Parents and mom’s especially are naturally programmed to hate crying.  It makes our hearts race, literally, and is really hard to sit and listen to without doing anything, especially when we are tired and worn out from our day.  Getting kids to sleep is often the “witching hour” for many families, where the children are also worn out, and need the cartharsis of a good cry to expend that last remaining energy and prepare for sleep.  Although we’d love to avoid our kids crying at all, it’s actually a healthy, natural release for them and a form of communication of their feelings.  Remember, kids aren’t born talkers, they are born cryers.  And crying for kids is communicating.
Attachment Parenting experts have always said that crying is …

I wish I had the knowledge and experience of raising a young boy and girl when I was younger myself.  I think it would have helped me better understand gender differences experienced later on in adult life. The natural differences in boys and girls are astounding and very distinct, especially at a young age.  We all know the stereotypes as adults: women are more emotional, better communicators and team players.  Men are more about action than words, and doing it themselves etc..  Toddlers playing with big trucks, smashing toys and wrestling with each other often contrast with girls playing with dolls, putting on pretend shows and playing tea party.  But are we teaching them to reflect our own gender preferences, or is there a natural …

I like the idea that I am just a small blip on the evolutionary path of the human race. I don’t have to figure out our ever-changing world, and my place in it to know what to do as a parent. If change is inevitable, I see my job in the human continuum as helping to ensure we are shifting or evolving in a positive direction. The challenge is to identify the difference between evolved change, and change for the sake of itself.
Our children have the ability to live more fulfilling lives than simply being an animal of the stock-market food chain. But I often feel at a crossroad when faced with big parenting decisions. Parents that have the ability to marry the good of …

If your kids aren’t sleeping, then neither are you.  Parents often try to make their kids conform to their schedules based on work and other obligations, but children need consistency.  Parents must also first commit to being willing to change behaviour.  Tired kids are whiny, cranky, stubborn,  and not healthy. Tired parents can become irritable and resentful towards their families.
Root Issue
There are a large scope of child health and development issues which are rooted in poor sleep.  Babies under 9 months biologically are not aware of the light/dark cycle, and have their own independant sleep rhythms. Kids under the age of 3 years old generally require at least 1 nap a day.  They will be more alert during the day, learn better and generally be …

If you use time-outs as a punishment technique for your child’s bad behavior, then you are not alone. It is a highly popularized “convenience parenting” technique, and appears to work well in the short term. If you watch any American TV, then you’ll see this concept promoted by “SuperNanny” or “Jon and Kate Plus 8″. The reality is that using time-outs can be harmful not only to you and your child’s relationship, but also to their personal development, self-esteem, and their ability to generally think for themselves. It separates the behaviour from the moment, treats only the symptoms and not the root cause, and puts your relationship in the back seat. Leading child development psychologists agree that the last thing you want to do is …