Parenting in the First 3 Years

One of our goals as parents is to raise confident, independent human beings who can take care of themselves so they can one day leave home and start a life of their own. The problem is, today's culture of gentle hands-on parenting is often construed as not letting your child make any mistakes, and doing everything for them. So how can we encourage autonomy in our children from a young age in a kin...

Showing our children that our love is not based on how “good” they are is an important part of creating a lasting bond between parent and child. Not only that, but it can actually help our children regulate their emotions better, and gives them the emotional intelligence needed to navigate tough feelings for the rest of their lives. But how can we best explain this concept to our young kids? And h...

This is part 2 of a conversation with Sarah Moudry. In this bonus episode, we talk about how to turn your family kitchen into a Montessori kitchen so you can encourage hands-on learning during the prep and clean-up of meals.

Little ones love to help, especially when it involves food. But our culture tends to exclude young children from the entire process of serving a meal. We sit them in a high chair, away from the table, a plate magically appears in front of them, and we feed them without letting them try it on their own. What if we started incorporating our infants and toddlers into every part of the meal? Could the...

The way we talk about food in today's culture is vastly different than when I was growing up (take a listen below to hear about my parents and their 5 lb block of cheese!). There's a lot of talk out there about diet culture, but what does that really mean? How can we lead our children into a healthy relationship with food from introducing solids, all the way through their toddler years and beyond?...

We all need play in our lives. Yes, even you! It's amazing to watch babies and children play. It comes naturally to them, whereas it seems as adults we completely forget how to do it. Even though the way children play seems relatively simple, it's actually developmental play. It's how babies and young children learn about themselves and the world around them. In this episode, I'll cover the 6 stag...

How do you know when your child is ready to use the potty? How do you teach them to do it? Should you give them rewards or candy when they're successful? What’s the best way to respond when they have an accident? So many questions surround the simple task of learning to go to the bathroom-- the skill that every child has to learn. And every parent scratches their head about it because there are so...

Did your baby or child experience any trauma in early childhood? If you were quick to answer ‘no’, consider whether the past couple of years, living through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, has felt like a traumatic experience to you. In what ways might this have also affected your little one? On the other hand, if you’re involved in the world of foster care, or you have experience with adoption, th...

In this bonus episode, Dr. Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez tells a personal story about her son starting Pre-K, which turned into a difficult partnership between her and the child care provider. She gives some helpful tips on how to bring up issues with your child care provider, and how to create a partnership between you and them.

Things can get a little sticky when parents and childcare providers don't see eye-to-eye on things like discipline, nutrition, and nurturing. But what power do parents have when they're having child care issues at a large daycare facility? Or even stickier, how do they communicate with family members who are watching their kids, without ruining those relationships? In this episode, I talk to child...

There's nothing more frustrating as a new parent than dealing with sleep disruptions. After all, when the baby doesn't sleep well, neither does one or both of the parents. This can make for some rough days! If you've spent your middle-of-the-night wakeups franticly Googling sleep tips, I'm sure you're familiar with the term "sleep training." But what does that really mean, and why is it such a hot...

We've heard how important the first days are for your newborn's development. But when all you see them do is sleep, eat, and poop, it can be hard to imagine anything major is happening inside. Thankfully, science has proven otherwise! So what are some things you can do with your newborn to make the most of these first 2 months and form the essential bonds that will benefit your baby for years to c...

Tantrums can be very triggering, leaving us feeling bewildered, impatient, helpless, and ready to throw in the towel. But there's a way to understand and manage tantrums and meltdowns that may bring relief to both us and our child. In this episode, Diane Goyette of Early Childhood Specialties , shares her insights on tantrums - why they happen, what they mean, and how you can respond to turn the m...

There’s one question people commonly ask new parents that I can’t stand. And that's, “Is she a good baby?” Everyone wants an easy baby! But that’s such a broad description. What's an "easy baby" anyways? One that sleeps well, doesn’t cry too much, and smiles a lot? Is that even realistic? In this episode of Parenting in the First 3 Years we explore temperament, which explains why some babies seem...

Denmark has repeatedly been voted as having the happiest people in the world. It may be due to this thing called hygge (pronounced hoo-guh), which is a Danish term that means to cozy around together. This hygge lifestyle creates a feeling of connectedness to others, which gives meaning and purpose to life and time with our family. Parents around the world are beginning to embrace this idea, b...

Toddlers sometimes get a bad rap. Maybe you've even had someone say to you, "just wait until they're two!" like your child will instantly morph from a sweet, happy baby into a demanding, obstinate toddler as soon as the clock strikes midnight. In this episode, we celebrate all things 2 by focusing on the second year of life. We'll talk about what's going on with your 2-year-old, all the wonderful,...

Screen time for babies is a tricky topic. Babies and toddlers know, just as we do, that there are  so many fun things to do with a phone! How can we live in the tension of the recommendations and what's realistic for our actual lives? What’s okay and what’s not okay about babies and toddlers when it comes to phones and tablets? In this episode, we cover 5 common assumptions that parents...

Starting daycare is a big adjustment for parents and children alike. How can you best prepare? What if the transition doesn't go well? Will your baby cry all day long? There are likely a lot of questions swirling around in your head as you contemplate enrolling your baby in a child care center. In this episode, our guest, Gabrielle Holt answers these questions and more. Learn more about that wonde...

We all know that people use a different tone of voice when they talk to babies, like what we would typically call ‘baby talk’. Researchers have identified this sing-song, high pitched, slow speech with a name… “motherese,” “parentese,” or IDS (Infant Directed Speech). These speech characteristics are observed in all languages as parents and caregivers engage with babies. And there’s a lot more to...

When can you expect that your baby will start laughing? What about those big belly laughs you see on TikTok? What do babies find funny anyway? In this episode, we explore all things baby laughter .  Learn more about that wonderful little baby of yours at Nurtured Noggins . 😍

Parents of young children and parents-to-be: you're in the right place! This podcast will take a kind and respectful view of your child's development during pregnancy and their first 3 years. Subscribe now for expert interviews, insightful advice, and real stories about raising a little one in the world today. The first three episodes drop on February 3, 2022.