Do you want to know what your child is thinking? Sit and observe your child while he is playing or engaging with any materials and you will notice that he will often mutter and talk to himself. These monologues are called private speech and peak…
What should be considered in determining whether a preschool is the best one for your child? There are no national standards, and there is wide variation among state standards. ~ Fortunately, the Texas Education Agency has established excellent standards for preschool programs in the state…
Why do we put our children in front of the television? Probably because we are exhausted from work, traffic, paying bills, etc. We all deserve some downtime to ourselves, but too much screen time can impair a child’s development. So what do we do? Children…
CARING FOR YOURSELF Parenting young children can be extremely difficult at times. To rejuvenate, do things for yourself. If you have not made any investments in yourself, you will not have anything to give to your child. Some say that every day you should do…
Your Aunt Maria says that all you have to do is set boundaries. Your uncle says that it doesn’t matter what you do, kids will just turn out the way they are going to. People are often bombarded with a wide range of parenting suggestions…
The process a child undergoes to learn to speak, read, and write is interesting to consider in light of how oral and written language have evolved throughout history. Our little kids will master the basics of written language in three or so years. Yet it…
The definition of intelligence depends on the time and culture you live in. During Socrates’ day, intelligent people were those who could memorize extensive passages and then recite them. There were hardly any written texts in 500 BC so this ability to memorize was valued.…
Play is a natural promoter of intellectual growth, literacy, creativity, imagination, and social/emotional development. Play promotes intellectual growth. Children, while playing, develop the ability to learn to think symbolically and abstractly. The development of symbolic and abstract thought is the ability to represent thoughts, feelings…
You ask your child to clean his room, and the result is tears, frustration, or tantrums. There are many things you can do to prevent this response. It is essential that you understand that children have cognitive limitations in organizing and to work within those…
The holidays are often the times when you and your child are with relatives you don’t see very often. Of course, you want your child to be on their best behavior. So, then why does she sometimes act her worst? Think about the whole thing from…
Children like to contribute. Even two year olds can do things to help. They often say, “Let me do it myself” so try to find ways for your child to help with chores around the house. We have to remember how challenging it is for them…
ROLE MODELS Children need role models to show them how to behave in specific situations. They also absorb the behavior they see from others in every day life or in videos. Very young children need direct guidance to know how to behave in…