When I was pregnant with my first child, a friend told me that I was already behind on my preschool applications. Holy cow, I thought. How can I choose a preschool when my kid hasn’t even been born yet. I hastily got on the waitlist at one preschool and applied to a second shortly after […]
My fondest memories of preschool were with my best friend: drinking green punch, painting, tying our shoes. When my first started preschool, my hope was for him to make wonderful friends. But how does this happen? Some kids make friends on their own. My elder child, now five, made his first friends before starting preschool, […]
As parents we face a daily conundrum of opportunities and needs to coach our children about everything from conflict resolution and manners to transitions and routines. Two creative tools I love for teaching children social and life skills are social stories and puppets. Storytelling can be such a powerful way to engage children, capturing their […]
One of the most fascinating things I love as a Mom is watching my children find their interests and passions. Helping my children explore activities to see what they like and what they don’t care for at all is part of seeing their personalities unfold. We have no idea when they are born what a […]
Establishing regular family rituals whether a weekend hike, family movie night, or special holiday traditions build strong bonds and memories that last a lifetime. These are the memories that we so often think of first when reflecting fondly on our own childhood. They reinforce a sense of security along with the message that we are […]
Halloween is such a fun holiday for the whole family that we look forward to every year. To make it truly fun for each person in the family, in our experience honoring your child’s personality and preferences can make all the difference between happiness and melt downs for all concerned. Here are tips for a […]
— By Jennifer Katz, MS, CCC-SLP A question I hear over and over is, “how do I know if my child needs speech therapy?” My first response is to determine if a speech and language assessment is indicated. Sometimes the answer is a resounding “yes”, at times it’s a clear “no” and often it’s a […]
Starting preschool is a major transition for many parents. It feels like the first step of your child growing up. My friends and I all posted how we finally felt like “real parents”, packing a lunch and a backpack for our children. My firstborn started preschool at 2 years 10 months, which was his first […]
These are my son’s favorite lunches. My criteria: a child can eat these independently, no heating required. Some items are better for older preschoolers, and others for younger. Try not to pack containers that you’ll be upset about losing, as this seems pretty common. Do label your lunchbox (or monogram it), as well as […]
Sleep is a personal and charged topic. Who doesn’t need more sleep? You’d be hard pressed to find a new parent who *isn’t* tired. I’m here to tell you that it’s OK to want more sleep. While newborns are impossible to “sleep train,” at some point you’ll have an older baby, and you’ll realize that […]