Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Helping your Child Understand and Navigate Complicated Relationships
Peer conflict is a normal part of human interaction, and children often begin to experience this type of conflict during childhood. These conflicts can occur for several reasons and may be verbal (i.e., spoken or written) or physical confrontations. As a parent, understanding some of the reasons for childhood peer conflict can help you better …
Road Trips with Young Children
Family road trips can be a happy and memorable experience for children. They offer opportunities for families to spend quality time together, make memories, take in new and different sights, and have fun with each other. In addition, road trips may be preferred over traveling on planes, buses, and trains for a young child as …
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 …
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 …
Parenting the Child you Have
All people, including children, have their own needs and preferences. As a family, you may have many shared interests or values, but, individually, each family member is a unique and special being. Depending on your child’s personality and whether their beliefs and values differ from yours, you may encounter challenges in your parenting journey. In …
