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 […]

My little friend Olivia is 4. She used to be a happy, fun, sociable girl. But since school started, she’s been crabby, whiny, and prone to meltdowns.  At school, she can’t sit still during circle time. And today, she got sent home early for biting her friend Joshua. Is Olivia in the wrong classroom? Does […]

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 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 […]