Sneak peek: How new research on play and executive function in kids made me feel better about being a soccer mom dropout. My oldest son is 8 and is one of the few in his class that is not involved in soccer…and never has been. GASP! It hasn’t really been an intentional choice on our part. He has never really shown an interest (for more than 1 day). Plus, I’m not ready to commit our precious free time after school and especially on weekends to sitting in the hot or cold or rain to watch him practice. Am I a horrible mother? The society-driven guilt part of me says, “yes” but the authentic m ..read more

Sneak peek:  The benefits of block play simple but they build real cognitive skills. Some insights into how to encourage block play in toddlers. I recently put together a new bookshelf for my office. You know the ones that come in pieces from IKEA or Walmart and you have to assemble yourself. The instructions are heavy on pictures and light on words…not my vibe. They often include not-so-helpful words like “snap” or “click” which, in my experience, hardly ever happen in real life. About 2 pages in, I called in my 10-year-old son to help. Even at his age, he has better spatial skills than ..read more

Even under the best circumstances, parenting young kids is challenging. They are physically very capable–they can run, climb (on everything), stack, play, etc. However, emotionally, they are still very immature. They aren’t very rational, they lose emotional control easily, and their moods switch so fast it will give you whiplash. This is just life as a young child and it’s totally developmentally appropriate. After days (or weeks) of being at home with your kids you may find yourself losing your patience, maybe even yelling at them. We all know that yelling at kids does not work (and makes yo ..read more

Summary: Why is it important for parents to understand child development? Learn how it can open our eyes to wonderful insights about our children and our parenting In response to some posts in the past, some readers have made comments along the lines of, “Duh, why do we need research to figure that out.” I personally do not take offense at such comments because I’m not the one doing the research, I’m just reporting it. Besides that, I have at times felt the same way about some of the research I’ve read. These comments, however, did cause me to think and really consider: why is it important for ..read more

Sneak peek: These calm activities can help kids learn how to manage big emotions, both in the classroom and at home. I walked into my son’s kindergarten class to volunteer for the first time and was a bit surprised. Some of the items looked familiar from my own school days–a play kitchen and cash register, plenty of blocks and markers. Many things were new, of course. A big-screen TV on the wall, big tables where groups of students worked together instead of individual desks. I settled in to help the teacher. She explained an assignment and then students went off to work–some at tables and som ..read more

Sneak peek: Parenting and child development experts can teach many lessons. However, sometimes just observing and reflecting on our own child’s behavior is the best teacher. As parents, we like to think that parenting is all about how we influence our child’s development. In many ways, that’s true. Some of the best parenting advice available helps us see the substantial role we play in our kids’ lives. However, if we keep our hearts and minds open, we can learn many lessons about parenting and child development through careful observation. Although I have academic training in child development ..read more

Sneak peek: Toddler growth spurts can influence children’s behavior in challenging ways. Find out what to look for and when to expect growth spurts. I’m 10 years into this motherhood journey and I still occasionally wonder if these boys of mine were given to the right mother. Yes, I gave birth to them and I know the intricate details of their unique personalities. But they are SO different from me–they are super active, loud, extroverted and very strong-willed (or shall we say “spirited”). On a good day, I feel like I understand a lot about them and child development. I know all the ins and ou ..read more

Sneak peek: Most summer bucket lists for kids focus on packing in as many exciting activities as possible. This reverse bucket list version helps kids focus on gratitude You’ve seen all the posts on social media about having “only 18 summers” with your kids. While it does put things in perspective, I think it also adds unnecessarily to the pressures many parents feel. I do not want to feel pressured to create 18 magical summers filled with awe and wonder. I just want us to enjoy the time we have together. In some ways, summer gives us (at least to some degree) the luxury of having the one thin ..read more

 A list of slightly unconventional calming activities for kids when the usual suggestions don’t work. Helpful for calming down and preventing after-school meltdowns. I could tell the minute my third-grader came home from school it had not been a good day. He already almost had tears in his eyes and an angry expression was on his face. “What’s going on?” I asked hesitantly. “It was the worst day ever!” he said. He soon pulled the football out of his backpack and threw it across the room. I knew I had to handle this situation carefully or it would end badly. In the back of my mind, I starte ..read more

Sneak peek: The first day of kindergarten is a big event for kids and parents. While this new independence may make you feel less needed, there are many important life lessons your kindergartener still needs from you. This school year is THE year for me–my youngest is going off to kindergarten. As a stay-at-home mom, this feels like graduation day. I’m sure work-outside-the-home moms feel the same, however. The bittersweet feeling of this transition is acute. As much as this is a big moment for our kids, the first day of kindergarten is equally momentous for parents. The last 5 years have been ..read more