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One of the highlights of summer with school-aged children is a break from the normal routine.
Instead of the daily struggle to get to school on time, the morning slows down and we gradually ease into our day.
There’s no pressure to get dressed, pack lunches, or hurry the tiny humans out the door.
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Most people see creativity as a talent, rather than a skill.
Children are bound to “be creative,” but as they grow up, it all gets lost in their routines and responsibilities. Or so they say.
The truth is that creativity is a skill.
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Potty-training.
The moment my oldest son turned two, I was dreading it.
I truly believed that potty-training would be the ultimate bane of my existence.
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Worried about your toddler’s physical development?
Maybe you see your friend’s toddler already walking and beginning to sit, but your toddler wants nothing to do with walking.
The rate of each child’s development – both physical and cognitive– vary from child to child.
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Until the term ADHD came into our lives, I don’t know how many times my son’s disruptive behavior was chalked up to that overused phrase, “boys will be boys.”
My son’s behavior seemed to be stuck on hyperdrive all the time.
Keeping him from doing and saying certain things became a full-time job.
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When I was pregnant for the first time, I wanted a boy – so when we found out that we were indeed expecting a baby boy, I was ecstatic.
I dreamed of the messy faces that were soon to come.
The Tonka trucks and Hot Wheels explosion on my living room floor and the rambunctious chaos – I couldn’t wait!
Everyone and their mother told me that having boys was so much easier than girls…
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Binkies. Pacifiers.
Like most parents, I have always had a love/hate relationship with them.
I love them because they help comfort my child while giving me a couple minutes of sanity. I hate them when it is time to start making them disappear.
All four of my boys have used binkies. Looking back I realize just how lucky I was at the ease of breaking the pacifier habit.
Two of them weaned themselves with no help from me around 1 year old.
My other son just started refusing the pacifier at 6 months old.
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My son’s teacher called me one afternoon screaming into the phone, “Ms. McCollum, your son is running around the room throwing chairs.”
I couldn’t believe what she saying because my son was such a sweet, shy kid and I couldn’t imagine him acting that way.
When I asked her why he was so upset, she told me it was because she moved his behavior pin from green.
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Warmer weather is finally here, and that means lots of outdoor fun with our kids.
For younger children, especially those getting ready to start Kindergarten, it is important to include learning activities in their play months before they start school.
If you’ve already registered your child for school, you may have received a long list of skills they need to master before the beginning of the school year.
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As each mom enters the phase of toddler motherhood, we all begin to go a little bonkers at some point.
Toddlers are wonderful and energizing and yet somehow, at the same time, terrifying and exhausting.
If you’re a busy mom, or you work from home, independent play can be a lifesaver.
But how do you encourage independent play for your toddler?
When we decided that it was time for me to start working from home, I spent a lot of time trying out different ways to create the perfect environment to foster independent play for my toddler.
