Japanese children love fish, veggies, and tofu. Indian children adore spicy lentils, okra, and pickled mango. Brazilian kiddos dive into stewed rice and beans with meat and veggies. So why do so many American children insist on a “white diet” of pasta, fries, and chicken nuggets? They learn their habits from us. Even before birth, […]
Back-to-school is around the corner, but don’t be daunted by the transition from summer fun to school schedule. Children take their cues from their parents, so it’s key for US to get into the back-to-school mind-set first. Here are my pain-free prep tips for parents – our stressless adjustment will filter down to the kids, […]
It was pickup time shortly after the start of a new preschool year. My son had a great day, but suddenly was sucking his thumb, wailing and pulling at me— in full meltdown mode. He hadn’t acted like that since he was much younger. What happened to my Big Boy? What Happened to My Happy […]
Have a real one-on-one conversation with any preschooler, and you’re in for a treat — kids are soaring with ideas. As a mom, an educator, and an entrepreneur, I wondered: When do kids lose their imagination? And what can we do to foster creative thinking skills at home? 1. Ask Your Child to Describe His […]
It’s easier than you think to fill your preschooler’s summer days with playful learning experiences. In fact, with some basic activities, you’ll be providing opportunities for your child to develop, grow, and learn. And the best part is these activities don’t cost a fortune or require too much preparation. 1. Pretend Play Encourage your child […]
I listen to the hushed murmurs of my youngest daughter, Jemma. Her small hands move her toy people as they “talk” to each other. The long hallway is a busy cardboard city. Currently, her attention is on the children in the school area. They’re busy rehearsing a play and festively attired in costumes of tape, […]
In our final post in the series, our experts – Dr. Susan Canizares and Dr. Heather Wittenberg – reveal how to make kindergarten a great experience by preparing in these simple (and fun) ways. Dr. Heather: Starting kindergarten is exciting, but it can also be daunting for parents. Even with my fourth child, I worry […]
As parents, we realize quickly that there is no hard-and-fast rulebook that can prepare us for all the challenges that come along with day-to-day trials and tribulations. But there are occasionally moments that make us say “Aha!” and we realize the right answer is just as simple as we’d hoped. As both a mother and […]
In this second of our three-part series, our experts – Dr. Susan Canizares and Dr. Heather Wittenberg —give tips for making a smooth transition from preschool to Kindergarten. Dr. Heather: Back in the “bad old days,” we didn’t have much understanding of early childhood development. Young children were seen as too little to learn very […]
When should YOUR child start Kindergarten? Our experts are here to help you decide! Dr. Susan Canizares, our Chief Academic Officer, not only has a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy Development, she’s a nationally recognized authority on early childhood education. Dr. Heather Wittenberg is a mom of four and a child psychologist who blogs at […]
One of our own favorite moms, Harmony Faust, recently became a mother to the adorable Henry, and she’s learned very quickly some of the trials and tribulations of being a parent. Check out her “Mom”ent to see why being a mom is sometimes more of a “poopy” job than one expects. My friends with babies […]
Being a Mom is challenging. Up-all-night-on-barf-patrol, breaking-up-sibling-squabbles, finding-a-bathroom-for-a-potty-training-toddler – challenging. Being a Mom is also miraculous – baby’s-sweet smile, first-steps, watching-them-sleep miraculous. But the Mom moments that keep me going during long, challenging days are the silly ones. I was having one of those challenging days. It started out with an important meeting around a […]