Baby Signs Benefits
• Reduces frustration and builds trust • Allows babies to share their worlds • Strengthens the parent/infant bond • Reveals how smart babies really are • Promotes positive emotional development • Boosts babies’ self-confidence • Jumpstarts intellectual development.  The research is amazing.  Babies who baby sign speak as if 27 28 months when they are 24 months.  When they are 36 months, the speak as if 47 months.  At 8 years, their IQ scores are 12 points higher

Child Safety Seats
4 Out of 5 Car Seats Are Used Incorrectly Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for children over the age of 6 months. Over 600 children die each year due to improper use of Child Safety Seats. 50% of those children were not restrained. Together we can make a difference and transport our children safely. Types of car safety seats at a glance: Infants should be in infant seats & rear-facing convertible seats.  All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are  at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. Toddlers/Preschoolers should be in Convertible seats. It is best to ride r

Sleep: Infants
I was very fortunate and both of my girls were great sleepers.  They were not good nappers but they did sleep through the night with relatively no problems.  However, through the years at Gymboree, I have heard many parents lament the difficulties of getting their babies to sleep.  Following are some common misconceptions that I have heard that make it more difficult for parents to figure out how to get their babies to sleep: Later to bed = Baby sleeps later in the morning Sleeping in—it’s wishful thinking for many parents.  Actually, the thought that babies will sleep later if put to bed later is a common myth.  Babies sleep better, longer, and cry less if they ar

Vitamin D and the Flu
I have recently been hearing a great deal about Vitamin D helping to prevent the flu.  With all the discussion about seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines and in my estimation, the alarming uncertainty, the information on Vitamin D piqued my interest.  Who wouldn’t be interested in finding a way to prevent the flu for their children and themselves?  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any definitive information with respect to Vitamin D and the flu.  I have found information that indicates children are not getting enough Vitamin D (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/arti

Art for Your Child’s Emotional Development
One day, Cecilia, a toddler in my Gymboree Arts class, wanted to paint with only the color black. She also made several large, brisk strokes with her brush and went through more paper than her peers. After class, her mother told me that Cecilia was very upset that morning about something. It became evident to both of us that Cecilia was expressing her anger through her artwork. In fact, it was just what Cecilia needed to relieve her emotions and get on with her day.