Most families would like to help their children with learning at home, but they don’t want every night to feel like school all over again. Experts in how children grow and are taught pretty much agree with this. Helping kids learn at home is most effective when it boosts how well they can focus, their […]
5 Discipline Myths That Can Make Family Conflict Harder to Manage
People often have very strong ideas about discipline when raising kids, and it’s easy to go to either extreme. You might be told kids need to be told what to do all the time, to do it right away, or to face really serious punishments to be respectful. However, the people who study how children […]
What Preschool Social Skills Often Develop Before Kindergarten Starts
People usually concentrate on academic skills when getting their kids ready for kindergarten, but experts in how children grow say social skills are just as important for those first years at school. Lots of kids are still figuring out things like sharing, being part of a group and its schedule, dealing with being annoyed, getting […]
How Families Can Create Healthier Device Rules That Actually Last
Lots of families create rules about using phones, tablets and things like that with the aim of doing good, but after only a little while, these rules are hard to actually get everyone to follow. Screens are now used for school, to talk to people, for fun and just how things happen each day, so […]
Why Simple Family Traditions Can Matter More Than Families Expect
People usually think of family traditions as being for holidays or big events, but experts in how children grow say they’re really much wider in scope. Little things that you do over and over, for example, pizza on Friday, a walk during the weekend, a special breakfast for birthdays, or a story at bedtime, are […]
How Reading Routines at Home Can Support Early Learning
Lots of people think doing reading as a habit at home helps kids do well in school, but it’s about a lot more than just learning to read and write. Reading with your child boosts their word knowledge, their ability to listen, how long they can focus, a closer emotional bond, and a feeling for […]
7 Ways Age-Appropriate Chores Can Help Children Build Responsibility
Most of the time we think of chores as something kids should do because they’re told to, or because it’s just easier if they do, but people who study how kids grow and learn look at it in a wider way. Being given jobs around the house that they can do for their age allows […]
What Experts Say Helps Reduce Sibling Conflict at Home
It’s something all families know well: kids fighting with each other. But it frequently leaves parents unsure about if or when they should get involved. Most professionals say arguing between brothers and sisters is a typical stage of development. They’ll bicker about getting their parents’ attention, what to play with, being treated equally, having enough […]
What Separation Anxiety Usually Means in Early Childhood
When toddlers and preschoolers are at home, a very typical worry for their families is separation anxiety. You’ll likely see this as tears when you leave them, them holding on tight to whoever is looking after them, or being upset by any break in their usual schedule. These things are hard to deal with as […]
How Active Listening Can Improve Communication With Young Children
Kids don’t usually stop sharing with their parents because they have no thoughts to share. Instead, a lot of the time, families are so busy with the usual things they do each day that nobody really listens carefully. Small kids express themselves with what they say, how they say it, their posture, what they do, […]