Explore Our Blog for Insights

In the last few weeks, I’ve shared some activity ideas to use with picky eaters. I showed you how to make art projects out of those dreaded foods and how to create sensory experiences with the foods that those picky eaters hate.

Last week, I suggested that some picky eating habits stem from the pressure that parents put on children to “just eat” the food that’s put in front of them. Whether the child doesn’t like the food or the child is simply being defiant by avoiding the hated foods, the result is the same: a power struggle between a parent who wants the child to eat something and the child who is refusing to eat the food at all costs!

Picky eating has become a pretty serious problem for children in this day and age. I’m not sure if picky eating behaviors have worsened over the years due to parental expectations and responses to picky eating or if food supply and options have changed so significantly over the years to contribute to the rise in concern over picky eating, but either way, experts now state that picky eating is a major problem and can contribute to other life-long mental health and behavioral concerns.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Is my child capable of the expectations that I have for her?” or, possibly even worse, “Have I set my expectations too low for what my child is capable of?

Before you have kids, going to the grocery store, the mall or some other retail store is easy as pie. You casually walk through the aisles, investigating the many options and making the right choice for you. You pretty much have all the time in the world to think about the options and make the right decision. You don’t feel pressured to get in and get out because you don’t fear what problems could develop inside the store.

During my years of work as an early childhood therapist, I’ve learned that many parents strongly underestimate the emotional capabilities of their newborn child. A newborn sleeps as long as 18 hours a day during those first few days so it’s easy to understand why parents think that a child doesn’t have much of a personality at this point. It seems like all the baby does is sleep, and then when she’s awake, she’s eating or pooping!

In the last two weeks, we’ve talked about the benefits of pet ownership for babies and toddlers. This week, we’ll discuss the benefits to preschoolers, the age who seems to get the most benefit from pet ownership!

Last week, I discussed the developmental benefits of pet ownership/interaction for babies. Today, I’ll discuss the developmental benefits for toddlers when owning, caring for and interacting with the same list of pets.

At any age, having a pet around the house can be a positive experience. For young children, watching the activity of a pet or petting safe pets can provide a sensory experience that is valuable to cognitive development. Snuggling with safe pets can create a strong friendship with the pet that helps the child to feel loved and safe in the presence of the pet.