The word “sharing” doesn’t usually conjure up images of fun, happy play in the mind of preschoolers’ parents. More often, sharing means protests of “mine!” and guaranteed hurt feelings. But sharing doesn’t have to be dreaded. The best way to teach sharing is by simply having fun with it. Preschoolers are deeply involved in their […]

You’ve been there: Several parents get their preschoolers together for a playdate. As the grown-ups get down to coffee and chatting, the kids get down to play. All too soon, you’re pulled away from some much-needed adult conversation by Sharing Gone Bad – the sound of your child screeching, “Mine! It’s mine!” So much for […]

Shawna’s daughter Riley was one of those perfect, easy babies – she slept through the night, only cried when she needed something, and loved for grandma to read her The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Shawna thought she had this parenting thing figured out. Then Riley turned 10 months old – and everything changed. Riley screamed at […]

When my first child started daycare, I made the same rookie mistake many new parents make – I didn’t ask any questions. I felt embarrassed – that somehow, asking questions made me look dumb. Four kids and several daycares later, I now know what I wish I’d known then – there’s no such thing as […]

In the course of researching my book on modern motherhood, I interviewed hundreds of parents and pored over data reported by nearly a thousand American mothers. But one woman’s observation stopped me in my tracks. When I asked about how she made time for herself, she paused, scratched her head, and studied the floor. A […]

Fall is ordinarily my favorite season. With field trips to the farm, pumpkin spice lattes and a dress-up holiday that’s fair game for adults, what’s not to love? But last October, my seasonal spirits took a nosedive when my older son said: “Why do you love your computer more than me?” That zinger came after […]

Literacy is an amazing thing. It helps us read the instructions on a shampoo bottle (wet, lather, rinse, repeat) and make sense of the latest e-mail “good luck” chain (send this to 10 people, or else). As I have discussed in previous posts, oral language, reading and writing all come together in this idea of […]

Learning Care Group When my niece was six years old, she spent a week with me. Her favorite game was to write random letters in a line, push them in front of me, and ask, “What does this say, Aunt Shelle?” I would string the sounds together into a nonsense word that would send her […]

Learning Care Group I remember the day that I considered my son an official “reader.” He was in second grade and we were visiting Santa Claus at a local mall. There were banners detailing the history of Santa strung along the path on which we waited. I watched in utter amazement (and with a flash […]

Separation is hard for little kids, since we’re their lifeline. But if you show them that you and their teacher are partners, you’ll go a long way toward building trust and confidence in your child’s new classroom. Teachers and parents together make a powerful team that will boost your child’s success — both academically and emotionally.

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 […]

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