Parents/primary caregivers are the most important advocate for their children in all areas of their development, including social-emotional.  May is Mental Health Awareness month.     Children as young as newborns can have social-emotional issues.  Research shows, behavior problems that surface in early childhood are the single best predictor for several long-term outcomes, such as adolescent delinquency, gang involvement, incarceration, substance abuse, divorce, unemployment (Center for…

Do you remember playing Ring Around the Rosie as a child?  I do!  I remember playing this game when I was fairly young.  When my son came home from daycare a few days ago saying “posies, posies” while grabbing his older brother’s hand.  I was trying to figure out what he was talking about.  My son would grab…

I recently spent an afternoon with a good friend, who has a toddler.  While we were talking about parenting she told me her son has started biting his baby brother.  My friend said nothing she or her husband had tried is working.  Her son bit another child at childcare this week for the first time

Biting is a behavior that many toddlers display at one time or another.  It can be something that makes the adults feel frustrated and helpless.  There is hope! 

Whenever a child is…

On my own personal journey of eating healthier, I discovered that I was spending a LOT more time in the kitchen than the days gone by of mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and Gold Fish. Cutting and peeling an apple doesn't seem like a very time consuming process, but when every meal and snack is prepared from whole, clean, healthy foods, you up your time in the kitchen by at least double. BUT... that time in the kitchen allowed me to stumble upon a very good way to both introduce…

When you have a baby you need to bring all the things a baby would need with you. Bottles, nappies, change of clothes with many options depending on the weather, medicine, cream and the list continues. If you have more than one baby, which we did it does feel like you are packing to never to return to your house ever again, this of course is due to the large amount of stuff that is needed.

Upon talking with my cousin who has recently had twin boys last year she is dealing with the…

If you don’t like using time out to discipline your toddler or young child, there are other forms of discipline that may work better for you and your family or you can use a combination of discipline methods.  Remember that each child responds differently to discipline methods.  One child may respond to a variety of discipline methods, while another child in your…

I have an abundance of containers around the house. I've been saving them thinking that I would eventually find some purpose for them. They were mostly used as "props" in my daughters' play kitchen. However, the other day I had a wonderful idea... what if I placed the…

My son stayed home with me again today so that he could continue to heal and so that I could make sure that he was fever free before sending him back to daycare.  He acts like he is feeling much better today and his fever finally broke last night.  Thank goodness, I don’t like it when my baby doesn’t feel…

I was reminded of this while reading another blog post one night last week.... While I was still pregnant a friend told me every night before bed to ask my little ones their favorite part and their least favorite part of the day. That this would open many doors to many conversations (and well, it was fun). It's popped into my mind from time to time, but I felt the girls were too young to "get it". Last week while I was reading another blog, they mentioned when they talked about their…

I had the pleasure of joining in on a webinar last week to talk potty training tips with experts Dr. Andres Cotton (pediatrician from Miami with 17 years experience), and Jeannette Kaplun (amazing Hispanic blogger/journalist who has potty…

Yesterday we had our tea party with Daddy then decided to head to the zoo. While we were there, L told me she had a sore in her mouth that really hurt. I could see it. It looked like she bit the inside of her cheek (and I know that hurts). She wasn't herself and even told me she didn't feel good. I asked what was bothering her she said her tummy and her cheek. She took a bit of a nap in the stroller (and the car once we left). We did a little bit of shopping (she seemed fine) every now and…

Waking up this morning I decided we would bake cookies for our swimming play date this afternoon. There's something magical for my girls about pouring a few random ingredients into a bowl; Then seeing something totally different come out of the oven as they hear the timer go off and they yell in unison, "DONE!"

I'll preface this by saying I'm so glad both of my girls and I are finished with this journey!!

It's been so interesting watching our girls over the last year and a half (if not longer) ... from the beginning as they would scribble on their Magna Doodles or with chunky crayons on construction paper. Watching their hands as I attempted to peak their interest in writing letters or drawing shapes; I would notice which hand they would hold their pens, pencils and crayons. I remember a period when L would randomly switch her writing utensil from one hand to another trying to figure it…

There are so many stages of L's 3 years that I feel like I have said, "This is my favorite time!" or "This is the best time!" But those stages were the best for many different reasons. 

It was Wednesday when M started to develop a cough. Thursday L wanted to nap, my girls rarely nap! Friday L napped for a little more than 2 hours. Lots of coughing Friday night! Saturday we spent the day at my sister and brother in law's house. I was treating their cough, they played well AND had a lot of fun. Saturday night M threw up from all of the coughing and was crazy hot. She had a fever!! Sunday morning both girls woke up in good moods, playing and everything. It was going to be 70…

View original post at Mommy Dearest.

There's something exhilarating about a good, old-fashioned battle of the wills between myself and my daughter. Partly, I think, because we're very well-matched in this area. She is a worthy opponent. An expert at holding her ground.



But guess what, little one, so am I. Not all the time, mind you. Just when I feel like it. Eliza's the exact same way. Most of the time she does what I…