At birth, your baby's brain is a quarter of the size of a fully developed adult brain. The areas of the newborn's brain that are responsible for breathing, sensing your loving touch, and hearing are ready to go. But your baby can't make much sense of what is happening. You are critical to your baby's understanding of the world and development.Luckily, what the baby brain needs to transform is built into your relationship. Cooing, soothing, smiling, singing, and even changing a diaper, are the building blocks for growth. Interestingly, the brain is the only organ in the body that develops over ..read more

Standing on the porch with her parents, our two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter waved at a passing plane, “Bye Grammie and Papa.” Her bright eyes and sun-kissed cheeks radiated love. “They’re going to get Papa’s cancer,” she said. While the plane at which she waved was random, the experience was not. My husband and I were traveling from our home in Minneapolis towards a five-week residency in Chicago. A clinical trial at the University offered hope in reigning in an aggressive cancer that had resisted three previous lines of treatment. But it meant that we were to be separated from our gran ..read more

Shortly before I give a presentation, I often feel a rumbling in my stomach, quickening pulse, and energy running through my body. These physical reactions help me a chieve a specific goal, an engaging talk. Mindful awareness taught me to pay attention to my body’s experiences. In many situations, I found it helpful to notice where in my body I felt emotions. Talking from my heart or my stomach became comfortable and authentic. As a result, I was more present and accepting of myself. I also was more open to the experiences of others. Neuroscientists refer to my experience before a presentatio ..read more

Parenting children under the age of five is an emotionally and physically exhausting job. Sleep deprivation, changing schedules, and managing everyone’s needs requires super-human strength. Unending chores with not enough hands can suck the joy from everyday moments. Mindful awareness, humor, and talking with others can enhance our abilities to manage the everyday stresses of raising children. The key to resilient parenting is to nurture flexible, responsive, and stable relationships with our children and with ourselves. And, it is available to us by changing our mind and growing awareness in ..read more

It's been weeks since our dog passed — weeks since I told my almost two-year-old granddaughter that our constant companion was no longer at our sides. For many days, I thought about writing helping children with the loss of a pet. But, I kept finding distractions. I wasn’t yet ready. My heart ached for his unconditional love. My eyes scanned for his shape. My body searched for his warmth. My ears perked at familiar sounds. My memory fooled me as I expected his greeting. How To Help Yourself When Your Pet Dies? Take care of yourself. Be gentle. With tenderness and kindness, give yourself a few ..read more

Hanging out with relatives during the holidays can be heartwarming. But sometimes, what we wish for and what we get sometimes don't match up. Those of us with young children may be particularly nervous about being judged. It stings when those we love criticize our parenting or our children’s behaviors. When we don’t see some family members all that often, we worry that they won't understand. Will my father think that my toddler always whines? Will my friends judge my parenting skills if I let my children have 2 desserts or eat with their fingers? Will Aunty think my child is disrespectful if ..read more

Were you spanked as a kid? I was. And for the most part, we think we turned out okay. So, why has the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its stance on discipline? New research shows lifelong consequences: “Research has shown that striking a child, yelling at or shaming them can elevate stress hormones and lead to changes in the brain's architecture.” Let’s think about spanking as a correction for misbehavior by age groups. Infants Numerous research studies show that a responsive, safe, and consistent parent-child relationship enables a baby to build positive relationships with others. Sec ..read more

My favorite reading group happens at our local library. A group of more than 20 parents, grandparents, babysitters, aunts, and uncles accompany about 20 babies and toddlers. Many babies bring two caring adults. A few adults coax two or three children into the room. When you walk into the room, there is a circle outlined by pyramids of three identical books. Babies, toddlers, and adults find their spots. Familiar faces greet each other as we wait for the librarian, Jane, to enter. The first activity is to sing a hello song to every baby in the circle. Not to the group, but to each child by nam ..read more

Nurturing a Growth Mindset for Young Children At the Minnesota Children's Museum last week, I noticed a sign hanging at adult eye level. It read: “Give kids a chance to figure things out on their own — that’s how they learn!” Shorthand for, "adults, sit on your hands!" The air powered ball launchers in the Forces of Play area begged for engagement. The exhibit included easy and difficult challenges for each age group. My husband and I watched as our granddaughter worked to loop a string over a handle. She rolled balls down clear tubes and then collected balls in a bucket. She quickly lost inte ..read more

Writing is a struggle. There is nothing in the process of putting thoughts onto paper (or in this case, typing into a computer document) that comes naturally to me. Ideas, metaphors, and stories float effortlessly in my mind. But the flip-flops of my stomach signal the challenge of culling my thoughts into orderly words with proper punctuation and engaging prose. Through high school and college, I relied on my math skills and excellent multiple-choice test-taking abilities to achieve top grades. It wasn't until graduate school that others questioned my lagging written work. I labored to achie ..read more