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Being a parent can feel overwhelming and exhausting. So much of the prevailing advice on raising children leaves parents feeling conflicted and confused rather than confident that what they're doing is best for their children.In The Parenting Handbook: Your Guide to Raising Resilient Children, Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson— founders of the Institute of Child Psychology, child psychologists, and moms with an immense social media following— give parents the answers they so desperately need. Using the latest research in neuroscience and developmental psychology, and weaving in concrete strategies, Tammy and Tania have created an essential roadmap for parenting that truly works. Here you will find the secrets to raising children who are kind, empathic, self-regulated, emotionally intelligent, and who grow up to become gritty, resourceful, successful critical thinkers who can handle hard things.After reading this handbook, you will be well-equipped to:tackle tough parenting problems such as screen time and bedtime battles,implement effective discipline strategies,manage meltdowns and tantrums,foster optimal brain development in your children,create positive mental health outcomes,lose it less on your child and be the parent you always hoped you'd be.Tammy and Tania provide practical tools that you can implement immediately. This book is the ultimate guide to nurturing emotional regulation, resiliency, connection, and well-being in children.Advance Praise“ The Parenting Handbook is beautiful, reflective, and deeply compassionate. Tammy and Tania weave the latest parenting research, scripts, tools, and strategies into a relatable book that fuels connection, love, and joy.” — Dr Shefali, Clinical Psychologist and New York Times bestselling author“ Tania and Tammy have woven together the many themes that come up so often in daily family life. They sensitively provide answers to the questions that sometimes confound us as parents. Reading this book will give you the feeling ‘ I can do this'and provide you with the confidence to be the very best parent you can be.” — Kim John Payne M.ED., bestselling author of Simplicity Parenting, The Soul of Discipline, and Emotionally Resilient Tween & Teens

If you're a busy parent looking for fresh, playful ideas to support your toddler's learning and development, look no further!Written by renowned childcare experts at My First Five Years, the popular parent support app, this unique book explains the why behind different types of play and provides 60 activities designed to support your toddler's physical, social and emotional development.The My First Five Years team defines'toddlerhood'as'beginning the moment that your child pulls themselves to standing and takes their first steps', and this book supports you right from this point up until you're starting to think about sending them to school. The book covers six streams of development – social and emotional, gross motor, fine motor, sensory, language and cognitive – and each chapter includes a summary of the underlying science followed by simple, fun and low-cost play ideas you can do at home with your child. From pizza portraits to'whose voice is that?', the ideas fit neatly into daily life and focus on turning play into a solid foundation from which all learning grows. There are also QR codes featured throughout, linking to free additional related content. Beautifully colour illustrated and full of tips and advice, this book is perfect for supporting your toddler's development, health and wellbeing.'By far the best app I have used to help me support and understand my daughter's development. I love the gentle suggestions for moving learning and skills on in such a natural, playful way. Thank you!'- Praise for the My First Five Years app

A practical guide that encourages families to return to the basics of parenting in order to raise happy, respectful, and loving children.'This character-development book will appeal to not only parents and guardians but educators as well.” - Library Journal'Many will feel grounded by this book.'- BooklistThe rules and guidelines for raising families in our crisis-oriented, communication overloaded, high-pressure culture are changing by the minute. Yet, the fundamental principles of effective parenting remain. As parents seek to support children who are learning to hold their own in today's divided society, they need reassuring and consistent information on how to keep their family going in the right direction.In Steadfast Parenting: How to Raise Children of Character, educator, counselor, mother, and grandmother Patricia McGann shares practical advice for parents as they navigate the bumpy, unpredictable road of parenting. With a special focus on building a positive relationship between parents and children, McGann returns to the basics for how to raise happy, healthy, and kind kids. She walks parents through the family, social, and school issues for each stage of development—infants, toddlers, elementary-aged, tweens, and teens—reminding parents throughout that they should trust their instincts and enjoy the small, shiny moments that occur along the way.Steadfast Parenting encourages parents to abandon the desire to follow society's ridiculous expectations for them and their little ones. Instead, parents and children can and should appreciate the relationship that is uniquely theirs. Referring to this guidetime and again, parents can find reassurance and helpful advice as they raise children of integrity who will contribute in a meaningful way to the world in which we live.

If you're looking for fresh, playful ideas to spark your baby's curiosity, build their confidence and support their development, look no further!Written by the renowned childcare experts at My First Five Years, the popular app designed to help parents support their child's physical, cognitive and emotional development, this unique book of 60 activities explains the why behind different types of play, and shows you how to make the most of short, daily moments together. You might be wondering why your baby loves to show you objects they've found, or why they prefer some toys to others. Have you questioned why they can roll from their back onto their tummy, but not the other way around? This book breaks down the science of early childhood development into concise summaries, and includes easy, realistic ideas for play that make the most of development opportunities. The activities are clearly set out with step-by-step instructions, lists of equipment, and benefits for your baby.The book is split into six streams of development – social and emotional, gross motor, fine motor, sensory, language and cognitive – and each chapter includes a summary of the underlying science followed by simple, fun play ideas you can do at home with your baby. From tasty finger paint to egg box puzzles, the ideas fit neatly into daily life and focus on enhancing play into pivotal learning moments. There are also QR codes featured throughout, linking to additional related content.Beautifully colour illustrated and full of tips and advice, this book is perfect for building the foundations for your baby's lifelong learning, development, health and wellbeing.'This app has been incredible helpful in helping me navigate the minefield that is being a new mother.'- Praise for the My First Five Years app

Set children on a path to success by understanding and nurturing the power of the brain Children's brains develop faster in the early years than at any other time in their lives. If you want to make the most of this pivotal period, there is no time to waste. With newly updated research, the second edition of this bestseller provides parents and educators with strategies for building a brain-compatible environment where young learners can develop the skills they need to be successful. Inside you'll find: How to design a brain-friendly environment, including the use of music, color, and lighting The effects of verbal communication, reading aloud, and discussion on children's development Strategies for developing character and responsible behaviors An action plan to help parents follow through with implementation at home Multiple examples of best practices in action Based on the latest research on human growth and development and written by a nationally-known education expert, Preparing Children for Success in School and Life helps you satisfy a child's natural hunger for learning and ensure that every child gets the best possible chance at success.

How children engage with technology at each stage of development, from toddler to twentysomething, and how they can best be supported.What happens to the little ones, the tweens, and the teenagers, when technology—ubiquitous in the world they inhabit—becomes a critical part of their lives? This timely book Technology's Child brings much-needed clarity to what we know about technology's role in child development. Better yet, it provides guidance on how to use what we know to help children of all ages make the most of their digital experiences.From toddlers who are exploring their immediate environment to twentysomethings who are exploring their place in society, technology inevitably and profoundly affects their development. Drawing on her expertise in developmental science and design research, Katie Davis describes what happens when child development and technology design interact, and how this interaction is complicated by children's individual characteristics and social and cultural contexts. Critically, she explains how a self-directed experience of technology—one initiated, sustained, and ended voluntarily—supports healthy child development, especially when it takes place within the context of community support.Children's experiences with technology—their “screen time” and digital social relationships—have become an inescapable aspect of growing up. This book, for the first time, identifies the qualitative distinctions between different ages and stages of this engagement, and offers invaluable guidance for parents and teachers navigating the digital landscape, and for technology designers charting the way.

How can adults keep children safe and healthy online now and in the future? How can we thrive alongside technology? This highly accessible book unpacks the latest psychological research, attachment theory and neurobiology to offer parents and professionals insight into how technology impacts children's development and how to navigate our lives online.Catherine Knibbs shares her extensive experience to reveal what we know about human behaviour in cyberspace, and particularly that of children using devices, consoles and social media platforms. She offers deeper understanding of how and why children engage online and shows parents and professionals how, rather than being overwhelmed by the dangers and pathologies of cyberspace, we can learn to support children in using technology healthily. She covers key topics including social media use and abuse, impact of screen time, issues around gaming and extreme behaviours online. By the end of this book you will be able to understand your child better, and have an understanding of what is happening in their minds, brains and bodies in relation to the technological and digital world.Children, Technology and Healthy Development is for all parents, and professionals in psychology, education, social care and the police who are concerned with understanding how we support children in an online world. It will also be valuable reading for those in tech design interested in the impact of technology on the developing human.

In this diverse world, parents and educators around the globe today face new challenges connecting with raising children. The Nigerian Igbo belief ‘It takes a village to raise a child'can re-emerge as ‘It takes a multi-cultural perspective in the village that raises a child prepared for the culturally integrated world'. This book offers a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, and fresh, global perspective on parenting today by delving deep into the cultural, ethnic, and traditional characteristics of parenting, as well as the latest evidence-based scientific research on parenting a healthy child in every developmental stage for this era. Fascinating topics discussed here include connecting to an infant, potty training toddlers, teaching emotional regulation to preschoolers, task management of school-age children, dramatic transitions of tweens, and communicating effectively with an adolescent.

This book integrates the basic and applied literature to provide mental health providers with concrete, evidence‑based strategies for building and strengthening the parent‑child relationship and addresses challenges typically neglected by intervention manuals.

How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes is a clear, actionable, sometimes humorous (but always science-based) guide for parents on how to shape their kids into honest, kind, generous, confident, independent, and resilient people...who just might save the world one day.As an award-winning science journalist, Melinda Wenner Moyer was regularly asked to investigate and address all kinds of parenting questions: how to potty train, when and whether to get vaccines, and how to help kids sleep through the night. But as Melinda's children grew, she found that one huge area was ignored in the realm of parenting advice: how do we make sure our kids don't grow up to be assholes?On social media, in the news, and from the highest levels of government, kids are increasingly getting the message that being selfish, obnoxious and cruel is okay. Hate crimes among children and teens are rising, while compassion among teens has been dropping. We know, of course, that young people have the capacity for great empathy, resilience, and action, and we all want to bring up kids who will help build a better tomorrow. But how do we actually do this? How do we raise children who are kind, considerate, and ethical inside and outside the home, who will grow into adults committed to making the world a better place?How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes is a deeply researched, evidence-based primer that provides a fresh, often surprising perspective on parenting issues, from toddlerhood through the teenage years. First, Melinda outlines the traits we want our children to possess—including honesty, generosity, and antiracism—and then she provides scientifically-based strategies that will help parents instill those characteristics in their kids. Learn how to raise the kind of kids you actually want to hang out with—and who just might save the world.

An expert in cognitive development and music education reveals the remarkable and surprising benefits that playing--or even appreciating--music offers to children.The latest cognitive research has revealed something extraordinary: learning music and listening to music can grow and repair our brains at any age. Here, Dr. Anita Collins explains how music has the potential to positively benefit almost all aspects of a child's development, whether it's through formal education or mindful appreciation; simply clapping in time can assist a young child who is struggling with reading. It turns out that playing music is the cognitive equivalent of a full-body workout. Dr. Collins lays out the groundbreaking research that shows how playing an instrument can improve language abilities, social skills, concentration, impulse control, emotional development, working memory, and planning and strategy competence, from infancy through adolescence. She also provides real-life stories to show the difference that music learning can make, as well as practical strategies for parents and educators to encourage a love of music in their kids.

Screen time. Daycare. Praise. Sleep training. Spanking and time-outs. Helicopter versus'old school'parenting. There are a lot of questions facing parents of young children but consistent and reliable science-based answers can be hard to find. Parenting Made Complicated, written by child psychiatrist Dr. David Rettew, tackles many of the biggest controversies facing new parents today and examines the science behind these issues with writing that is lively, personal, non-preachy, and even funny. This book doesn't assume that the'correct'answer for each parenting dilemma is the same for each child. Instead it describes how different approaches may be required based on a child's unique temperament or other important factors. Practical, informed, and entertaining, Parenting Made Complicated is a complete resource for parents and professionals alike who are looking for dependable information about today's parenting controversies.

“Wonderful.”—Herbie Hancock A pioneering music educator reveals how music can supercharge early childhood development—and how parents and educators can harness its power.Since opening her famed Parisian conservatory over three decades ago, Joan Koenig has led a global movement to improve children's lives and minds with the transformative power of music. With a curriculum and philosophy drawn from cutting-edge science, L'Ecole Koenig has educated and empowered even its youngest students, from baby Max, whose coordination and communication grow as he wiggles and coos along to targeted songs and dance, to five-year-old Constance, who nourishes her empathy, creativity, and memory while practicing music from other cultures. In The Musical Child, Koenig shares stories from her classrooms, along with tips about how to use the latest research during the critical years when children are most sensitive to musical exposure—and most receptive to its benefits.A gift for parents, caregivers, musicians, and educators, The Musical Child reveals the multiple ways music can help children thrive—and how, in the twenty-first century, its practice is more vital than ever.

A game-changing book on child development--and the importance of physical play--for this digital and screen age.For children to develop to their fullest potential, their sensory system—which, in addition to the big five of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, includes movement and balance (vestibular), body awareness (proprioception), and internal perception (interoception)—needs to be stimulated from the time they are born. Their senses flourish when they explore their environment by touching new textures, including their food, running, jumping, climbing, and splashing outside. As an occupational therapist with a specialty in sensory integration, Allie Ticktin has seen an increase in cases of children who struggle to sit in circle time or at their desk upright and who are delayed in walking, talking, and playing by themselves and with their peers. In the recent past, kids spent their days playing outside and naturally engaging their sensory system and building key developmental skills. But with increasing time pressures for both kids and parents, children are spending more time in front of screens and less time exploring and interacting with their environment. The good news is that boosting your child's sensory development doesn't take enormous amounts of time or supplies, or any special skills. Here, Ticktin discusses the eight sensory systems and how a child uses them, and offers easy, fun activities—as well as advice on setting up a play area—that will encourage their development so that your little one will be better able to respond to their emotions, build friendships, communicate their needs, and thrive in school. That's the power of sensory play.

Confident Parents, Confident Kids lays out an approach for helping parents—and the kids they love—hone their emotional intelligence so that they can make wise choices, connect and communicate well with others (even when patience is thin), and become socially conscious and confident human beings. How do we raise a happy, confident kid? And how can we be confident that our parenting is preparing our child for success? Our confidence develops from understanding and having a mastery over our emotions (aka emotional intelligence)—and helping our children do the same. Like learning to play a musical instrument, we can fine-tune our ability to skillfully react to those crazy, wonderful, big feelings that naturally arise from our child's constant growth and changes, moving from chaos to harmony. We want our children to trust that they can conquer any challenge with hard work and persistence; that they can love boundlessly; that they will find their unique sense of purpose; and they will act wisely in a complex world. This book shows you how. With author and educator Jennifer Miller as your supportive guide, you'll learn: the lies we've been told about emotions, how they shape our choices, and how we can reshape our parenting decisions in better alignment with our deepest values.how to identify the temperaments your child was born with so you can support those tendencies rather than fight them.how to align your biggest hopes and dreams for your kids with specific skills that can be practiced, along with new research to support those powerful connections.about each age and stage your child goes through and the range of learning opportunities available.how to identify and manage those big emotions (that only the parenting process can bring out in us!) and how to model emotional intelligence for your children.how to deal with the emotions and influences of your choir—the many outside individuals and communities who directly impact your child's life, including school, the digital world, extended family, neighbors, and friends.Raising confident, centered, happy kids—while feeling the same way about yourself—is possible with Confident Parents, Confident Kids.

Explore taste-safe small worlds, create colorful pieces of art, and engage all five senses while investigating the great outdoors. Sensory play is a wonderful way to explore the world with your little learners!Sensory Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers is a practical, hands-on guide for parents and educators who want to inject more play into their children's day! Since this collection features simple sensory play ideas with items you already have in your home, playtime has never been easier. Inside the book, you'll find forty easy sensory play tubs and activities with extra bonus ideas for extending the activities even further! Not only will your child be learning and exploring through play, but you'll also be creating some magical memories of playtime that will last a lifetime! Learn how to get started with sensory play using tips, tricks, and sensory play staples.Follow quick and easy, tried and tested sensory base recipes designed to ignite the senses and inspire hours of sometimes messy, always memorable playtime.Create thoughtful sensory invitations and artworks while developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, early measurement concepts and so much more! Sensory play allows our little learners to make connections as they explore the world around them using their senses of sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch. It's the beginning of a lifelong journey of scientific understanding and a wonderful way to connect and bond with your little learners! Projects include: Rainbow RiceCloud DoughSand FoamEdible MudWater TubRainbow SpaghettiFrozen Building BlocksOutdoor KitchenJell-O Bug RescueBubble Wrap Paintingsand more!

Apply the best science to all your parenting decisions with this essential A–Z guide for your biggest questions and concerns from the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama DisciplineEvery baby- and toddler-care decision sends parents scrambling to do the right thing, and often down into the rabbit hole of conflicting advice. Dr. Tina Payne Bryson has sifted through the reliable research (including about all those old wives'tales) and will help you make a manageable molehill out of the mountain of information and answer more than sixty common concerns and dilemmas, including • Breast or bottle? Or breast and bottle? Will that cause nipple confusion?• What's the latest recommendation for introducing solids in light of potential allergies?• Should I sign us up for music and early-language classes?• What's the evidence for and against circumcision?• When is the right time to wean my baby off her pacifier?• How do I get this child to sleep through the night?!Dr. Bryson boils things down with authority, demystifying the issues in three distinct sections: an objective summary of the schools of thought on the topic, including commonly held pros and cons; a clear and concise primer on “What the Science Says”; and a Bottom Line conclusion. When the science doesn't point clearly in one direction, she guides you to assess and apply the information in a way that's consistent with your family's principles and meets your child's unique needs. Full of warmth, expert wisdom, and blessedly bite-sized explanations, The Bottom Line for Baby will help you prioritize what you really need to know and do during the first year of precious life.

From day one in a child's life, music is one of the most important things that can be used to help them grow and learn. Musical stimulation helps lay the foundations for a lifetime of skills, and this straightforward guide gives detailed advice on how to use music to help children from 0-5 years with common developmental challenges such as attachment and bonding, bedtime, tantrums and daily living skills, social skills, motor skills and school readiness. Combining cutting-edge research on brain development with proven strategies, this book helps with both typical and atypical issues in the earliest stages of a child's life. Friedberg lays out the musical parenting approach, where any adult can enhance children's lives through music. No prior music skill is necessary to use the musical parenting approach, making it an ideal resource for all parents, teachers and professionals to raise healthy, well-adjusted children in a creative and interactive manner.

Why is anxiety so rampant among kids today? What's the magic age for giving my child his first cell phone? Her first social media account? How do I teach my teenager things like gratitude and respect in such an entitled and disrespectful world? Melissa Trevathan and Sissy Goff hear these types of questions on a daily basis in their counseling offices and at parenting events across the country. Today, more than ever before, we live in a culture that is at war against our parenting. And today, more than ever before, we're meeting parents who feel lost as to how to help. This book does just that. It addresses the issues we hear parents struggling with the most when it comes to raising their children (technology, disrespect, entitlement, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, etc.), but it doesn't stop there. Melissa and Sissy move through those modern-day troubles to get back to the vintage values we all deeply value in the lives of kids. They help you discover—whether your child is a toddler or a teenager—what it looks like to cultivate kindness, gratitude, integrity, responsibility and more in the lives of the kids you love. Modern Parents, Vintage Values offers you a roadmap—a way through the hurdles you are facing today in your parenting—helping you discover more of how to instill those true, foundational, vintage values that will make a lasting difference in the lives of your kids…values that are built upon an unshakeable foundation of faith and hope. And that's ultimately where this map will lead—to Christ—and to what it looks like for both you and your kids to have hope in Him in these changing times.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics, the nation's most trusted name in child care, comes Your Baby's First Year, the definitive all-in-one resource that provides authoritative advice on every aspect of infant care. Featuring new and expanded content, including the latest reports on cutting-edge research into early brain development, the fully illustrated fourth edition of Your Baby's First Year includes • Guidelines for prenatal care, with spotlights on maternal nutrition, exercise, and screening tests during pregnancy• Growth and developmental milestones through the first twelve months of a child's life, including physical, emotional, and cognitive development• An updated chapter on developmental disabilities• A complete health encyclopedia covering injuries, illnesses, and congenital diseases• Breastfeeding discussion, including its benefits, techniques, and challenges, as well as nutritional needs and vitamin/iron supplementation• Recommendations for choosing child care programs• Updated safety standards: the very latest AAP recommendations, including immunizations, childproofing, and toy safety• Safety checks for home, including bathing, preventing drowning, poisoning, choking, burns, and falls• Car safety, including information on car safety seats• And much more Comprehensive, reassuring, and up-to-date, Your Baby's First Year is an indispensable guide for parents everywhere.

Winner of the 2019 National Parenting Product Award Ranked #1 by BookAuthority for 2019 Best New Parenting BooksYour child's DNA is not destiny; you are at the helm, guiding their course. The truth is, nature and nurture are in a delicate dance—if one goes too fast, the other one falls. Science tells us that early childhood experiences have the capacity to structure and alter the brain. That means you didn't just supply your child's DNA—you're still shaping it. And it's only by wielding this power that your child will activate their full potential. You are truly a gene therapist; manipulating and guiding your child's genetic makeup based on the experiences you create for them. Contrary to what modern parenting trends have told us, parenting is much simpler than we dared to imagine. Great parenting comes down to one mission: to be prepped and present for the windows of your child's development so that you can take full advantage of them and help your child become a smart, successful, self-sufficient adult. It doesn't require formal training or a fancy degree—all it takes is getting involved. Once parents learn how to flip the right gene “switches,” they can expand the limits of their child's potential and lay the emotional and intellectual groundwork that allows them to seize opportunities for success fearlessly, naturally, and enthusiastically. With a PhD. in education and a second in psychology, and forty years of experience as an educator, Dr. Gross combines an understanding of childhood development with practical and realistic tools to teach parents how to best take advantage of their child's developmental windows. How to Build Your Baby's Brain translates the results from scientific studies about expanding consciousness and performance into day-to-day interaction between parents and children.

Why is my son so clumsy? Why is my daughter's handwriting so messy? My children only want to play video games: will lack of movement really hurt them? Movement is essential in helping children develop not only motor skills but also intellectu

Parents of babies and toddlers from birth to age three will find answers to their most-frequently asked questions about child health and wellness in this easy-to-understand volume. Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP, helps parents with friendly, straightforward guidance in an easily digestible question and answer format.Baby and Toddler Basics focuses on parents'top 150 questions, based on Dr. Tanya's years in practice. An internet search of these questions could yield dozens of answers, many from dubious sources. Dr. Tanya addresses parents'concerns with the expertise of a pediatrician backed by the trusted authority of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Baby and Toddler Basics'clear Q&A layout means it's just as fast as Googling, but with answers parents can trust, based on medically-sound AAP policy. Topics covered in Baby and Toddler Basics include • Breastfeeding • Developmental stages • Fever • First Aid and injuries • General baby care • Poop • Safe sleep and sleep challenges • Stomach ache and illness • Vaccines Dr. Tanya's clear answers to these frequently asked questions will help parents take the right actions at home and alert them when it would be best to call their pediatrician. With Baby and Toddler Basics parents can keep their own'portable pediatrician'in their diaper bag or on their nightstand, always ready with reassuring answers.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most up-to-date advice for mothers, fathers, and caregivers of school-age childrenYou've outgrown the baby books—but your school-age child needs your guidance and support more than ever. During the ages of 5 to 12, children continue to grow and develop skills and habits that will impact their future health and well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the trusted organization that represents the nation's top pediatricians, presents this revised and updated age-specific guide to help your children thrive during these formative years. A child's school years, while exciting, bring new transitions. A comprehensive resource, Caring for Your School-Age Child includes advice on:• Your child's emotional, physical, behavioral, and social development• The best ways to encourage good nutrition and physical fitness• Gender-specific issues facing boys and girls as they approach adolescence, including the stages of puberty• Your child's media use, including screen time, electronic devices, and internet use and safety• Effective discipline, behavior problems, temper tantrums, and optimal nurturing• Promoting independence and fostering resilience through balanced expectations • Safety and injury prevention, plus handling emergency situations• School issues including promoting good homework skills and social dynamics, and dealing with school problems and learning disabilities• Talking to your child about self-esteem, puberty, being shy, and dealing with prejudice• Family matters, including divorce, stepfamilies, adoption, sibling rivalry, working-parent households, and childcare• Understanding your child's inborn temperament—and how it affects the child-parent relationship• And much more, including a complete health encyclopedia covering injuries, illnesses, and chronic medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes Caring for Your School-Age Child is an essential childcare resource—recommended by pediatricians and trusted by parents.

Toxic stress can occur in any home, rich or poor, regardless of age, education, or walk of life. Research has shown that adaptive, supportive parents are the best at insulating their children from all but the biggest catastrophes. Exposure to “toxic stress” in childhood can cause depression, alcoholism, obesity, violent behaviour, heart disease, and even cancer in adulthood. Parents who are less sensitive or attentive or who regularly misinterpret their children's needs can let too much stress trickle through, or even cause it in the first place, which can carry on to the next generation. What Kind of Parent Am I? uses specially created surveys to identify problem areas for parents. With recommended resources and advice throughout, Dr. Letourneau informs and empowers parents to deal directly with their unique risks and challenges, helping them become the best parents they can be.

'Maggie is earthy and real, full of love and knowledge, especially on raising sons.'- Steve Biddulph'Maggie's perspective on raising boys is spot on. She writes with humor and depth, providing insight and strategies for many of the most important issues facing moms. There is a lovely ease to her writing and a powerful honesty. I hope every mother of a son (and everyone else!) will read this book. The future of the world, to a great extent, depends on how we raise our boys.'- Michael Gurian, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Wonder of Boys and Saving Our Sons If we can see the world through boys'eyes a little better, we will make different choices in the way we mother them… and we will find them less confusing, and love them more deeply. Mothers of sons are worried about raising their boys in a world where negative images of masculinity are front and centre of our media, almost every day. Not only that, but statistically our boys are still struggling in many ways. Even though we live in a time where we recognise that nothing in gender is fixed, it remains a fact that the influence of a mother on her son is massive. A mother of four sons herself, Maggie Dent draws on her personal experience - and over four decades work as a teacher, counsellor and now author and speaker - to help build understanding, empathy and compassion for our boys. Maggie shares her five key secrets that every mum needs to know and uses the voices of men she has worked with and surveyed to reveal what really matters in a boy's relationship with his mother and other mother figures. Maggie is one of Australia's most popular parenting authors and educators, and her seminars about boys have sold out all across Australia and in the UK. She is finally sharing her insights, her reflections, and (as always) her humour around mothering boys to help you be the mum your son needs you to be.

'Maggie is earthy and real, full of love and knowledge, especially on raising sons.'- Steve Biddulph'Maggie's perspective on raising boys is spot on. She writes with humor and depth, providing insight and strategies for many of the most important issues facing moms. There is a lovely ease to her writing and a powerful honesty. I hope every mother of a son (and everyone else!) will read this book. The future of the world, to a great extent, depends on how we raise our boys.'- Michael Gurian, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Wonder of Boys and Saving Our Sons If we can see the world through boys'eyes a little better, we will make different choices in the way we mother them… and we will find them less confusing, and love them more deeply. Mothers of sons are worried about raising their boys in a world where negative images of masculinity are front and centre of our media, almost every day. Not only that, but statistically our boys are still struggling in many ways. Even though we live in a time where we recognise that nothing in gender is fixed, it remains a fact that the influence of a mother on her son is massive. A mother of four sons herself, Maggie Dent draws on her personal experience - and over four decades work as a teacher, counsellor and now author and speaker - to help build understanding, empathy and compassion for our boys. Maggie shares her five key secrets that every mum needs to know and uses the voices of men she has worked with and surveyed to reveal what really matters in a boy's relationship with his mother and other mother figures. Maggie is one of Australia's most popular parenting authors and educators, and her seminars about boys have sold out all across Australia and in the UK. She is finally sharing her insights, her reflections, and (as always) her humour around mothering boys to help you be the mum your son needs you to be.

From building blocks to city blocks, an eye-opening exploration of how children's playthings and physical surroundings affect their development.Parents obsess over their children's playdates, kindergarten curriculum, and every bump and bruise, but the toys, classrooms, playgrounds, and neighborhoods little ones engage with are just as important. These objects and spaces encode decades, even centuries of changing ideas about what makes for good child-rearing--and what does not. Do you choose wooden toys, or plastic, or, increasingly, digital? What do youngsters lose when seesaws are deemed too dangerous and slides are designed primarily for safety? How can the built environment help children cultivate self-reliance? In these debates, parents, educators, and kids themselves are often caught in the middle.Now, prominent design critic Alexandra Lange reveals the surprising histories behind the human-made elements of our children's pint-size landscape. Her fascinating investigation shows how the seemingly innocuous universe of stuff affects kids'behavior, values, and health, often in subtle ways. And she reveals how years of decisions by toymakers, architects, and urban planners have helped--and hindered--American youngsters'journeys toward independence. Seen through Lange's eyes, everything from the sandbox to the street becomes vibrant with buried meaning. The Design of Childhood will change the way you view your children's world--and your own.

A practical book full of tips, techniques and example situations to support and encourage good behaviour in children: perfect for parents at their wits'end!They're squealing for a packet of strawberry squiggles in the supermarket... refusing to put their coat on even though it's below freezing outside... squabbling over who gets the cup with the kangaroo on it... or running around with their pants on their head when they're meant to be putting their pyjamas on.Let's face it, life with kids can be exhausting and exasperating. Sometimes you can find yourself nagging, negotiating, battling and bellowing your way through the whole day. Surely it's not meant to be this hard, you think. Roll on bedtime!Here, in one little book, is everything you need to know to make your day-to-day life as a parent easier. Based on in-depth interviews with child psychologist Dr Bonamy Oliver (UCL), it gives you techniques, tactics, tips and tricks that research shows actually work.The clear, practical, punchy advice tells you exactly how to deal with your child's unwanted behaviours and shifts the dynamic of your relationship so your child not only co-operates but wants to co-operate in the first place. Finally, it will feel like you are on the same team!And that way, not only will your life be easier, but you'll be able to enjoy your child's company a whole lot more!

A revised and updated edition (with more than 70% new material) of the evergreen classic about the innate differences between boys and girls and how best to parent and teach girls and boys successfully, with completely new chapters on sexual orientation and on transgender and intersex kids.Eleven years ago, Why Gender Matters broke ground in illuminating the differences between boys and girls--how they perceive the world differently, how they learn differently, how they process emotions and take risks differently. Dr. Sax argued that in failing to recognize these hardwired differences between boys and girls, we ended up reinforcing damaging stereotypes, medicalizing normal behavior (see: the rising rates of ADHD diagnosis), and failing to support kids to reach their full potential. In the intervening decade, the world has changed drastically, with an avalanche of new research which supports, deepens, and expands Dr. Sax's work. This revised and updated edition includes new findings about how boys and girls interact differently with social media and video games; a completely new discussion of research on gender non-conforming, LGB, and transgender kids, new findings about how girls and boys see differently, hear differently, and even smell differently; and new material about the medicalization of bad behavior.

Warmth is a hand-knitted woolly jumper and a crackling fire in the grate. Warmth is a smile when we need encouragement and a hug when things aren't going our way. This one word has so many powerful, positive associations.Warmth is one of the basic building blocks of existence; without it, there would be no life or growth. As parents we want our children to be warm - physically and emotionally. We raise them to be warm people full of compassion and hope. In the first book of its kind, anthroposophical therapist Edmond Schoorel explores the role of warmth across many aspects of child development, including: -- physical warmth and what children should wear; -- the role of warmth in bodily processes such as growth, energy and health-- the importance of emotional warmth; -- warmth of spirit, or enthusiasm.This fascinating and practical book gives parents and caregivers valuable insight into how to nurture different aspects warmth in everyday family life, and will also be useful for teachers and anyone who works with children.

When it comes to language acquisition, all parents have questions…and?this invaluable resource?has all the answers.When should I expect my baby's first word? Is my toddler on his way to talking soon? Is my child speaking as clearly as her peers? All parents end up thinking questions like these during their children's formative years, but too few act on them, assuming the answers are too unpredictable to be certain. Time to Talk answers these questions for the curious parent.Written by an experienced speech-language pathologist and mom, this practical and proactive guide will help parents:Understand the building blocks of speech and languageMonitor progress against expected milestonesEnhance their child's communication skillsSpot signs of potential problems with hearing, speech, or language developmentAddress common concerns, such as articulation, late talking, stuttering, dyslexia, etc.Foster literacyRaise bilingual children successfullyYour child's language acquisition no longer must be a guessing game for you. From baby's first babbling to reading readiness, Time to Talk provides everything a parent needs so this vital fundamental skill doesn't have to be left to chance.

Positive emotional health in a child's earliest years can be a critical factor in their future development. Offering practical suggestions for games, activities and exercises designed to promote emotional wellbeing in young children, this essential guide showcases a wide range of approaches such as mindfulness and meditation, Forest School and Reggio Emilia to provide a hands-on reference for teachers and parents.Drawing on over 25 years'experience as an early years professional, the author explores topics including playfulness, stillness, sensory play, creativity and staff wellbeing. Each topic references current best practices and international examples, and also includes a comprehensive list of further resources and activities. Providing an informative introduction to both theory and practice, this book demonstrates easy-to-implement ideas for any professional or parent engaging with young children.

Real children need real experiences with real people to grow up happy, healthy, strong, kind and resilient. In the second edition of this bestselling book from one of Australia's favourite parenting authors and educators Maggie Dent, Maggie explores the 10 essential building blocks that help children build resilience and self-esteem in our chaotic, uncertain world. We can't change the world, however we can help our children to develop emotional buoyancy and competence by experiencing life's joys and successes, as well as its challenges and setbacks. When this is done within the safety of supportive relationships—especially in families and communities—one building block at a time from birth to 12, children can grow into being the capable, independent adults we all yearn to meet one day. About Maggie:Commonly known as the ‘queen of common sense', Maggie Dent has become one of Australia's favourite parenting authors and educators, with a particular interest in the early years, adolescence and resilience. Maggie's experience includes teaching, counselling, and working in palliative care/funeral services and suicide prevention. She is a dedicated advocate to quietly changing lives in our families and communities. She is the mother of four sons and a very grateful grandmother. Maggie is the author of 11 books including her 2018 release Mothering Our Boys which is already a bestseller.

Have you ever been told that raising your child to speak multiple languages will harm their development? Are teachers or other professionals suspicious of your efforts? Are you sometimes unsure if you are helping your child's language development, or are you uncertain where to start? It is increasingly recognised among researchers that, far from harming a child's development, being exposed to multiple languages from birth or early childhood can result in linguistic, creative and social advantages. The authors, all multilinguals themselves, parents of multilingual children, and researchers on language and multilingualism, aim to provide advice and inspiration for multilingual families across the world. The latest research on multilingualism and the authors'own experiences are used to provide a friendly, accessible guide to raising and nurturing happy multilingual children.

When it comes to parenting, sometimes you have to trust your gut.With her first book, It's OK Not to Share, Heather Shumaker overturned all the conventional rules of parenting with her “renegade rules” for raising competent and compassionate kids. In It's Ok To Go Up the Slide, Shumaker takes on new hot-button issues with renegade rules such as: - Recess Is A Right - It's Ok Not To Kiss Grandma - Ban Homework in Elementary School - Safety Second - Don't Force Participation Shumaker also offers broader guidance on how parents can control their own fears and move from an overscheduled life to one of more free play. Parenting can too often be reduced to shuttling kids between enrichment classes, but Shumaker challenges parents to reevaluate how they're spending their precious family time. This book helps parents help their kids develop important life skills in an age-appropriate way. Most important, parents must model these skills, whether it's technology use, confronting conflict, or coping emotionally with setbacks. Sometimes being a good parent means breaking all the rules.

New York Times Bestseller! Becoming Brilliant offers solutions that parents can implement right now. Backed by the latest scientific evidence and illustrated with examples of what's being done right in schools today, this book introduces the 6Cs—collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence—along with ways parents can nurture their children's development in each area. In just a few years, today's children and teens will forge careers that look nothing like those their parents and grandparents knew. Even the definition of'career'and'job'are changing as more people build their own teams to create new businesses, apps, and services. Although these changes are well underway, our system of K–12 education in the United States lags behind. Our education system still subscribes to the idea that content is king. The exclusive focus on content is reflected in what we test and how we teach, and even the toys we offer our children at home. Employers want to hire excellent communicators, critical thinkers, and innovators — in short, they want brilliant people. But they are often disappointed. So what can we do, as parents, to help our children be brilliant and successful? Stories about the failures of our educational system abound, but most of them stop after pointing out the problems. Becoming Brilliant goes beyond complaining to offer solutions that parents can apply right now. Authors Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek provide a science-based framework for how we should be educating children in and outside of school. Parents become agents of change for children's success when they nurture six critical skills. Constructed from the latest scientific evidence and presented in an accessible way rich with examples, this book introduces the 6Cs — collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence — along with tips to optimize children's development in each area. Taken together, these are the skills that will make up the straight-A report card for success in the 21st century.

A much-needed guide that delivers essential baby and child-care advice while reminding parents to calm down and trust themselves.Parents are more overwhelmed than ever before -- juggling demands on their time as well as conflicting advice from family, friends, frenemies and'experts'on how to achieve parental perfection. Pediatrician Jane Scott has seen this parental anxiety up close, and in The Confident Parent she shares advice on how to cut through the confusion, dial down the insecurities and unhelpful advice, and simply do what countless parents around the world have done throughout history: respond to their little one's needs without overthinking, overstimulating, and overparenting. Informed by a unique global perspective, The Confident Parent shows readers how to be not just better caregivers but happier and more balanced human beings. The book covers the basics of baby and child-care from breastfeeding and sleep training to managing temper tantrums, offering a fresh perspective that's both commonsense and liberating. Takeaways include: • Children are strong and resilient--unless parents teach them not to be. • Picky eating is learned, not innate. • There is such a thing as being too careful. This upbeat and empowering guide shows how small changes can yield big results -- helping both parents and kids feel more secure, confident, and connected.

'Angela Hanscom is a powerful voice for balance.'—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods In this important book, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook shows how outdoor play and unstructured freedom of movement are vital for children's cognitive development and growth, and offers tons of fun, engaging ways to help ensure that kids grow into healthy, balanced, and resilient adults. Today's kids have adopted sedentary lifestyles filled with television, video games, and computer screens. But more and more, studies show that children need “rough and tumble” outdoor play in order to develop their sensory, motor, and executive functions. Disturbingly, a lack of movement has been shown to lead to a number of health and cognitive difficulties, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotion regulation and sensory processing issues, and aggressiveness at school recess break. So, how can you ensure your child is fully engaging their body, mind, and all of their senses? Using the same philosophy that lies at the heart of her popular TimberNook program—that nature is the ultimate sensory experience, and that psychological and physical health improves for children when they spend time outside on a regular basis—author Angela Hanscom offers several strategies to help your child thrive, even if you live in an urban environment. Today it is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, or spinning in circles just for fun. We've taken away merry-go-rounds, shortened the length of swings, and done away with teeter-totters to keep children safe. Children have fewer opportunities for unstructured outdoor play than ever before, and recess times at school are shrinking due to demanding educational environments. With this book, you'll discover little things you can do anytime, anywhere to help your kids achieve the movement they need to be happy and healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

By the beloved and wildly popular host of the PBS Kids show Dinosaur Train, here is the book every parent needs: a rousing call to connect our kids to the natural world, filled with tips and advice.The average North American child now spends about seven hours a day staring at screens and mere minutes engaged in unstructured play outdoors. Yet recent research indicates that experiences in nature are essential for healthy growth. Regular exposure to nature can help relieve stress, depression, and attention deficits. It can reduce bullying, combat obesity, and boost academic scores. Most critical of all, abundant time in natural settings seems to yield long-term benefits in kids'cognitive, emotional, and social development. How to Raise a Wild Child is a timely and engaging antidote, offering teachers, parents, and other caregivers the necessary tools to engender a meaningful, lasting connection between children and the natural world. Distilling the latest research in multiple disciplines, Sampson reveals how adults can help kids fall in love with nature—enlisting technology as an ally, taking advantage of urban nature, and instilling a sense of place along the way.“In a time when the connection between humans and the rest of nature is most vulnerable, Scott offers parents and teachers a book of encouragement and knowledge, and to children, the priceless gift of wonder.”—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle

Here is a compelling, thought provoking and practical guide to parenting and educating today's children. It is derived from Amartya Sen's Nobel Prize-winning approach to human development which has proven highly effective at freeing people from the chains of poverty. Educators Bruce and Caitlin Howlett apply Sen's approach to child development at home and in school and offering fresh, effective ways to rescue parenting and revive education, while providing parents, teachers and caregivers with a proven foundation for creating rewarding childhoods, academic success and fulfilling lives.By incorporating the twelve key capabilities, such as sensory awareness, creative imagination, emotional and self-awareness, parents and educators can promote the three most critical tools for children's survival and success: continuous learning, problem solving, and increased knowledge and meaning. Using stories of three different types of children - Zoe, Mia and Daniel - the authors demonstrate the value of life and of the'Capabilities Approach'theory on how to cultivate inquisitive, actively engaged, motivated, perceptive and resilient children.

The founder and director of the Thirty Million Words Initiative, Professor Dana Suskind, explains why the most important—and astoundingly simple—thing you can do for your child's future success in life is to to talk to them.What nurtures the brain to optimum intelligence and stability?It is a secret hiding in plain sight: the most important thing we can do for our children is to have conversations with them. The way you talk with your growing child literally builds his or her brain. Parent talk can drastically improve school readiness and lifelong learning in everything from math to art. Indeed, parent–child talk is a fundamental, critical factor in building grit, self-control, leadership skills, and generosity. It is crucial to making the most in life of the luck you have with your genes.This landmark account of a new scientific perspective describes what works and what doesn't (baby talk is fine; relentless correction isn't). Discover how to create the best'language environments'for children by following the simple structure of the Three Ts: Tune In; Talk More; Take Turns. Dr. Suskind and her colleagues around the country have worked with thousands of families; now their insights and successful, measured approaches are available to all.This is the first book to reveal how and why the first step in nurturing successful lives is talking to children in ways that build their brains. Your family—and our nation—need to know.•Nominated for the Books for a Better Life Award•