Parenting Now Blog

Throughout the late toddler and preschool years, children are building their will-the ability to consciously control their actions. They are making more choices for themselves and they can be persistent in making those choices known! Behaviors that sometimes get labeled as disobedience, defiance, or opposition are often rooted in a child's counterwill. Counterwill is a natural, ...

We all love to win-whether it's in a board game, sport, or even a race with your sibling. It can make us feel good and push us to give our best effort, but it can also lead to hurt feelings when we don't win or, worse, treat the "loser" poorly when we do win. It's ...

It's easy to get trapped in the negative communication patterns you may have learned from your own parents who learned them from their parents and so on, such as using hurtful language or not listening to you when you tried to communicate something important. Remember that you are not your parents and you can choose ...

  Bringing a new baby into this world is undeniably exciting and beautiful, as well as emotional and life-changing. Now add a global pandemic to the stressors and unknowns of parenting a newborn, and many new parents feel they have been left with a high-stakes, at times frightening, and even lonely task. The COVID-19 pandemic ...

With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, many of us are working remotely, have children distance learning, or have toddlers and preschoolers home all day needing snacks, help with putting on shoes, wanting your attention at the worst possible time. Life with preschoolers and toddlers is full of interruptions, and if you feel like it's a ...

We have lost one of our own.  Anita Quincy-Huffman passed away December 27, 2020.  Anita was with us from almost the beginning. She started as a volunteer intern in the early 80s, and soon joined our team to become a major influence and change-maker for Birth To Three and Parenting Now over the years. Anita ...

It is extremely rewarding and enjoyable to be a parent, but it's not always easy. And sometimes we make it harder for ourselves by holding beliefs about our children's behavior that are exaggerated, untrue-or sometimes just plain unhelpful. When our children misbehave-whether it's throwing toys or name calling-we sometimes look for a reason "why." Many ...

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 ...