Early Childhood Development

The importance of reading to babies is proven. From the time children begin to use natural sounds, to cooing, up until they utter a few syllables. Reading books to babies is key to brain development!

While the first 12 months of a baby’s life are the most exciting, they can also be the most challenging! Especially for first-time parents, who may not be experienced but want nothing but the best for their precious little ones.

Parents sometimes wonder what books to read to an infant who seems like they can’t yet understand. At CareLuLu, where we help parents find the best daycare and preschool for their child, we often get this question:

What are the best baby books for infants 0 to 12-month-old?

So, we searched for the best books for babies with a variety of contents that every new parent should have. We listed “baby’s first words” books and ABC books (the basics). We also included board books (sturdy, thick pages) and picture books (beautiful illustrations and colors).

In no particular order, we listed bestsellers with great reviews from real moms and dads, just like you. The list was prepared based on the quality of the content, but also the materials which are important for infants.

As a child, I pretended that I was a teacher and told everyone I was going to be a teacher one day.  As life would have it, I ended up obtaining a business education and working in the financial accounting and auditing world for 15 years.

When I became a parent, I found out how challenging it was to find reliable high quality child care. 

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We’ve all been there.  You go to pick up your sweetie from preschool. You’re ecstatic to see your preschooler and they are over the moon to see you. You hug, you kiss, you gather up their belongings and you scoop them into your arms.  Then, you ask the question that parents have been asking since, it seems, formal schooling began:

How was your day?

It’s a simple question. Only 4 words. You anticipate a long list of activities, lessons, learning experiences and social accomplishments! You want to hear everything. You are giddy. Did they paint? Did they color? What songs did they sing? Did they get to play outside or was the playground too wet?

But…

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So you’ve gotten through daycare and preschool, now what? Kindergarten can be a big transition for your little one, especially if they are going from a private child care center to a public school. They are leaving everyone that has become familiar behind, and have to learn how to cope with the higher demands that come along with being a kindergartener. The following tips for transitioning from preschool to kindergarten will help you as a parent in guiding your child along the way:

A s you have more kids there is added fun in announcing it to your children. This is an exciting time for you and your family, so throughout all the craziness and remember to enjoy it! Here are a few of our favorite ideas in breaking the news to the kiddies.

•  Apparel That Says It All
  Giving them something to wear is a great idea because they will love to show it off to all their friends and family! For your daughter you could either make or purchase a t-shirt that says, “I’m The Big Sister” and for your son a baseball hat that reads “#1 Big Brother!”

• A “Sweet” Surprise
  Yummy treats are always a good idea for any occasion. You could make a cake, a giant cookie, cupcakes or their favorite candy. You could write a message in frosting or color them pink and blue and have them try to guess what they mean.

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D id you know that your child’s best learning happens through their everyday routines, experiences, and conversations? In fact, researchers found that the amount of language children hear in the first three years of their life plays an important role in their future learning abilities. The power of simply talking with your child can make all the difference.

Families that have children in child care often ask me how they can create opportunities for developing their child’s communication skills when they aren’t with their child all day.  I share that their daily routines provide ample opportunities to enhance their child’s communication skills, as well as provide meaningful interactions with their child.

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As much as we try to protect our children, studies show that more than half of children will experience bullying at some point in their lives. Bullying can take place as early as preschool. To protect your child, learn to recognize signs of bullying and the steps you can undertake to prevent your child from being bullied again.

Recognize the signs of a bullied preschooler:

• Sudden unexplained fear of going to preschool
• Being withdrawn or depressed
• Coming home with unexplained injuries
• Complaining about another child (or other children) doing or saying mean things
• Avoiding eye contact when asked about preschool and seeming embarrassed or ashamed
• Complaining of headaches and/or stomachaches when they are not sick
• Being clingy and whiny when dropped off at preschool

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D

aycare and preschool are great learning environments for children, not only to learn hard skills like math, reading and writing, but also soft skills like patience, communication, and teamwork. While socializing and interacting with others is critical for young children, being surrounded by other kids also means that your little one may pick up a bad habit or two. Nose picking, biting, and loud ear-splitting shrieking is not something you hope they’d learn, but it could happen. So be prepared and learn how to help your child break these bad habits.

1. Nose Picking. EWWW!
Nose picking is embarrassing but resist the urge to say anything negative. Most children pick their nose because they are bored, curious, or trying to relieve stress. Often times it is an unconscious habit. Children may also pick their nose because they have an excess of mucus and it “feels like something is stuck up there.”

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