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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Don’t stress about the potty training process. Child psychologist, Dr. Heather, shares tips and encouragement to welcome one of your toddler’s great achievements. Find more potty training tips from Dr. Heather here.
Don’t dread potty training – celebrate it! Potty training is actually the signature achievement of your toddler’s development. But it’s not simple – it’s a complicated process of mastering physical, emotional, and cognitive milestones. I’ve accumulated some surefire strategies to help along the way, from my experience as a mom (I changed diapers – nonstop […]
Your children are strong. Stronger than you might be led to believe by the headlines screaming about the latest parental panic point. Resilience is the best kind of strength to have: It’s the ability to bend, not break, under pressure – and emerge stronger for it. Resilience is hugely important. It leads to happier, longer […]
Getting your preschooler ready for Kindergarten can be easy and fun. Dr. Heather Wittenberg shares her favorite tips to get your child ready a little bit every day. For more Kindergarten readiness tips from Dr. Heather, click here. How are you getting your preschooler ready for Kindergarten? Tell us in a comment below.
Is your child ready to start Kindergarten this fall? As a parent, I know it’s difficult to imagine your little one sitting in a “big kid” classroom in just a few months. Believe me, though, you’ll be amazed at the growth your child will experience before then. Here are my ideas for helping your almost-big-kid […]
Should your child start preschool at 2, 3, or even 4? Is he late-born, early-born, or right in between? Should he be one of the oldest in the class, the youngest, or in the middle? And what impact will this have on his eventual kindergarten start date? If your head is spinning at making this […]
“Shhhh!” We were in the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office, and any peep the 6-month-old made was met by his mama’s “Shhhh!” She looked embarrassed about her baby’s happy – and wonderfully normal – babbling sounds. I couldn’t help encouraging her to support her little babbler. “Oh, he’s so cute! He’s talking up a […]