gifts we really want to give. If you need to save money but have a long list of people to buy for, it’s a good idea to check online...
That little person is very tuned in to you. From the moment they're born, babies are ready to listen, respond and try to figure out how to be in relationship with you. Research gives us really interesting insight into how equipped newborns are to do this. Let's take a...
I was surprised at the amount of downtime I had with a new baby. I remember the first few months of staying home with my first baby. I assumed I’d be swamped with my new tasks of parenthood: nursing around the clock, diaper changes, rocking baby to sleep, etc....
What's going on in that little mind? If you are one who joins the celebration of this holiday, you’ve probably got a costume for your child and depending on their age, they either tolerate being dressed up (or not!) or love putting it on and instantly becoming the...
The all-important first two years Your child's early learning and development has far-reaching implications for the future of the economy, the political climate and international relations. Crazy to think that what you do each day as a parent has that kind of...
This year while my daughter goes to morning preschool, I’ve been looking forward to exercising for a bit at the gym. The only problem? My two year old. My darling, highly-attached, cries-if-I’m-gone-for-two-minutes two year old. I knew dropping off my kiddo at the gym...
I’ll never forget the stress I felt about miscarriage when I was pregnant. Every day I worried the pregnancy might end. I remember counting down the days to when I’d be past the first trimester, longing for it to come. I was sure once I made it past that date, my...
A given for many parents is a refrigerator plastered with photos and children's artwork. You can learn a lot from their drawings. Children’s art gives us insight into their development - the way they hold a marker, the amount of space they use on a page, the...
The moment a pregnancy test is positive or the foster/adoption approval comes through, you begin to wonder... What am I going to do? What does it feel like to be a parent? How will I be the same and how will I be different? Will I still be able to be spontaneous, do...
We all want to teach kids to be kind and compassionate with others. When does this begin? When they start playing with others? When they have the cognitive capacity to share? Does it happen naturally or do you have to 'teach' it? Recent research tells us that infants...
Even people who say they have "no clue what to do with babies" will instinctively do exactly what's necessary to enhance development as they singsong talk, make faces and gaze at their face as they hold them. We act differently with infants than we do with adults or...
The adults in a child’s world must protect them from too much information and from too much emotion that they can’t understand or process.
How does time go slow and fast at the same time? I love the Slow Food Fast recipe column in the Wall Street Journal. It features recipes from notable chefs across the country representing traditional and regional cuisines - recipes simple enough to cook at home...
Odds are, someone else will care for your baby at some time in the first year. The average length of maternity/paternity leave in US is 12 weeks (often unpaid) with many moms returning to work when the baby is 6 weeks of age. In fact, of the 12 million infants and...
We had 3 babies in four years. Then when those 3 were teens, we started fostering babies. And while I may have thought I was ready to be a parent with that first pregnancy, I was not. No matter what you think you already know going in, the experience of being a parent...
Last minute thoughts as you celebrate July 4th... In our small town there's quite a to-do about July 4th! The barricades have been set aside for about a week now in preparation for the annual parade that draws tons of folks from the surrounding areas. My...
All I ever really wanted to be when I grew up was a mom. Like many little girls, I played 'house' all the time as a kid, treating my baby dolls with love and care, teaching them and handing out discipline when they needed it. As a teenager, I did lots of...
Travel. What a fun thing to do with your baby! But sometimes it can be a little tricky. We just got back from a vacation to Italy. Wow, what a wonderful experience! Not sure I’ve ever seen so much beauty and history (and so many people from all over the world) in one...
Every moment your baby is awake they are learning something. You know this already. But when it comes to “teaching” your baby, it’s easy to put learning into categories — when you go to the park, she’s learning about trees and flowers, when you read a book, she’s...
Pregnancy is an amazing time. While there are definitely some discomforts along the way, let’s celebrate some really wonderful things that you can ONLY experience during pregnancy… Permission to focus on...
Cadence loves to pretend to be “Grump Cera”, a baby dinosaur from the movie Land Before Time and she’s got it down! For over a year she's focused on this one character, honing her dinosaur skills as she plays. Note how she holds her body, kicks her foot slightly about...
Today’s a good day for a walk with your baby. Lots of good reasons to do so – most importantly for you, it’s good for the soul to get outside! And for your kids, whether they’re walking on their own two feet or riding in a stroller, there’s so much to learn from a...
How to Support Your Baby’s Developmental Growth During Routine Diaper Changes! 5000. That’s the average number of times a baby will have their diaper changed in the early years. Good grief, that’s a lot of diapers! Let’s not even go there about the money spent – just...
Block Play! Last week we got to hang out with Megan, Josh, and the grandkids! We live far apart so when we spend time together, it’s really special. And of course, since I love all things child development, it’s fun to see how the kids have grown, what they like to...
Babies don’t cry to manipulate. They cry to communicate a physical condition or emotion. You won’t spoil your baby when you respond to crying. Rather, your response gives your baby a sense of security, that she knows she’s heard and understood and that you will keep her safe. It doesn’t teach her to cry more.
Children pick up on our emotions at an amazingly young age. Researchers have found that babies as young as 4 months can detect positive and negative emotions in our facial expressions and tone of voice.
When we gaze into the eyes of our newborn we fall in love. And this begins from the moment the baby comes into your life, whether by biological birth, through adoption or whatever circumstance a baby comes into your world. This is how we attach to one another.
How to Choose a Childcare Center for My New Baby? It’s time to make one of the more important decisions that you’ll make as a parent – finding child care for your little one. You’ve done your due diligence. You’ve asked for recommendations from friends, checked state...
Best Playdough Recipe Ever Everybody loves playdough, especially me. It’s a universal soother for toddlers through grownups! It lends itself to great conversation and imaginative play (everybody makes playdough snakes and slithers them around the table…) Make a fresh...
There are thousands of things you can buy for your baby. But what do you really NEED? Check out this list that talks about actual newborn necessities and nice-to have- items. Plus, a bonus list of helpful newborn items you won’t find on most registries.
Reading can be a gentle way to face and process new ideas. By reading books about certain topics, like death, you give your child the opportunity to explore the concept, ask questions, and facilitate conversation. Here are my favorite children’s books that address death.
I love getting questions and advice from people about parenting, but this is one question I can’t stand. Let me tell you why.
Positive language helps children to succeed and thrive. But sometimes it can be hard to think of positive things to say to your baby… you’re still getting to know them after all. Here are 30 encouragements to use with you baby (or big kid!) today.
Your baby is constantly growing and learning. At 6-9 months, you baby has a whole host of new skills! Learn 20 developmentally appropriate activities for you and your 6-9 month old to enjoy together.
Racking your brain for how to play with your 3-6 month old? Learn 12 fun activities to do with your baby!
We all know 0-3 month olds pretty much eat, sleep, and poop. But what do we do with them when they’re awake? Learn 20 ways to play with your 0-3 month old.
You know it’s important for your child to play, but what exactly should the play consist of? Learn six key elements of meaningful play and how you can help enrich your child’s playtime.
Creative movement is an excellent tool for engaging children. Learn how and why creative movement should be used at home and in school.
Reading readiness begins with babies. Learn key concepts your baby and toddler are ready to learn today.
Why is it so important to read to babies? Learn 5 ways you can help your 0-3 year old child learn to read.
Learn how mirrors can have a powerful impact on a child’s development.
Want to engage your baby with stimulating toys? Check out these 5 baby toys you already have.
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. ❤️
