The birth of a second child changes the lives of everyone in the family but especially that of the firstborn. Research has found that firstborns usually “have positive, long-lasting relationships with their siblings, and they invest in the relationships over a lifetime.” There are lots of factors that influence whether a sibling relationship will develop […]
How do you feel when you are sleep deprived? Do you feel grumpy, on edge, short-tempered or simply feel that your eyelids are too heavy to keep open? Well, children feel the same way when they are not getting enough sleep. It is important to understand why sleep is so critical for your child’s health […]
For most engaged couples and newlyweds, the word marriage brings thoughts of wedding bells, love, friendship, and harmonious bliss. Quickly, they find that marriage is work. Instead of merely an arrangement of pleasure, it starts to feel more like an investment in which we must give much to ultimately reap large dividends of joy. Couples […]
I know of many parents, including some of my own aunts, uncles and friends, that spend the majority of their day helping their children participate in extracurricular activities. They meticulously organize each hour of the day to accommodate and fit in each child’s separate activities. I have an aunt, for example, who, with her three […]
Many mothers today differ in their opinions on what’s better for their newborn: breastfeeding or bottle-feeding? Nutrition is especially crucial for development in the first two years of the baby’s life because it’s brain and body are growing so rapidly. Babies need both enough food and the right kind of food. In early infancy, breastfeeding […]
Growing up I didn’t have a very close relationship with either of my parents. To this day we don’t have very many conversations that include many words of affection, unless it’s me communicating to them. I’ve learned throughout my life the importance of having loving communication with those around me, especially with children. Our […]
When my first child was born, they immediately placed her on my bare chest for an hour of uninterrupted skin-to-skin time. At that particular hospital, they call it the “Sacred Hour”. The doctor informed my husband and me that the sacred hour meant keeping the room quiet for the baby to hear only our […]
It was 9 pm on a Sunday night when my friend *Alex called. “Can you take me to the emergency room?” she asked. Wanting to be a helpful and supportive friend, I of course agreed. As we drove there, I found out that this was the fifth time she’d been to the emergency room that […]
Hand-washing is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to prevent illness and the spread of infections. It is crucially important for children to wash their hands during every season of the year, but especially when the common cold, flu, and other viruses are being passed around more frequently in the environment. Flu activity […]
It’s 6 AM and your evil alarm is screaming, “Wake up, wake up, wake up!” You groan internally, remembering your new exercise goal. “But do I have to exercise?” you ask no one in particular. Finding motivation to exercise can be hard. With so many things to do in a day, exercise isn’t always […]
