More is not always better. Often, with “more” comes more stress. Especially as parents of young children, we are dealing with “more” these days: more errands, more family issues, more family from out of town—you name it. All of these result in more on our to-do list. We seem to have less time, less patience, […]
Should your child start preschool at 2, 3, or even 4? Is he late-born, early-born, or right in between? Should he be one of the oldest in the class, the youngest, or in the middle? And what impact will this have on his eventual kindergarten start date? If your head is spinning at making this […]
“Shhhh!” We were in the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office, and any peep the 6-month-old made was met by his mama’s “Shhhh!” She looked embarrassed about her baby’s happy – and wonderfully normal – babbling sounds. I couldn’t help encouraging her to support her little babbler. “Oh, he’s so cute! He’s talking up a […]
When I was growing up, moms always seemed to have the answers to life’s questions. Now our next generation of kids is turning to the all-knowing Internet. What can we do to keep up? A few weeks ago, my son couldn’t find his favorite jeans. Instead of asking me if I knew where they were, […]
Our goal is to help children cultivate a deeper understanding of how every person has the power to help. During this month of the Great Sprout Tuck-In Season of Giving, focus a little extra energy around the idea of gestures of giving. Throughout the month, talk with your children about a time you did something […]
I’ve got another secret to share: Working on baby’s table manners is a stealthy way to boost learning. I don’t mean fancy-shmancy teacup-holding table manners. Instead, your goal is to have baby spend as much time as possible at the family table, participating in mealtime action. Forks, spoons, and cups are tools to help keep baby involved. […]
Games for Toddlers Toddlers start to learn the alphabet by exposure. Seeing, hearing and playing with letters is the best way to start learning the alphabet. 1. Letter Sort – Get out your alphabet letters (foam, magnetic, any kind). Sort by colors, shapes (curvy or straight), letters in the child’s name, or by any criteria […]
We all want our children to love reading, to be good readers, and to build a strong literacy foundation for school. You don’t have to be a teacher or a specialist to positively influence your child’s reading success. But here’s what teachers do with their children that every parent can implement. Here are nine teacher […]
Learning is best when it’s fun, meaningful – and incognito! With a little help from technology, you can cleverly disguise important school readiness skills to help prepare your child this year. Here are some helpful tech tips to give your young child a jump start on five important early literacy skills they’ll need for school. […]
I figured both my kids would love reading since I did. Not so much. It was a humbling blow when my first daughter didn’t want to sit still for an entire story. Apparently kids aren’t born readers. So, what’s a parent to do? Anything to raise a reader, including standing on your head. (It won’t […]
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Don’t fall victim to the comparison game … strive to do YOUR best.