by Susie Windle | Mar 7, 2012 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
As a parent, you may experience times when an energetic child ruffles your feathers. If you have an active toddler, try to remember that busy toddlers are just as eager to please as toddlers who aren’t quite as “bouncy.” Their heart-felt desire is to connect with you....
by Susie Windle | May 4, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
As a child learns to connect ideas and concepts, certain accompanying emotions may cause him or her to suddenly become disorganized. The child may become anxious or withdrawn or actually feel disorganized. You can help your child by tuning in to the specific emotions...
by Susie Windle | Apr 13, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
Children learn to manage anxiety through play. In the safe space of play, children can suspend the rules and restrictions of reality. When a child plays, he or she has the option of becoming the master rather than being the subject. A child can make decisions during...
by Susie Windle | Feb 9, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
Some children seek out touch and movement more than others. Often these are the kids that have higher activity levels. They may want to swing highest on the swing and will likely find jumping in a mud puddle great fun. Other kids find too much touch and movement...
by Susie Windle | Dec 22, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Almost any reading is beneficial for your child, though certain kinds of books will be attuned to your child’s level of cognitive development and will therefore grab his or her attention for longer periods of time. The early stages of reading development include:...
by Susie Windle | Oct 13, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
Researchers are divided about the effects of violent video games on children. One view holds that a connection exists between children’s exposure to violence in the media and aggressive, violent behavior in youths. The advocates of this view believe that although...
by Susie Windle | Aug 11, 2010 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Your child’s transition to pretend play (“Let’s pretend . . .”) and spoken language is a significant developmental milestone. As your toddler relaxes his reliance on the physical, tangible world and begins to imagine things in his mind, he can connect and replay...
by Susie Windle | Jun 23, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
Cross-cultural research indicates that a father’s warmth plays an important part in a child’s long-term healthy development. Expressions of love and nurturance—such as verbal expressions of love, hugging, cuddling, comforting, praising, and playing—predicted healthy...
by Susie Windle | Jan 6, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Adolescence is a tough developmental stage because during this part of their life kids are pulled in opposite directions. They have one foot still in childhood, with all the dependence of that age, and the other foot in adulthood, stepping toward independence....
by Susie Windle | Aug 26, 2009 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
The beginning of the school year has arrived for many children, so taking a look at the importance of recess seems timely. Recess is defined as a break in the school day that offers children a chance to engage in free, unstructured, active play. Research about recess...
