Oct 22, 2020

A good night’s rest is crucial for children because it is the primary activity of the brain during early development. Circadian rhythms, or the sleep-wake cycle, are regulated by light and dark and they take time to develop. That is why newborns have irregular sleep schedules. The rhythms begin to develop when a baby is six weeks old and by three to six months old, most infants begin to have a regular sleep-wake cycle. Overall, a child will spend 40 percent of his or her childhood asleep because sleep is an important factor that directly impacts mental and physical development.

Oct 6, 2020

As any adult and caregiver know, we live in a diverse, multicultural world. No one knows this fact more than children who become aware of, and are intrigued by, the way people look and behave at a very young age. In fact, some studies suggest that babies as young as six months old stare longer at photographs of people who look differently than their parents. This indicates that children notice differences in other people right from the beginning of life.

Sep 29, 2020

As any parent or caregiver knows all too well, almost every child has his or her fair share of colds and coughs, stomach aches, and other illnesses that are a normal part of childhood. But knowing whether a child is too sick to go to daycare or school can be a tough call.

Sep 22, 2020

For families trying to juggle the many needs of a growing household while working or going to school, child care is one of the most beneficial options you can choose for your child. Child care allows a child to develop socially and academically as well as provide a safe, nurturing foundation for future success.

Sep 8, 2020

From thumb sucking to nose picking, childhood often involves habits that may be thought of as “bad.” But even good children have so-called bad habits and they typically are used by children as coping strategies to help soothe such emotions and feelings as stress, boredom, insecurity, frustration, or unhappiness. The good news is that most of these behaviors are just phases—not serious medical or psychological conditions—and most children soon outgrow them.

Sep 4, 2020

During the first five years of life, a child will undergo such intensive developmental transformations that it’s often hard for parents to recognize their newborn as the same little person entering kindergarten. These first five years are often called “the leap years” not only because a child grows by leaps and bounds but also because a child’s ever-changing brain is continually evolving—literally leaping forward with learning, developing, absorbing and building a foundation for how they will learn for the rest of their life.