Holidays with a Blended Family: 10 Tips for Parents and Stepparents
The holiday season has arrived! For blended families, this can be a time of additional stress as parents and stepparents attempt to maintain special traditions and create memories with their new or still-adjusting family members. Below are some tips that can help you create a positive holiday experience for everyone in your blended family. Plan …
Bed-sharing Among Toddlers and Preschoolers
Bed-sharing is the habit or custom of parents and infants sharing the same bed. It is practiced in many different cultures to build family closeness, and, sometimes, bed-sharing is practiced out of economic necessity. However, in the United States bed-sharing is not recommended by pediatricians and other healthcare professionals. While the American Academy of Pediatrics …
Taking Care of You
Welcoming a new baby into the home can be an exciting time that is probably filled with novel experiences, but it can also be a time that is filled with challenges, like adjusting to a new schedule and a parenting lifestyle. As you embark on your new parenting journey, remember to allow yourself time to …
Planning and Preparing Meals with Your Preschooler
Cooking with your preschooler can be a healthy, educational, and fun activity. Involving your child in cooking and other aspects of meal preparation helps them learn about food and nutrition and many life skills, like basic math skills and decision-making. You may be hesitant to bring your child into the kitchen due to some potential …
National Teen Driver Safety Week October 15-21, 2023
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Teen drivers speed, make mistakes, and can be easily distracted, especially if they have friends in the car. Parents can play an important role in helping their teens develop into safe and responsible …
Establishing Routines with your Preschool-Age Child
By establishing daily routines, you can help your preschool-age child develop and maintain a sense of safety and security. The following video illustrates and explains the importance of routines, like morning routines, mealtime routines, and bedtime routines. The routines you develop can be unique, so they can meet your family’s needs! You can also learn …
Having Developmentally Appropriate Expectations for your Preschooler
Even though preschool-age children can do many tasks independently, they still need a lot of support from their caregivers. By giving your child developmentally appropriate tasks to handle, you are helping them learn new skills and increase their self-confidence as they accomplish tasks independently. The following video illustrates and explains how you can divide complex …
Compassion: A Strategy for Caring for Yourself and Your Children
Humans are primed to react to a threat with a stress response. In modern society, we may no longer find ourselves facing tigers in the wild; however, our bodies may react with similar biological, fight-flight responses when we feel intense stress. The demands of parenting can be a source of stress, and, often, the stress …
