Author Archives: Ages and Stages

Mar 23

Positive Reinforcement

Rarely does a child wake up and think of ways to annoy the parents. Most children, and adults, want to hear praise. It feels good to be reminded of the many good things we do every day.

Mar 12

Children and pets

Pets are a great way to promote responsibility within a family. Children that grow up caring for a pet are generally more responsible and empathic as teens and ultimately adults.

Dec 13

Ignoring your child vs. Ignoring your child’s behavior

How often are we told “just ignore it, it will stop” when referring to a child’s behavior. Ignoring is a very hard thing to do well! Some parents feel that if they ignore the child they are being neglectful. What is important to remember is that you are not ignoring the child, you are ignoring the behavior you want to change. Try ignoring the behavior with one of these techniques…

Dec 09

When to potty train?

Potty training is a tricky issue. While many children are ready sometime during their second year, others aren’t interested until well into the third year. One of the best ways of knowing if your child is ready to train is whether or not he/she is bothered by a dirty or wet diaper. Once you know the child is ready, you’ll need to make some decisions. Potty chair or regular toilet? …

Dec 01

Good cop vs Bad cop

Why is parenting sometimes harder when there are two parents involved? Every person brings with them in life a set of values and a framework for how things should be done. When we partner with someone and create a family, it is important to decide upon the style of parenting that will work for your family.  Discipline is effective only when it is consistent and predictable, constant communication with your …

Dec 01

Holiday Stress

Your children may not be in charge of buying and wrapping gifts but they are surely feeling your stress! The holidays bring with them late nights, overeating, parties and lots of visiting. All of these activities cause disruption to a child’s usual routine. Sometimes we as adults forget how important consistency is to a young child. Consistency offers a sense of security and predictability to a confusing world. Try and …

Nov 24

Are you unknowingly assigning your child a role?

Our children’s birth order and our own family history are large factors in how we treat our children. The way we view our children’s behavior will have a profound affect on the way we respond to it. Parents that were mistreated by an older sibling in their youth may over identify with their own younger children.  Try and remember to treat your children as you want them to be, not …

Nov 16

Never underestimate the benefit of a ride in the car.

The power of a car ride with your children. I see so many cars go streaming by with movies playing and kids sitting in the back wearing head phones. In an age of email and text messaging we need to find ways to preserve conversation and look out the window! Talking about the places you pass and streets you’re traveling will help develop your child’s sense of direction and help …