Parenting Now Blog

With your family spending more time at home, it may seem like the messes are endless. While having toys and activities scattered around the house is often a part of a child's play, cleaning up doesn't just have to be just a grownup responsibility. By 3 or 4 years old, most children have the ability ...

As the weather cools, leaves blanket the earth, and rain creates new puddles teeming with life, children find themselves drawn to explore the world in new ways. As parents, you can support your child's love of learning by doing STEAM activities at home. And winter is the perfect time to introduce new STEAM concepts to ...

Being exposed to a musically rich learning environment has a great positive impact on young children, especially preschoolers. Musical activities help children explore the world around them and discover new things in an entertaining and enjoyable manner. When children engage in musical activities--such as singing, moving to music, doing action songs, and playing musical instruments-they ...

One-year olds are eager and curious learners. Brain development during this year lays the foundation for all of their future learning. Ones naturally love activities that activate their brain development: touching, looking, tasting, talking, listening, moving, and playing-these are some of the best activities for building strong brains. Watch your one-year old as they play. ...

It starts one day with an adorable babble. Then the next, you're pretty sure you heard your baby say "Dada." And next thing you know, your child is talking nonstop about video games, telling Knock Knock Jokes, and reading to you from their favorite book. The first three years of a child's life is the most intensive ...

Between the ages of 3 and 4, a child's imagination grows leaps and bounds. Imaginative play is an important part of how a child practices skills, processes social interactions and roles, and explores new concepts-including math, science, and even literacy!  But sometimes a toddler's growing imagination can lead to new fears. These fears can range ...

During a "normal" school year, parents and kids rush out the door each morning, scarfing down breakfast, grabbing their backpacks, and lacing up their shoes, as they narrowly miss the school bus or carpool. This school year, however, mornings look a little differently for many of us. Instead of signing permission slips and finding lost ...

Children contribute to our lives in so many ways. We experience fun, joy, wonder, and connectedness with them. But life with young children can also bring fatigue and frustration. You spend so much energy on their needs that it’s hard to meet your own. Over time, neglecting to keep up with your own needs—such as ...

Many families are looking for ways to have a fun and safe Halloween this year without the usual trick or treating, or large parties. With the Oregon Health Authority advising families to stay home and avoid trick or treating this year, we asked our Parenting Educators for their ideas for creating a unique and memorable ...

Being a parent and a back-up teacher is a double-time responsibility in the era of COVID-19 - and overwhelming for a lot of us. The good news is that superhero teachers are creating engaging virtual classrooms, interactive videos and quality assignments for their students. As parents, we have got lots of good material to work with ...

Have you held a newly born baby recently? Wondered, “What are you thinking? What’s happening inside your mind?” That brain is born with 100 billion neurons – each with 2,500 synapses. And, in a nurturing, safe and connected environment – blooming to some 15,000 synapses per neuron by 2 and 3 years. We all understand ...

All babies cry-some more than others-and it can be distressing for new parents. Meeting your baby's needs isn't always easy, especially when you're not sure what's wrong. In these moments, you may find yourself responding to your baby with frustration or anger: "Are you hungry? Are you cold? What's wrong with you???" But the words ...