I always assumed I’d be a stay-at-home mom. That is — until our first child was born. Although I loved being a mom, I missed my work — and we needed the paycheck. So, back to work I went. We had an amazing caregiver arranged for the baby. But leaving her that first day was […]

Having a doctorate in psychology has been surprisingly unhelpful to me in becoming a confident parent. It’s mainly served to make me nervous that I’m failing at one crucial aspect of parenting or another. I realized this when we brought home our first child – all pink and cute from the hospital — ready to […]

By Dr. Heather Ah, the bliss of babyhood. Tiny ones who snuggle, coo and nap on a regular schedule. Why can’t it stay that way forever? We quickly forget the strain of those early, sleepless nights with baby as we confront the new challenges of TODDLERHOOD. With this in mind, let’s talk about toddlers. Here, […]

By Dr. Heather I love 2-year-olds. Really — I do. It’s amazing to see how much they’ve learned in their short time on the planet, and I’m actually reassured when I see them being “difficult.” In fact, when I evaluate a 2-year-old in my practice, I worry when I DON’T see signs of oppositional behavior. […]

By Dr. Heather Watch 3-year-olds play: one is caught up in an elaborate make-believe world of roaring dinosaurs, towering giants, and mean doctors administering shots. Another is creating an amazing menagerie of stuffed animals, each one with it’s own role, family, and costume. Imagination — to the max. Scientists and philosophers agree that imaginative play […]

By Dr. Heather My third child turned five in January. We set up his “Kindergarten Readiness” testing appointment recently, aiming to have him join his big sister and brother at their school this fall. He bravely marched into the classroom for his testing, reaching up to hold the teacher’s hand. I choked back tears. Off […]

When I was first pregnant, in the doctor’s office I loved reading the magazines that offered handy-dandy little tips for solving all the major parenting problems. Sleep, discipline, feeding, potty training — it all looked so easy! Then reality hit. Wake the baby to make sure she nurses enough? AS IF! None of my babies […]

By Dr. Heather My son was turning 3. After a long toddlerhood of screaming, not sleeping and throwing tantrums, I was ready for a break. Hurray! I thought. The Terrible Twos are over! A birthday party was had. He was walking — and talking — more confidently. He didn’t look so much like a toddler […]

By Dr. Heather My two youngest kids were having fun together in the playroom, so I started the dishes. All of a sudden, my 4-year-old screamed in shock and pain, “Mom! Sasha bit me!” And sure enough, she had. Our otherwise adorable 14-month-old left bite marks, and she and her brother were crying. So much […]

When my first child started preschool, I dreaded it for weeks. Would she cry? What if she needed me?