Parenting in the First 3 Years

In this episode of "Parenting in the First Three Years," host Ann McKitrick explores whether parents should insist that their child says sorry when their toddler hits someone. She emphasizes the importance of teaching empathy and repairing relationships but suggests that forced apologies may teach your child the wrong message - and that is, to pretend to feel something you don't real...

Breast only, breast pumping and bottle feeding... these are options and decisions that new parents are faced with from day one. Feeding provides an opportunity to learn what works best for your baby and you. Keeping an open mind, using resources like lactation consultants, and being happy that your baby is getting fed (regardless of how) can help alleviate the stress and mental fatigue.  In this e...

In this episode, we explore the world of childcare and share practical tips for parents who are on the hunt for the best care for their children. We explore some important factors to consider when searching for childcare as well as the significance of building a strong relationship with the childcare provider. Be sure to grab the free Childcare center checklist . Click here for the full show notes...

As a parent, you get to choose what shows your children watch, and it's a great chance to pick ones that are not only fun, but also help them learn new things. That's where Fred Rogers Productions comes in! In this episode, we meet Mallory Mbalia, who is in charge of making sure the shows produced by Fred Rogers Productions are educational and helpful for children. Her main goals are to ma...

A great children's book should have a well-crafted story, engaging language, and entertaining illustrations. This combination can stimulate your child's cognitive development, support early reading skills, and foster a stronger connection between you and your child during shared reading time. During this episode, Tracey Baptiste, a New York Times bestselling author, discusses her recently...

In the episode, Dr. Junlei Li from Harvard University shares how parents can cultivate positive interactions with their children using Simple Interactions. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and repairing problematic behavior and adopting a "deep and simple" approach to interacting with children. By being curious, creative, and playful in everyday moments, parents and caregive...

In this episode, Christine Amerman shares about being a mother and her work helping entrepreneurs succeed (she and her clients have generated over $1 million as podcast guests!). She discusses setting a positive example by actively listening without interruptions, encouraging kids to express their thoughts and feelings and incorporating active listening into their daily routines. By fostering effe...

 In this episode, Early Intervention Specialist Michele Napierkowski shares valuable tips to keeping babies active, even when they're very young. We talk about the pros and cons of various equipment that we use for non-mobile infants, the value of floor time, tummy time, and when to start putting a child down on the floor. Here's a link to the ⁠show notes for this episode⁠. Check out all t...

You know it's important to read to your child, but what's really happening as you read? Probably the most important is the cozy connection that happens when you hold your baby in your lap and look at a book together. But there's lots more happening in that little brain. They're hearing new words, looking at the images, noticing what's familiar and what's not and listening t...

Did you know that 4 of every 10 new businesses are owned by women? What is it about parenting that equips moms to be amazing entrepreneurs? How can you create a business of your own? In this episode, Rachel Neill, a mother of six, answers these questions. She's created several businesses, most recently Figgy , which features a multi-use play couch that provides a versatile and engaging way for...

Moms love to hear each others' stories and today Allie Martin, an entrepreneur who's a visibility expert and owner of Fame and Fortune shares what it's been like to go from full-time, all-out business woman to full-time, all-out mom to her beautiful newborn baby. Allie shares what it has felt like to fall in love and how being a parent has changed her perspective, plus... What it's...

Children have an innate sense of curiosity and wonder about the world around them. Dr. Diane Schnoor suggests that you don’t need to formally teach your young child but rather allow the learning process to happen by supporting their natural curiosity and wonder. In this episode, Dr. Diane, an early childhood education expert, talks about the natural curiosity of young children and how parents can...

Motherhood can be an incredibly challenging experience, yet many of the struggles that new mothers face are not openly discussed. Becky Vieira's book Enough About the Baby: A Brutally Honest Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood helps new moms understand their experiences and prioritize self-care during the first year of motherhood. In this episode, Becky discusses the challenges of moth...

It’s not at all uncommon to get lots of advice when you have a new baby. There’s just a lot of opinions out there - some based in fact, some not! In this episode, we look at five of the common things people say to you about newborns and identify whether or not each one is a myth or if it's sound advice. My guest, Deborah McNelis, is an expert on the importance of nurturing and responsive care duri...

When she found out she was pregnant, Zlata wondered how she could help her only child welcome a new baby into their very established family of three. After all, they didn't think they'd ever have another baby! In this episode, new mom Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez shares how she and her husband helped Daniel not only prepare for a new little sister, but how they insured he wouldn't feel displaced or ins...

Blake Brewer is on a mission to help 1 million dads and moms leave a lasting legacy for their children. His story is personal to me. When our kids were preschoolers, I had a mom friend with kids the same ages as ours. One day she just had a feeling that she should write her children a letter telling them how much she loved them among other meaningful messages, in case anything ever happened to her...

What are the habits new moms can begin now to ensure a healthy mindset throughout the all the stages of parenting? In this episode, Colleen O'Grady, best selling author, licensed therapist, coach and trainer explains how self-care is every bit as important as other all the other tasks on your to-do list and gives you practical ways to communicate what you need. Colleen has shared her message of pr...

So... what is resilience and what's the big deal? Is this something to focus on with your child or does it develop naturally? Recent research offers a road map to the neuroscience of resilience. Surprisingly, developing a way of dealing with life’s stressors is NOT rocket science. Instead, we’ve learned that it's the most ordinary of interactions that helps each child develop this potent life skil...

Do you ever feel conflicted by social media? I sure do! I love seeing what people are doing, saying and teaching me. But I don’t love how much time I spend staring at my phone while I ignore the real world around me.  In this Mom Story, Priscilla Hall, who’s a mother of four little ones, shares her experience of taking a break from social media - what was challenging, how she felt and how it’...

New parents seem to know intuitively how to soothe their baby and will naturally rock and sway as they hold them. I have a distinct memory from years ago that illustrates the power of music. I was holding our crying, hurting, very sleepy 2-month-old foster baby and nothing seemed to help. I had done all my best tricks and he simply wouldn't calm down. I knew he was hurting from the injuries of his...

The first 3 years of parenting can be really intense. First you have all the months of interrupted sleep and adjustments, then the toddler shenanigans and three year olds whose curiosity literally could kill the cat (or themselves 😬) if you’re not watching every second. Parenting can be as exasperating as it is exhilarating! But on those cranky days, how can you change your own mindset to find th...

What will happen in 2023 for you? What about your baby? You’ve likely got some new year intentions for yourself… or maybe not. Some people love setting intentions for themselves and others don’t. As a parent, you have more than yourself to think about when it comes to future planning. You’ve got a little person in your life who has a lot of growing and learning to do this year! In this episode, I...

In this season of gift-giving, I'm reminded of what a gift it is to be a parent. In this special episode, 10 parenting professionals reflect on how being a parent impacted their own personal growth, helping them understand and be kinder to themselves through the process of understanding and being kind to their children.  You'll hear from these amazing guests: Colleen O’Grady, Host of Pow...

In this mom story, you'll meet Maranda Deason, Montessori teacher and mother of 7 children including 3 under age three. She shares her thoughts on the cultural changes in parenting she observed between her two sets of children and how she manages the everyday life, including a full time job, a little bit of self care and helping other parents get the resources they need (that she didn't have as a...

Language development in the first years seems to just happen on its own. Or does it really? Will babies just naturally say their first words around 12 months or do parents need to help that happen? It's a great question and one that Lenora Edwards of Better Speech and I discuss on this episode. Lenora gives you great tips on how to support your child's language through exposure to natural conversa...