The process of learning how to sit is one of many milestones for infants, and it happens in stages. Endurance Building At first, babies gradually build their core strength by spending time on their backs and on their tummies. Play time that includes reaching, kicking, supporting their head, and stretching their limbs are all endurance Read More
Category: Child Development
A Day with Your Newborn
During the first few months of a baby’s life, there is a seemingly endless cycle of caregiving. Between the diapers, feeds, and naps, how do you interact with a tiny baby? Babies don’t come with instructions and many parents worry that they don’t know how to spend time with their baby. Here are a few Read More
Distraction and Temperament
“Distraction” gets a bad rap–but it can be a very useful stress reduction and emotional regulation skill. A dictionary definition of “distraction” is “a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.” (From Oxford Language dictionary). But what if that “something else” is a worrying or angry thought? Wouldn’t it be a Read More
Physical Play and Self Control
Self-control is an important part of emotional development. It is what allows children to manage their feelings and regulate their behavior. The University of Cambridge did an interesting review of 78 studies that had been conducted between 2007-2017. What they found was that children who had more playtime with their fathers had better self-control, were Read More
Tummy Time
Tummy time is physical activity for infants; it is an awake, prone position that is supervised and encouraged by an adult. Tummy time is especially important since the onset of the “back to sleep” campaign. Since infants are now placed in a supine position for sleep they need more awake time in a prone position. Read More
Interactive Reading With Infants and Toddlers
Babies as young as 5 months old may show interest in books. “Interest” at this age means turning pages back and forth and putting the book in the mouth. Think of mouthing a book as a “pre-reading” skill! By the time your baby is about 9 months old they may be sitting in your lap Read More