Parenting Now Blog

Kids are naturally creative, and your unique child is going to express their creativity in their own special way. Some kids express themselves through singing; others like to smear paint all over a canvas; and some kids like to make patterns out of items found in nature. Point is, it's ALL good and it's ALL ...

This spring, Parenting Now was lucky to have Christy Rigopoulos as one of our stellar interns. Christy, a senior at the UO, worked hard to support our local, deserving families by coordinating a Healthy Families Care Package fundraiser. She raised over $850 dollars in a few weeks to provide care packages for the families that ...

Cooking and baking alongside your toddler and young child results in so much more than just a tasty meal or snack! When we cook with our child, we provide opportunities for learning science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). STEAM is a way of looking at learning that explores many subjects within the same activity-and ...

There are few parts of parenting that are as notoriously challenging as encouraging your toddler to try new foods. It might be an uphill battle to introduce new snacks, flavors, and textures, but it doesn't have to be that way!  Here are some simple ways to encourage your toddler to try new foods. Tips to ...

Summer weather is upon us and parents and kids alike are chomping at the bit to get out the goggles and cannonball into the swimming pool. But with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, more families are opting for a backyard, above ground swimming pool or wading pool. Swimming and water play bring endless joy to ...

As a new parent, you may feel inundated with information about stimulating your baby's budding brain with interactive toys, books, things to look at, etc. But just as important as stimulating playtime is quiet time for your baby to reflect and recharge. Learning how to balance the two is something all families can benefit from ...

As an exhausted parent of an infant, you may have dreamed of the day that you would finally get a full night's sleep again-only to find that your toddler is still waking up in the middle of the night! Parenting is about learning along the way and adjusting expectations for your particular child and their ...

Changes and challenges - big and small - are part of life, and all children will face them at some point. While we can't protect our children from every hurdle or disappointment they face, teaching resiliency skills to our children can help them bounce back from life's setbacks. In addition, resiliency also has other benefits, ...

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) projects are great for enriching your child's cognitive and emotional development. From winter to spring, summer and fall, STEAM activities can be done any time of year, both indoors or out. While there are hundreds of STEAM educational activities to choose from, here are four of my favorite ...

Stress, we all handle it differently. And we all do better when we know some ways to deal with it. Parenting Now's Make Parenting A Pleasure program helps support parents who are experiencing high levels of stress by helping them identify ways to manage stressful moments during the day.  What is stress? Stress can affect ...

    Children are going through a range of experiences and emotions right now. Distance learning, hybrid learning, COVID-19 precautions, time away from family and friends-are all having an emotional impact on us. Preschoolers, in particular, need additional support from their parents during challenging times. One way you can support your preschooler is by teaching ...

Parenting is important work-but it isn't always easy. Even though it can be the most rewarding work we do, often it can feel exhausting and demanding. Parents have the important responsibility of raising the next generation. As we walk into this role hopeful and excited, many of us may feel unprepared, learning through trial and ...