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Just the other day I was in the kitchen and Owen, my 4 year old, wanted a snack. I make it a habit to always offer a fruit or vegetable first, so I grabbed the baby carrots from the fridge and asked “How many carrots do you want?” More often than not, Owen’s answer lately [...] Read full story
July 29, 2013
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Children don’t usually tell us how they are feeling in a direct way especially about their worries. Instead, they say things out of context, give clues, and as they get older, test the waters to see how a topic might be received. This means we have to listen extra carefully and inquire, even when the [...] Read full story
July 26, 2013
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Parents often ask me how to talk with children about sexual abuse prevention without scaring them. I recommend teaching kids prevention through body safety. Children provide us with teachable moments each and every day for reinforcing body-safety concepts in an age-appropriate, non-threatening way. Just think about all the questions kids ask from “How does the [...] Read full story
July 25, 2013
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While summer is in full swing, children will be starting or returning to school in no time. If you have not had a chance to screen your child’s school, preschool, daycare, or activity program for child sexual abuse prevention, there’s no time like the present. We recommend inviting both the school director and teachers onto [...] Read full story
July 24, 2013
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It is a parent’s responsibility to keep children safe by safe screening caregivers, but it is also useful to teach children how to deal with difficult situations should someone try to break a body-safety rule. If Somebody Tries to Touch Your Private Parts, Say “No” or “Stop It.” While it’s important to teach children to [...] Read full story
July 23, 2013
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We teach children numerous rules for being safe, from blowing on hot soup and using the cross walk to wearing a seat belt and riding with a helmet. But what about personal body safety around touch, private parts, and boundaries? It turns out that children who are knowledgeable about body-safety are not only more confident, [...] Read full story
July 22, 2013
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The first hour after birth is often referred to as the “Magical Hour.” A baby placed on her mother’s chest right after being born tends to show nine distinct stages of bonding including relaxation and rooting to suckle. Studies have shown that this beautiful early bonding correlates to babies who breastfeed more easily and often. [...] Read full story
July 19, 2013
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When it comes to your skin, squeaky clean is not necessarily best. Although it’s easy to equate a good lather with good health, the well-being of our entire system is dependent upon the right balance between good bacteria and potentially harmful bacteria. Our bodies contain literally millions of healthy micro flora (otherwise known as bacteria) [...] Read full story
July 18, 2013
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In the United States Cesarean sections are performed on about a third of women giving birth, more than in any other country. The routine practice after surgery is to separate the mother and baby which interferes with skin-to-skin contact. Even after a C-section, there are many benefits to having mom hold her baby as early [...] Read full story
July 17, 2013
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It’s not uncommon to experience the “baby blues” after giving birth. The sudden shift in hormones, the lack of sleep and the transition into parenthood can all contribute to feelings of anxiety – even sadness, or being overwhelmed. Postpartum depression can be more than just a serious case of the blues; it can interfere with [...] Read full story
July 16, 2013
