The topic: When to nap free. So I did an (unscientific) poll to find out when kiddos give up their naps. The results showed my children were on the early side, stopping before 2. The consensus was somewhere between 2-4 years of age. Mr Teacher Karen napped consistently throughout his kindergarten years and many parents posted comments that their older children napped into their 3rd, 4th and 5th years too. It’s been too long for me to … [Read more...]
Parenting Advice: There’s a Time for Talking
Parenting is a job. Unfortunately it’s a job that doesn’t come with a manual and it’s a job that, during the years 0-5 especially, can be exhausting and challenging. Without extended family for support and guidance, it’s no wonder Moms and Dads look elsewhere for parenting advice. Parenting isn’t something everyone just knows how to do. Pediatricians Offer Parenting Advice... Parents of my Mom’s generation often looked to Dr Spock for parenting advice. His book, The Common Sense Book of Baby … [Read more...]
Screen Time: Dreaming of Toys Guest Post
How much screen time would you guess kiddos have each and every day? According to Childwise, a market research firm, children aged 5 to 16 spend an average of 6.5 hours/day in front of a screen compared with around 3 hours back in 1995. Does this concern you like it does me? I'm grateful for the following guest post--read on! Back in the Day... Though I’m loathe to admit it, I’m old enough (and have been for awhile) to tell stories that begin with, “When I was a kid…” but in this case … [Read more...]
Independence & Freedom—It’s In the DNA
Freedom to choose what to do and when to do it. Kind of reminds you of the goal of any toddler huh? Absolutely! Toddlers MUST try things for themselves. They HAVE to do things by themselves! Toddlers CAN, they WILL or there’s the potential for lot of fireworks. Speaking of fireworks. We celebrate 4th of July in recognition of our Independence. Americans are fiercely independent and cherish our freedoms, so it should be easy for parents to empathize with their kiddos’ need to flex their … [Read more...]
Tech Neck- An Unhealthy Relationship Between our Devices and Spines–Guest Post by Dr Sharonrose Samelak
Tech neck--have you heard about it? I think you'll find the following guest post by Dr Sharonrose Samelak as informative as I did. There are aspects of screen time and its effects on children that I don't think many parents are aware of and will be grateful to know about! The next time you are out to dinner, riding the bus, or in the waiting room at your doctor’s office, take a look around. Most of the people around you are spending quality time with their best friend: their smartphone or … [Read more...]