Parenting Playbook

Talk to your baby . . .

Talking to your baby is one of the keys to enhancing your child’s brain development. How nice that it is so easy to do and costs nothing! Even the youngest babies are learning language, and when you talk to them, you are teaching them communication skills. Whether you...

Internal conversations . . .

Self-talk is powerful because having conversations with ourselves—even silently—links thought, language, and action. Self-talk is really like a delay switch to action allowing us to think things through. Children are great teachers for showing us how language can...

Self-help skills . . .

Self-help skills make both your and your child’s life easier. As a parent, you can combine teaching, learning, and fun to help your child develop these skills. Let’s take getting dressed as a first example. Providing oversized dress-up clothes with zippers, buttons,...

Understanding naughty . . .

All parents experience times when their children exhibit challenging behaviors. Understanding the causes behind those challenging behaviors can help. If we make the mistake of looking only at children’s behavior rather than their level of distress and needs, we miss...

Let’s be realistic . . .

In reality, all parents lose their patience from time to time. As long as a child is not frightened when this happens, an angry response is unlikely to cause adverse long-term effects on the development of a child’s social and emotional brain. Most likely, when a...

Motivated behavior . . .

Our brains are designed to seek pleasure and steer clear of displeasure, so it could be argued that there is no such thing as unmotivated behavior. One thing that gives children great pleasure is getting attention from their parents. That is why our paying attention...

Parent with a light heart . . .

When parents discipline with a light heart and a sense of humor, three important things happen: first, our feelings as parents can be managed in a positive and constructive way; second, we model for our children how to handle their emotions in an effective and...

Holiday excitement . . .

This is a good time to remember that joy can be stressful! Joy is a high-arousal state of being for kids. So, enjoy the “joy” and manage the stress. Here are a few ideas for managing the excitement of the holiday season: Know your child’s personality and limits. If...

Offering praise . . .

If you have a child who finds it easy to do lots of things, from tossing a ball to writing his or her name, it will be easy for your child to figure out how to accomplish tasks worthy of your praise. This child will learn and become aware of the kind and warm feelings...

Holiday planning . . .

For many families, this time of year includes holiday celebrations and gatherings that can nurture feelings of connection and joy if reasonable expectations are kept in mind. Here are a few thoughts . . . Rituals are important because they provide comfort and a...

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