There is a fine line as a parent of doing what your child needs and also stepping back and doing nothing so they can learn. I’m at that tipping point where my baby is not a helpless little baby anymore. He is a little toddler who has a strong desire to do things on his own. I have to step back and start doing less, or nothing, so he can grow.

What is your child’s relationship with food? If you had to list the top foods your child eats, how many would be processed foods and how many would be foods that you, as the parent, also eat? The example parents set for their children on healthy food habits starts when you first introduce solid foods to your child. It is an ongoing, important relationship that we, as parents must prioritize.

My husband and I wanted our son to learn how to swim so we looked at swim lessons. We quickly learned that swimming is not a lesson, it’s an experience. My son started his swimming experience at 8-months-old. Now at 2-years-old, my son has a strong foundation and exposure to water with the skills he needs to be safe and have fun.

When you think about your child and open water, how does that sit with you? Many parents would say fearful - what if my child drowns? That is a valid fear… and there is a huge opportunity for our children to learn water safety skills. I didn’t say learn how to swim, I said water safety skills. Each child has their own way of interacting with water. Being safe while interacting can give yourself and your child the confidence needed to enjoy summertime.

When parents ask - how do I get my child to sleep? My first response is, what is their sleep routine? Many parents will share that they don’t have a routine to help their child sleep. That is a main contributor to poor sleep. Babies and children cannot fall asleep as soon as they are put in their bassinet, crib, or toddler bed. We as adults are unable to immediately fall asleep. We need a routine, a ritual, and a way to relax into sleep. Let’s talk about how to create that routine for your child to improve their sleep!

Time can be illusive. Even though we can count the hours in each day and fill our day with activities, time is intangible. Two years with my son doesn’t feel like two years, especially when I’ve been with him every day of those two years. I don’t think I blinked yet here we are.

Learning about eczema was not on my radar when I first became a mother. There were so many other “priorities” and chronic skin conditions just weren’t on the list. I wish I would have known how common eczema is with children, especially under the age of 4, and how I could have better helped my son with his eczema. Hindsight is always 20/20. For those of you who are learning about eczema, checkout my beginner’s overview for eczema and tips on how we have managed this.

The hidden costs of hiring a babysitter or a nanny are far reaching and complicated. I recently learned the financial impact of this on a personal level and want to share my experience with you. I got really familiar with the IRS’ requirements, taxes, and laws around “household employees.” Let me walk you through it.

Summertime is right around the corner and the kids are getting out of school. Are you excited to spend the summer with them AND are you also looking for fun things to do that are free? I am too. I keep a list for those sunny and warm days and for the rainy and cold days. I hope you enjoy this list of free community activities and have an amazing summer with your family!

How much money can a library save you and your family this year? Libraries offer free books, audiobooks, and e-books. They also have toys, tv shows, DVDs, and board games! Libraries connect people, provide learning and exploration, and support the community!

Sensory bins and play are a rising, modern parenting trend. Can we talk about these? Are they worth the money? Let’s have a conversation around: (1) defining sensory development and its importance, (2) defining sensory play, (3) identifying average attention spans of infants and toddlers, (4) sharing average cost of pre-made sensory bins, and (5) providing cost-effective sensory alternatives.

One of the biggest and heaviest responsibilities a parent has is teaching your child skills for them to become a well-rounded, respectful, and independent adult. Basically, for them to become a good human-being. Through intentional routines, purposeful play, and life skill building, I am turning my baby into a boy and my husband is turning our boy into a man. A man who has “real-world smarts,” not “book smarts.”

Speech development with kids is a highly anticipated milestone. When infants change from babbling to saying words and stringing ideas together into mini-sentences, they morph from infant to toddler. I had many concerns about my son’s speech development and felt that he was delayed. I tried many different ideas to help with his verbal communication. At age 2, he is now a little chatter box. Check out my story and parenting tips in my latest blog – Speech Development on mamasbookcellar.com/blog

Have you ever considered baby sign language as a communication tool? Sign language with babies and toddlers can be introduced very early and builds a strong communication foundation. I’m sharing a few perspectives and parenting tips on baby sign language in my latest blog. Check it out and share with me how you’ve used baby sign language!

What are tongue and lip ties in infants and how can this impact their ability to latch and receive enough food? As a first time mama, these were not even on my radar until I was 6-weeks postpartum and struggling to feed my son. Thanks to the help of a lactation consultant, we identified my son had both a tongue and lip tie. Knowing that information significantly changed my son’s life and my approach to breastfeeding.

Fine motor skills can sometimes be overlooked due to the amount of focus, patience, and persistence required from both the child and the caretaker. I am a huge proponent of progress over perfection when learning. Fine motor skills are no exception and these skills directly correlate to fine motor skills as an adult. Check out my perspective of fine motor skills and some helpful parenting hacks!

Has your toddler mastered walking and running but you are looking for more lower body movement ideas? I have identified 9 additional movements for your child to continue their lower body development. These moves support strength, coordination, balance, and endurance!

One of the most exciting experiences I’ve had throughout my son’s life has been watching his gross motor skills develop. He walked at 10 months and 1 day old and his physical abilities have skyrocketed ever since those first precious steps. In this blog post, I’m sharing helpful tips and purposeful play ideas to support walking and running milestones.

This month’s blog series is on child development for ages 18 months to 2.5 years old. I believe this age range is incredibly interesting, especially learning about their developmental needs, their personality changes, and how they are viewing the world. Join me as I discuss how I’ve supported my child’s development in his gross motor & fine motor skills, imagination & memory, speech & comprehension, his body, empathy, and life & social skills.