Trust Your Parent Gut
My husband and I had our first child in December of 2021. Shortly after Ellie was born, we started having concerns about feeding her. She was not able to latch to breastfeed and seemed to struggle to drink out of a bottle. We asked questions while we were at the hospital, but these were dismissed […]
The Importance of Empathy
Why is empathy critically fundamental? Empathy is important for our personal development, building relationships, and important for the social world around us. When working with children and families, we start with building relationships with them to gain trust and understanding to be able to serve those children and families better. Empathy allows us to understand […]
Early childhood mental health services improve communication for the whole family
“It was easy to choose Rainbows for childcare since we were familiar with the organization,” said Shannon Pope, mother of two preschoolers. Shannon herself had volunteered at Rainbows, her aunt has worked in the office for many years plus her kids get to see their cousins who also attend every day. “We wanted them to […]
Impacts of Trauma and Toxic Stress on Young Children
As a Mental Health Specialist who works with children ages birth to five years, I often hear parents who are struggling with BIG FEELINGS from their little ones. Big feelings are common and developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers. However, when big feelings are caused by trauma and ongoing toxic stress, it is important for […]
Is this just a stage?
Raising a child can be challenging. Even under the best circumstances, their behaviors and emotions can change frequently and rapidly. All children are sad, anxious, irritable, or aggressive at times, or they can occasionally find it challenging to sit still, pay attention, or interact with others. In most cases, they are just typical developmental phases. […]
My Child may have ADHD; Now what?
Does your child struggle with staying focused on a task, easily distracted, and/or unable to compete the task to completion? Does your child get into trouble frequently at home or school, forgets things, or struggles with building positive relationships with his/her peers? If so, please know that you are not alone! Although all the above […]
Benefits/Downfalls of Positive Reinforcement
“Every conflict presents you with a choice. You can choose to view conflict as an opportunity to teach or as an opportunity to blame and punish.” ― Becky A. Bailey, Conscious Discipline® We’ve all heard of positive reinforcement, but what exactly is it and how does it work in an early childhood learning environment? Positive […]
5 Ways To Encourage and Support Creative Play
Encouraging creativity can be vital to a child’s growth and development, helping to develop their fine motor skills and control. Helping children learn their abilities to engage in play and art can aid in their growth emotionally, socially, and physically. Brain growth and development are key parts that go on during these stages of their […]
13 Ways to Play with Your Infant/Toddler
Playing with your child is essential in helping young children grow and develop. Due to the many demands of parenting, work, and other responsibilities this can often be a challenge. Children at a young age are often exposed to television or computer games for learning activities. However, it is through relationships and play that we […]
Take the Time to Connect
Strong and safe connections are vital to children’s overall well-being and development. Children that display “attention seeking” behaviors are frequently seeking connection from adults. Often times we assume that connections between children and parents “just happen”, but connections are something that we all have to work at. The good news is, building strong connections doesn’t […]
