by Admin | Mar 17, 2014 | Birth - First Year
As a nurse practitioner and lactation consultant for many years, I have heard many new mothers talk about how difficult it is to breastfeed. Let’s dispel some of the myths about breastfeeding: Myth #1 Breastfeeding just comes naturally to moms. No! While often...
by Admin | Mar 10, 2014 | Education, School Challenges, Toddlers
True or false: The most important thing you can do to prepare your child for kindergarten is to focus on academics. False. Contrary to popular notion, basic math and reading skills are no longer the only primary prerequisites to kindergarten readiness. While counting...
by Admin | Mar 4, 2014 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills
“No” is a powerful and useful word that can help keep you and your children safe, comfortable, healthy, and responsible. But it’s also a word that often leads to hurt feelings, conflict, and other complications. That’s because when others hear the word...
by Admin | Feb 24, 2014 | Leisure & Vacation, Parenting Skills
You’re tired, cranky, and short-tempered. You feel that you have no life outside of your spouse, kid, and job. Does this make you a lousy parent—or are you being too hard on yourself? “We see a lot of clients who wonder whether they’re good parents,” says...
by Admin | Feb 18, 2014 | Leisure & Vacation, Occupational Therapy, Special Challenges
As I was trying to come up with a topic to share on this particular blog, I thought about a challenge one of my young clients recently experienced: going to the movies. This child so wanted to go to The Lego Movie, and he and his dad set out for an adventure they were...
by Admin | Feb 4, 2014 | Raising Boys, Raising Girls
“My son writes poetry after dinner. On the weekends, he goes to the opera and symphony. His favorite class is art. When I was his age, I was trying out for team sports and blowing things up in chem lab.” Kids who don’t travel with the pack, who march to their...
by Admin | Jan 27, 2014 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Temperaments
Parents, you are not alone! If you find yourself yelling at your kids most days, it’s time to understand more about why you yell and what to do about it. Maybe you were raised by a yeller, and you can’t seem to kick the habit of letting your feelings spill...
by Admin | Jan 22, 2014 | Bullying Prevention
Bullying is complicated in every way—why a particular child is targeted, how a relationship can shift from friendly to hostile, and the absence of a quick and easy strategy for preventing bullying. Despite its complexity, however, there is one way we can simplify our...
by Admin | Jan 13, 2014 | Leisure & Vacation, Parenting Skills, Raising Boys, Raising Girls
Throughout the course of my work as a parent coach, I have often heard parents express concerns about their children’s behaviors and talk about the common glue that binds us all: the need for acceptance, appreciation, and love. Many parents stay in fifth gear as...
by Admin | Jan 6, 2014 | Leisure & Vacation, Parenting Skills
Many of us are somewhat removed from nature in our everyday lives. This is especially so during the winter. Yet despite winter’s chillier and shortened days, along with busy school and extracurricular schedules, most families can find some time during a typical...