Gratitude is an advanced concept that can be tricky for toddlers and preschoolers to understand. They are naturally self-focused in their early ages and stages of development. But as children learn and grow, they become more understanding of the needs and feelings of others.

Family rituals are important as they can help the family to create memories, share important moments, develop important skills, and enhance family connection and satisfaction.

Although it might seem that screen time is a convenient way to keep young children occupied when they get home from school/daycare, when they are sick, or just at home- what their body needs is quiet.

Having fears is normal- and even a healthy part of development. It signals that your child has a growing awareness of the things happening around him and is trying to keep himself safe. As their cognitive abilities increase, so do their fears.

Have you ever watched your child do something repeatedly and wondered WHY do they do that? Throwing the same toy, spinning in circles, lining up all their cars, or gathering their favorite toys in a bag to carry around… all these types of play fit into schemas of play!

Have you ever noticed that your child enjoys playing by themselves and wondered if it’s normal? Or maybe you have noticed that your child enjoys watching others play, but doesn’t join in. These are actually normal phases of development children go through, referred to as “stages of play”.

Cooking with a child might seem like a daunting task; maybe it’s the fear of a hot stove and sharp knives or envisioning the mess that your child will make as they mix the ingredients. These concerns are no doubt valid, but there are many benefits of getting your little ones involved in the kitchen.

“I can’t!” It’s a statement children make when their BIG feelings are really weighing on them or when something feels overwhelming. We can choose to respond by replying “yes you can!” but that only helps some of the time.

Calm down tools are specific outlets to help your child process their big feelings in a healthy way. The goal is not to teach your child to “fix” their emotions, but rather provide them with healthy coping tools that support their regulation skills when the big feelings do happen.

Having realistic expectations for children rather than how we think they ‘should’ behave can dramatically affect the way we see our children, the way we parent and the way we experience parenting.