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Childhood Obsessions: The Freakin’ Fish Song

“Do fish know that it is Christmas? DofishknowthatitisChristmas? DO FISH KNOW THAT IT IS CHRISTMAS? Or.Are.They.Confused?” The aforementioned words, sung to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” may be the death of me yet. Thanks a lot PBS! For 58 straight minutes on Thanksgiving morning my 5-year-old sat motionless in front of the television, completely and utterly entranced by “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas.” At the time I was elbow-deep in raw turkey carcass, unstuffed stuffing and uncooked potatoes. Consequently, I was grateful that good ol’ George the monkey was occupying my kid while I got … Continue reading →

Childhood Obsessions

If you have a young child than chances are that you know all about toddler obsessions. Whether it is cars and vehicles or princesses, Spiderman or Elmo or even something stranger (I’ve met toddler who were obsessed with vacuum cleaners, towels and rocks), having an obsession over something is both normal and fleeting. So when your child wants to wear her Dora the Explorer Pajamas everywhere, including the grocery store, or if your toddler will only drink out of one particular sippy cup, then what should you do? Well, first you can understand that these little obsessions are perfectly normal. … Continue reading →

Make a Reading Nook for Your Child

What do you remember about your childhood books? Do you remember falling into new worlds? Acting them out in the garden? Hiding under the covers or in a cosy corner while you read a book? The fall and winter seasons are the perfect time to cuddle up with a book in a reading nook. Dedicate a corner of the living room, rec room, or a child’s room to creating an interactive reading and writing center for your primary-aged children. A reading nook should be private and cozy, but it should also be accessible to the children. Place a small carpet … Continue reading →

The New Toddler

A new baby joined our family this week. She officially entered the world of toddlerhood on June 18 by turning one. Before she was placed in our home we were alerted that she had delays. That didn’t come as a surprise as most of the children placed in our care have delays of some sort. The news was that she wasn’t crawling. I don’t know if the workers who were watching her weren’t paying attention or she didn’t have anything to reach for, but she has been crawling short distances here. She likes to pull herself up to standing holding … Continue reading →

An Answer for Everything

She may not be old enough to cross the street by herself or cut her own meat. Heck, she can’t even reach the bathroom faucet without the help of a stool, but my 5-year-old daughter is never short on answers. The kid has a retort for everything. Her opinions flow like liquid mercury down a steep hill. Her insistence to have the last word on everything would be infinitely annoying; however, most of her back talk is not meant to be sassy or rude. Rather, my daughter truly believes that what she has to say is valuable, and she’ll stop … Continue reading →

Preventing the Potty Mouth

Preschoolers think everything is hysterical, especially when it comes to getting a laugh out of an older kid. Hence, your preschooler may start using what I like to call a potty mouth. This can be anything from calling someone a butt-head to using words that would make a sailor blush. If your child has a potty mouth, what can you do to get rid of it? Or, how can you prevent the potty mouth from developing in the first place. Here are some suggestions. First of all, watch what you say. Believe it or not, preschooler pick up most of … Continue reading →

Asperger’s Disorder: Basic Diagnostic Criteria

Asperger’s disorder is named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who published a paper describing it in 1944. The disorder is technically a subgroup under the larger diagnostic classification of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (sometimes called Pervasive Development Disorder). Hence, in simple terms, it is a milder form of Autism. Yet, in certain ways it differs from high-functioning Autism, standing out with several specific attributes. Here are six basic symptoms often seen in Asperger’s: 1. Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction. The child with Asperger’s typically does not have or make friends appropriate for his age. He doesn’t use social “cues” … Continue reading →