What if, despite the best of intentions, we are raising our children to succeed in a world that no longer exists? The Toddler Brain helps parents recognize the connection that exists between their own parenting behaviors and their child's ability to acquire valuable twenty-first-century skills. Dr. Laura A. Jana draws on studies and stories from pediatrics, neuroscience, social science, and childcare, as well as the world of business and innovation to show parents how to equip their children with seven key skills. Dr. Jana explores the importance of play and curiosity, imagination and empathy, and strategically strengthening children's neural connections in their first five years.
Now updated with new material throughout, Alicia F. Lieberman's The Emotional Life of the Toddler is the seminal, detailed look into the varied and intense emotional life of children aged one to three. Hailed as "groundbreaking" by The Boston Globe after its initial publication, the new edition includes the latest research on this crucial stage of development. Anyone who has followed an active toddler around for a day knows that a child of this age is a whirlwind of explosive, contradictory, and ever-changing emotions. Alicia F. Lieberman offers an in-depth examination of toddlers' emotional development, and illuminates how to optimize this crucial stage so that toddlers can develop into emotionally healthy children and adults. Drawing on her lifelong research, Dr. Lieberman addresses commonly asked questions and issues. Why, for example, is "no" often the favorite response of the toddler? How should parents deal with the anger they might feel when their toddler is being aggressively stubborn? Why does a crying toddler run to his mother for a hug only to push himself vigorously away as soon as she begins to embrace him? This updated edition also addresses twenty-first century concerns such as how to handle screen time on devices and parenting in a post-internet world. With the help of numerous examples and vivid cases, Lieberman answers these and other questions, providing, in the process, a rich, insightful profile of the roller coaster emotional world of the toddler.
Sterlings newest book in the acclaimed Great Expectations series covers every challenge parents and children face in the transition from baby to toddler, from toilet training and teeth brushing to language skills and healthy sleep habits, plus discipline, socialization, and play. Special sections on nutrition and childcare enrich the mix, along with insights to help parents become more flexible, responsive, patient, and creative.
What’s the difference between an activity and an experience? One is meant to pass the time, the other to last a lifetime. Make the most of your interactions with young children with experiences that allow infants and toddlers to figure out how something works on their own. This book describes a process of learning that involves repeated interaction with and exploration of a caring environment, which builds trust between children and you. Each experience offers children the chance to choose their own approaches to tasks that promote their development. Focusing on the “Three Cs”—curiosity, connection, and coordination—each experience is described simply and includes a list of materials that are needed and tips to keep in mind. In addition, each experience includes specific strategies to help you promote the healthiest development in infants and toddlers.
In the United States, nearly 11 million children are in daycare each day, yet it’s surprising how uninformed many parents are about what really goes on while they are away. How do you find the right daycare or know that the one you have chosen is indeed the best choice? Every parent wants peace of mind knowing their children are in good hands but how can they ever really be sure. Imagine that you were given a magic crystal ball that allowed you to see what your kids were actually experiencing at daycare Daycare Diaries will take you through the doors of in-home daycares and childcare centers and provide a “behind the scenes” peek into the daycare world many never get to see. Written by two daycare providers with over 30 years of combined childcare experience, Daycare Diaries is a unique collection of true daycare stories, each providing an important lesson. Whether you are a first time parent or have used daycare for years, these stories will leave you feeling more confident knowing what the ideal daycare should look like for your child Let our experience be your guide on this exciting journey into the childcare world. . .you just might be surprised.
Covering years two and three of a child's life, this comprehensive guide for parents of toddlers contains useful information about sleeping problems, discipline, toilet training, handling tantrums, and speech development.
With its real-life stories and invitations for reflection and conversation, this book is an ideal professional development resource for pre- and in-service birth–age 3 professionals. The author shares lived experiences of being in four distinctly different baby rooms as a researcher over extended periods of time. She frames each life story around elements of well-being and asks readers to consider whether and how environmental and relational factors supported or hindered the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of the children and adults. The author encourages readers to see themselves in the stories, to consider how they may have acted in the circumstances described, and to deliberate on their own practices and beliefs. With empathy and respect, McMullen fully conveys an intent to elevate, celebrate, and honor those who spend their days in infant toddler care and education, while examining the critical role all adults in society play in the lives of our youngest citizens. Book Features: Invites personal reflection and discussion with colleagues in the form of prompts and questions after each story.Provides a friendly but scholarly look at the spaces, conditions, and quality of birth-to-age three settings, the area of fastest growing need in early childhood care and education (ECCE). Focuses on the well-being of the adults and children featured in the book, providing a holistic perspective on their needs, motivations, and experiences. Emphasizes a here-and-now perspective in contrast to books that tend to focus primarily on preparing children for future outcomes and accomplishments.
Why does the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy feature one of the best public systems of early education in the world? This book documents the comprehensive and innovative approach that utilizes the "hundred languages of children" to support their well-being and foster their intellectual development. Educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy, use a distinctive innovative approach that supports children's well-being and fosters their intellectual development through a systematic focus on symbolic representation. From birth through age six, young children are encouraged to explore their environment and express their understanding through many modes of expression or "languages," including verbal communication, movement, drawing, painting, sculpture, shadow play, collage, and music. This organic strategy has been shown to be highly effective, as the children in Reggio Emilia display surprising examples of symbolic skill and creativity. This book describes how the world-renowned preschool services and accompanying practical strategies for children under six in Reggio Emilia have evolved in response to the community's demographic and political transformations, and to generational changes in both the educators and the parents of the children. The authors provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to the Reggio Emilia experience, and address three of the most important central themes of the work in Reggio in detail: teaching and learning through relationships; the hundred languages of children, and how this concept has evolved; and integrating documentation into the process of observing, reflecting, and communicating.
