Self-care is something we hear a lot these days – especially in parenting articles and social media. As the world gets more hurried and chaotic, parents and caregivers are encouraged to take care of themselves just as much as they care for their children.

The benefits of healthy attachment are immense. When a child feels that they can trust their parent to meet their needs they are more prepared to go out into the world and learn new skills.

Bedtime provides a great opportunity to incorporate small moments of connection.

From time to time, every child will experience fear. As young children explore the world around them, having new experiences and confronting new challenges, anxieties are almost an unavoidable part of growing up.

Chores. It’s a broad term for the many responsibilities in life and they aren’t always fun. Studies have shown that allowing children to help with chores early in life is not only beneficial developmentally, but often they really enjoy it!

It’s not uncommon to hear a caregiver say, “they’re just shy,” as an explanation of a child’s hesitant behavior. The reality is that being cautious in unfamiliar situations, environments or with people they don’t know, should be totally acceptable and normal behavior from our children. So why do we often think of “shy” as a negative?

The cooler weather makes for ideal conditions to get outside and explore! There is much to gain by taking a break from all the inside toys, entertainment, and devices. Outside play puts kids in touch with the magical parts of childhood; improvisation, creativity, and imagination.

“Rupture and repair” is an important concept in parenting that you may have never heard of. Ruptures are moments of disconnection between a caregiver and child – when the relationship is misaligned, or when the needs of someone or something else gets prioritized over the needs of your child.

The truth is that no childhood can be perfect. experiencing zero pain or struggle is not what we want for our children. They need to know how to get through tough times, it is essential for resilience. By simply being intentional about making things better for our kids – by acknowledging that we are working on breaking the cycle – we are already doing so much for our little ones.

All children have reasons for getting mad, from someone stealing their swing on the playground to having to leave a play date when they are having fun; anger is a natural reaction to a frustrating experience. Teaching them how to stay relaxed and calm in stressful situations at a young age can better prepare them for emotional success later in life.