In the last month or so information about five crucial school readiness domains were provided as a way for parents to feel empowered as well as to support them in digging deeper as to “why” the advice of “talk, sing and read to your baby” is so important. Information was shared about why the advice […]
There are many products and toys available to parents and caregivers these days that are aimed to get babies and toddlers ready for school. They vary in cost, ease of use, and accessibility. Some parents and caregivers feel compelled, and are able, to buy “fancy” toys that light up and sing. Some purchase expensive learning […]
At a pregnancy center last week, a Moroccan couple came in to request assistance for their fourth baby, due in July. They already had a 2-year old, 3-year old and 7-year old and had arrived from Morocco 4 years ago. The father, whose English was good, explained that he worked as a bus driver for a […]
According to The Urban Child Institute, a baby’s brain at birth “already has about all of the neurons it will ever have,” “doubles in size in the first year, and by age three it has reached 80 percent of its adult volume.” The period from birth to age 3 represents the single most crucial period […]
Writers and photographers who travel make observations and take what they see to others. They are “noticers” and “see-ers,” as well as “share-ers,” extraordinaire! By way of their written or spoken stories or their photos, these amazing observers share their experiences with those who have not had the same experiences or with those who have […]
The longterm gains of early childhood programs for children 0-5 years of age have been proven again and again. American economists, such as James Heckman at the University of Chicago, remind us frequently that the greatest return on investment with regard to children happens in the years before a child begins school. It’s a greater […]
Sensory processing is a frequently overlooked skill in the under 36 month old set. Newborns arrive into the world with an already established preference for taking in the environment around them. They are born with a sensory processing preference either for visual (looking), auditory (listening) or kinesthetic (movement) processing, and this preference will greatly affect […]
Babies and toddlers make one million neural connections per second in the first 3 years of their lives. They are laying down the foundations of their brain circuitry for learning, thinking and taking in their world that they will have for their entire lives. Emory University and the state of Georgia’s “Talk With Me Baby” […]
In his article titled “The Character Factory”, David Brooks reminds us that character and behavior (e.g., resilience, conscientiousness, prudence, perseverance, ability to delay gratification, having a growth-mindset, personal drive, self-control, ability to maintain focus and attention, etc.) influence academic achievement as much as cognitive skills do. He tells us that “sages over years have generally […]
Matt Richtel, NY Times writer of the above-titled article, tells of research that goes along with the video I have attached here (The video is Halloween-themed, but fits perfectly here nonetheless.). In the article, he writes “One of the fiercest marketing battles in the world takes place in kitchens and at dining room tables across […]
Baby and Toddler Land 