The topic: Nap time. Specifically when to be nap free. So I did an (unscientific) poll to find out when kiddos give up taking a nap. 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 well into their 3rd, 4th and 5th years too. It’s been too … [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...]
Lego mania or DUPLO delusions
I’m a huge fan of Lego as is my son. In fact, when he was a kidlet he knew just how to play his dear old Mother by just-so-happening to let me know when a new set was out and available. You know, like he was doing me a favor…. Fast forward a few decades, and there are literally thousands of Lego pieces in his PLAY attic. Some are still assembled in awesomeness. I look fondly at the pirate ship or the soccer pitch. Others have come apart and it's anyone's guess whether or not they can ever be … [Read more...]