Child Development on Shine

8 tips to teach preschoolers about manners

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What's the most essential thing our preschoolers need to learn before walking into their first day of Kindergarten? Well...how to walk into Kindergarten. That is to say, how to function independently in the group setting of the classroom: how to trust teachers and get along with new friends, how to share toys and clean up after themselves, how to wash their own hands, how to put on their own coats and mittens, and on and on. Considering that these little ones were mere helpless babes a short while ago, it's truly amazing just how self-reliant they've become. As we shake our heads in wonder over all they can do, let's also think about what more we can teach them so they'll feel as self-confident as can be when they first walk through that school door.

Crafty mamas can try making...a DIY color book for little ones

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Children are fascinated by colors and when they're finally able to discern things like red from orange and blue from purple, they reach a whole new level of curiosity. There are plenty of board books about colors that you can buy, but they often don't have images of objects your kids would be able...

Crabmommy: Funny (and annoying) threats our kids make

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It's all very well telling kids "use your words," but as we all know words can be just as dreadful as deeds.

Today, for example: I'm driving and attempting to tune out a scream of angry talk flying from the wee one's lips. Crabkid was ticked at me for leaving the...

How to stop toddlers who bite

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I will never forget the first time our first kid flashed his pearly whites and bit a person. It was a normal Saturday morning at home and we were cleaning up our pad. My husband was moving something on the mantel. Our then-18-month-old son walked up behind his pops, who was wearing shorts, and...

Crabmommy: Do you remember your kid's first words?

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I swore I would never brag in my blog. Crabmommy loathes a bragmommy. I swore I'd never flaunt my child's achievements and charm or chart her...

Crabmommy: Trading places

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All adults have moments when we wish we could be kids again, just as our kids often wish they were us.

For her part, Crabkid has begun to notice the many things grownups get to do that she doesn't get to do, but longs to do. Grownups can stay up late and argue loudly. Grownups are allowed to say, "for God's sake" and get to pick out every single part of their daily outfits every single day. Grownups don't have to sit on the Time Out chair when they've been rude or naughty, and they're allowed to eat standing up and put sugar into their drinks.

Crabkid, I know that doesn't sound fair, but it is.

Fussy baby + lack of parental involvement = future problem child?

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So some researchers at the University of Chicago conducted a study on child development and the results go like this... Babies who received lots of parental attention -- reading to them, taking them out and playing with them during their first year of life -- were "less likely to have...