Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #92 Dads Don’t Babysit, They Parent with Nate Feathers In this week's episode, host Ann McKitrick sits down with guest Nate Feathers as they discuss modern parenting and the evolving role of dads. He brings a wealth...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #7: "Is She a Good Baby?" Exploring Infant Temperaments with Ann McKitrick There’s one question people commonly ask new parents that I can’t stand. And that’s, “is she a good baby?” Everyone wants an easy baby! But that’s...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #6: How to Hygge with Your Baby with Maria Dior Denmark has repeatedly been voted as having the happiest people in the world. It may be due to this thing called hygge (pronounced hoo-guh), which is a Danish term that means...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #5: Tips for Parenting a 2-Year-Old with Ann McKitrick People's opinions about parenting a 2-year-old are no big secret. After all, toddlers have a bad rap. Maybe you've even had someone say to you, "just wait until...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #4: Phones and Screen Time for Babies with Ann McKitrick Screen time for babies is a tricky topic. Babies and toddlers know, just as we do, that there are so many fun things to do with a phone! Maybe you're trying to work,...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #3: How to Help Your Baby Thrive When Starting Daycare with Gabrielle Holt Starting daycare is a big adjustment for parents and children alike. How can you best prepare? What if the transition doesn't go well? Will your...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #2: What Makes Babies Laugh? with Ann McKitrick Just like everything else when it comes to children, humor is developmental and amazingly enough it starts really early in life! Babies laugh before they talk, which...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #1: Why Baby Talk is Good for Language Development with Ann McKitrick We all know that people use a different tone of voice when they talk to babies, like what we would typically call ‘baby talk’. Researchers have...
Parenting in the First 3 Years Podcast #0: Trailer with Ann McKitrick You know, there’s a transition that takes place when we become a parent. It looks different for everyone and it’s not just one-and-done. It’s a transition that repeats itself in every stage...
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...
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....
Making playdough with toddlers. We had a tray on the shelf with all the playdough ingredients and made a fresh batch about every 2 weeks. When I was a teacher, our class loved making playdough. We pull out the tray of ingredients and the kids would take turns dumping...
Tea parties. We started them early on at our house. I think it started that time I spotted Good Mood Tea at Whole Foods. I bought a box for the next time the crankies set in. Because um, that happened often with three kids under age four. I bought it for myself, then...
Do you need to sanitize your baby's toys? Um, yeah. Today I was scrolling through facebook and saw a picture of my friend's baby wearing a cute little outfit she'd made by hand. In the background their dog was licking a baby toy lying on the floor. This is why we need...
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...
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,...
Toddlers can be picky and it’s not because they’re trying to be difficult. Eating is a developmental process, it takes time to master. Try these toddler snacks!
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?
What’s the difference between a pregnancy cookie and a regular cookie? Do labor cookies really make your labor begin?
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...
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....
When do you really need to start reading to your baby? Now's a good time! Early literacy begins early. Research shows that newborns are born equipped to respond to the language they've heard in the womb. They've been listening to you all this time and they love your...
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...
Talk about adulting. This is it. Likely one of the first big decisions you'll make when you become a parent. It's a decision that will deeply impact your family, especially your baby. The folks who care for your baby while you work will become your partners in...
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Oh my goodness... I don’t know about you but it feels to me like unknowns of COVID are lasting a lot longer than I expected. As this all unfolds, new parents are faced with questions that weren’t even in our grid 8 months ago! Pregnancy can be filled with a lot of...
A 10-day old baby will present many different changes from when it was brought into the world. Here are some of the changes that you may want to watch out for…
While infant attachment is sometimes overlooked by some parents and caretakers, it matters to the baby’s communication development a lot. Here’s how the process usually begins and the reasons why it’s vital for the baby’s progress…
Having baby feeding essentials with you before the baby comes is important. For that reason, here’s a list of items you may want to get before the big day.
Every baby is unique, and you are the expert on your own child. I do everything based on a career in early childhood education, coaching early childhood teachers and parents.
Are you a new parent looking for parenting tips? Read about why the first 3 years are important for your child’s development and learn how you can help.
Are you looking for fun activities you can do at home with your toddler? Learn about how you can use shipping boxes to create fun activities for your toddler.
Is your baby teething and wanting to chew on everything in sight? Learn how you can make delicious teething sticks from banana bread.
How do you know if your little baby is taking in enough formula in order to get what they need nutritionally to grow? In this article, I will talk about some guidelines to follow that will help you decide on how much to feed your baby.
Have you wondered why toddlers make silly decisions? Read about how this is due to them learning about the consequences to behavior and how you can help them with their behavior development.
I love labor and delivery stories. Every story has the features of an exciting docu-drama — the inklings of early labor, the wondering of “should I call the doctor?”, “should we just wait or go ahead and go?” The thrill of the birth and the flood of emotion that follows. Then the calm after the storm as everyone, including baby, begins the process of healing and resting up from the experience of labor/delivery and settles into the new life of being a family. One of my favorite labor stories comes from my friends, Glen and Laura.
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.
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.
House rules are important, but did you know that it is also beneficial for their behavior development? Learn about why house rules promote good behavior
Curious about the speech and language development process for toddlers and babies? Learn about how electronic devices can help aid the process.
Are you looking for ways that you can organize and create fun activities for your kids while at home? Learn about some fun activities that we think will help!
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
Have you ever wondered how you can create fun learning activities for your kids with items around the house? Learn about how a roll of tape is all you need!
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.
Social distancing is easier for some of us than others. Especially our children. For those on the more introverted side, they're delighted to stay home and hang with the family. They are content! For your children who are extroverted, it’s a little like torture not...
You have new coworkers. As we navigate the challenges of coronavirus and its implications to daily life, it’s important to keep something, or rather someone in mind. And that’s your kid. It’s a big adjustment for you, moving from everyday go-to-work life to figuring...
I was recently in Minneapolis, hanging out with the grandkids. I get up there a couple of times of year - usually once in the dead of winter and once to enjoy their beautiful summertime. One way I cement a long distance relationship with them is to have consistent...
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...
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...
When I became pregnant with my first I quickly realized how few friends I had in the same boat. The handful of friends I had with kids lived in different states and I found myself scrambling to find friends undergoing the same life transition. Having a community full...
5 tips for new parents Anytime you begin a new job there’s a period of orientation. And depending on the complexity of the work you’ll be doing, you might have months of training before you’re on your own with full responsibility. When you become a parent, while...
We really can't help ourselves. Something inside us kind of melts. Have you ever noticed the feeling you get when you see little tiny puppies or kittens, or even a baby elephant at the zoo? Or had complete strangers stop to talk to you as you walk your puppy? We...
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...
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)...
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. ❤️
