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The arrival of a new sibling is a time of many mixed emotions. Parents are forced to spend most of their time and energy tending to the newborn’s basic needs. This can be difficult for older siblings to deal with. Many children experience a regression and begin acting like a baby again in order to receive more attention from their parents. Therefore, it is very important to prepare your older child to know what to expect and help them adjust to the idea.

There is no ‘right’ time to tell your child about your pregnancy and the impending arrival of their new sibling. But it is important for your child to hear the news from you, instead of from someone else. So whenever you decide to tell your friends and family, be sure to tell your child as well. When you tell your child, acknowledge and discuss any feelings he or she may have. And never deny or discount those feelings. (more…)

“Hold my hand; listen, please; sit back; buckle up; come here; halt; quiet; don’t kick; load up; line up; single file; wait your turn; be patient; look me in the eye; time out!”

With all the buckling, strapping down, forced wiping of sticky faces, and tugging sweaters over writhing little bodies, it’s no wonder parenting in the early years feels like one long lesson in child restraining tactics.

While there are moments when restraining your child is important for his own safety (toddlers on the train platform, for example), far too many parents miss valuable opportunities for allowing children small doses of independence. (more…)

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Before becoming a mom, I often heard of potty-training talked about as an inconvenient part of parenting that is avoided for as long as possible. In fact, in the United States, the average of being potty-trained has gone from 18 months to 36 months in the last 60 years.

Having spent most of my life living in the United States, I never questioned the fact that we don’t start potty training until the age of 2, or even 3.

However, as I started looking more into philosophies about potty-training I found that in India, China, and parts of Africa, most mothers start potty-training their babies as newborns.

After getting over the shock and my, “that’s absurd” thought about potty-training a newborn, I became very intrigued and wanted to try it. If it can be done there, why can’t it be done here as well? (more…)