During my years of work as an early childhood therapist, I’ve learned that many parents strongly underestimate the emotional capabilities of their newborn child. A newborn sleeps as long as 18 hours a day during those first few days so it’s easy to understand why parents think that a child doesn’t have much of a […]

In the last two weeks, we’ve talked about the benefits of pet ownership for babies and toddlers. This week, we’ll discuss the benefits to preschoolers, the age who seems to get the most benefit from pet ownership! Before you learn about how beneficial pets can be to children of any age, be sure to take […]

Last week, I discussed the developmental benefits of pet ownership/interaction for babies. Today, I’ll discuss the developmental benefits for toddlers when owning, caring for and interacting with the same list of pets. Before you read about the benefits of pets for toddlers, be sure to check out the infographic that I referenced here to ensure […]

At any age, having a pet around the house can be a positive experience. For young children, watching the activity of a pet or petting safe pets can provide a sensory experience that is valuable to cognitive development. Snuggling with safe pets can create a strong friendship with the pet that helps the child to […]

In the last two weeks, we’ve looked at some difficult picky eaters and what to do to help them to have a healthier reaction to foods that they don’t like. With the first type of picky eater, The Kid Who Doesn’t Like the Food, we learned that kids—like adults—sometimes don’t like certain kinds of food […]

Last week, we discussed one type of picky eater, The Kid Who Doesn’t Like The Food. This week, we are going to discuss a more serious type of picky eater that can’t be fixed with discipline alone, because the root of the behavior looks more like a disorder than a behavior. The Kid with a […]

As a play therapist in Sioux Falls, SD, it is not uncommon for me to see children whose only issue or behavior is picky eating. It can be very frustrating for parents and daycare providers to deal with picky eating, because these adults have to find a way to balance the child’s nutrition while also […]

Like last week’s rule to use walking feet, this week’s rule to use inside voices may not seem like an essential rule for kids to have. How important is it—really—for kids to remember to use quiet voices when they’re inside? Well, take a moment to think about how many times you’ve been embarrassed by someone […]

In the grand scheme of life, a child’s ability to walk when he wants to run may not seem to fit into the category of an “essential life skill.” But, when I think back on the many childhood behaviors I’ve witnessed that have resulted in pain and trouble, many of these could have been avoided […]

Last week, I introduced this series on some must-have rules for kids. Rules should be created in kids’ lives to help them learn about how the world works and how they are supposed to act and interact in the world. The rules that are part of this series help kids to learn about the world; […]