Rethink Your Child’s Drinks

Ah, summer! Ice cold lemonade, refreshing juice, and other icy sweet drinks come to mind. While these tasty beverages can really hit the spot on warm days, they’re also filled with lots of sugar and yes, empty calories.

Shannon Whaley, Director of Research and Evaluation at the Public Health Foundation Women Infants and Children program, recently reported that "Twenty-nine percent of children 0-2 are drinking soda on a typical day. So that's really where we need to start."

There’s a much better way for our little ones to get their thirsts quenched, and that’s by choosing water first. This is especially important for young children who are still developing dietary tastes and habits. It's a simple choice that can profoundly impact their overall health. After all, drink choices can significantly affect dental/oral development and appropriate weight gain.

So help your young child choose – and enjoy – water first instead of sugary drinks. And at mealtimes, include milk for added calcium. These simple actions are some of the most important steps you and family can take toward good health both now and in the future.

And, just in case you were wondering about how many calories or how much sugar is in that drink…

Rebirth of the Blog

It’s been a busy time since my family and I relocated to the beautiful Pacific Northwest last May. Which means, as some of you may have noticed, that I’ve taken a break from the blog.

Well, the good news is that after setting up a new home, new private practice, and with a baby on the way, things are actually slowing down enough so that I can now get back to doing things like posting on the blog. Yes, the blog is back!

Speaking of all the busy-ness that’s been going on, and our family’s preparations for further monumental changes in the near future, I’ve been thinking a lot about how parents are able to juggle the day-to-day demands of family life. So many families I know struggle with maintaining order in the home, getting kids to activities all over town, and staying connected and close.

Some important things to remember:
•Be willing to slow down – Now that it’s summer, not rushing off to the next activity. Signing your child up for one less thing.
•Ask for help – If you are overwhelmed or stressed by everything you have to do, is there a family member or friend who can come over and help with the kids or with that gardening or organizational project you’ve been wanting to get done?
•Enjoy low-key (non-stressful) family activities in the local area, such as going to the park; making good food and enjoying regular mealtimes together; and so forth.

This time of year is an ideal time to slow down and do less, so I encourage all you busy parents and families to remember to do just that!

Young Children and Transitions

Here's a link to a very useful little article on helping your young child with transitions. Click here!

Speaking of transitions, I've moved my practice up to Bellingham, Washington. For those parents in California and elsewhere, please continue to email me with questions! I am also happy to continue to provide parents in Southern California with referrals for their young children.

Leaving People and Things Behind

[With last week's time change and the lengthening of daylight hours, Spring is the perfect time to think about transitions. This is the first in a series of posts about transitions.]

As I return to writing regular blog posts again after a long period away, I've been thinking a lot about the transitions we make throughout our daily lives, and how we can help our kids with both the small and large ones.

In my own life, transition has definitely been the major word. At the end of April, I'll be leaving Southern California, moving up to northern Washington State with my own little family, and joining a group practice in Bellingham.

There has been a lot to think about and do, including figuring out how on earth to pack up a whole house! As a family, we will have to adjust to many changes including leaving behind people we love, sunny weather, and all that is familiar.

For parents with young children, there are certain things you can do to make a big transition such as a major relocation easier. Parents naturally often worry about how their child will adjust and how they can help them do so with as little pain as possible.

Some ways to do this include:

*Maintain the Same. Keep to routines as much as possible. While certain toys may have to be given away or a best friend left behind, we can help kids maintain the familiar by keeping to the same evening routines and bedtimes, mealtimes, and other such predictable, daily activities.

*Talk About It. Describe what your child can expect and have him participate in contributing ideas, such as how he might want his new room decorated. Talk about what is good about moving, what might be sad or scary, what will be different, including some of the concrete things to which he can look forward. In the frenzy of a move, talking to your child about his feelings about it might easily be one of the most crucial things you forget to do. So don't let that happen!

*Keep It Together. Make a book together that includes photos of people and places being left behind. This can be a project where you and your child can go visit with and say goodbye to important people and take their pictures (or get handprints, etc.)which can be included in the book. When you are in your new home, this will be a valuable keepsake that you and your child and look at again and again, especially when he or she is especially missing someone.

*Start Fresh. Create new routines and family rituals. Any new city or town you are going to will have different things to offer, which can be incorporated into the family as a regular activity. For instance, if there is a farmer's market in your new town that has a kids musician performing every Saturday morning and your child loves music, going there to enjoy that could become something you could go do together each week.

*Keep Things of Their Own. Separate out some of your child's things - things that he or she wants - into a box, basket, or backpack to keep close by during the actual journey for easy access.

Gather Together. Don't forget to have a goodbye party or even several get togethers so your child has adequate time to say farewell to people he or she cares about - teachers, caregivers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends.

By helping your child in these ways, you and your family can enjoy a smoother transition to a new location and home. Even more importantly, you will be helping your child to learn that they can survive and thrive even when their environment and the people in it, are completely different.

From ASQ to ABCs

Recently, I met up with the good docs at Descanso Pediatrics in La Canada, CA.

In addition to sharing about what I do in my work with young children and families, which focuses primarily on social and emotional development, I asked them about ways they help to make sure the infants and toddlers who come to them are on a healthy developmental path.

One of their answers? Three little letters: ASQ.

ASQ, or the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, is something I use regularly as well. It is an excellent developmental screening tool broken down by age, from 1 to 66-months.

By asking parents a number of questions (which only takes 10-15 minutes to answer), the ASQ allows us to see how a child is doing within a number of areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social.

Why is it so crucial to do regular developmental screenings for your child?

High-quality tools such as the ASQ enable us to catch and address problems or delays early. The sooner your child gets further evaluation and any needed extra support and services, the sooner he or she can get back to where he should be.

Remember, every child is different and normal development happens within a range.

To ensure that your young child reaches his or her potential now and moving forward toward learning his ABCs, developmental screenings are essential.

A Success Story (So Far)

School is well underway now (though it feels like my last post was just written a few days ago). Whether it's preschool or first grade, many kids out there are enjoying success in the classroom, thanks to awesome teachers, teacher's aides, caregivers and most of all -- parents.

Pasadena parents Jackson and Elizabeth are a great example. They prepared their seven year-old son (who tends to be very anxious and dislike change) to enter a Mandarin-immersion class at a brand new school last month. They did this by spending time during the summer talking to him often about it. They were also able to take him by the school beforehand to meet the teacher. In talking to other parents in the neighborhood, they discovered that another child down the street from them would be in the same class too.

Sammy arrived on his first day filled with encouraging words from his parents and knowing what to expect, including who his teacher was. Plus, he had a buddy from the neighborhood! The latest word is that so far, he is learning up a storm and really enjoying the new class and school.

It's wonderful to hear good things like this from parents. It goes to show that when parents prepare their kids for major changes, the pay-off is big. Kids feel more confident and move that much closer to achieving their highest potential.

p.s. I actually wrote about Sammy getting ready to go to school not too long ago at theK5.com, so check it out!

Get Ready for School Success!

It feels like summer has just gotten going.

But, the calendar says differently. Unbelievably, it’s August already, which means the new school year is nearly upon us. For parents of school-age kids, this is the perfect time not only to get new backpacks, pencils, and notebooks. It’s also a good time to reconsider any concerns you might have about your child’s ability to learn and do well in school.

Evaluation for issues that may be keeping your child from reaching his or her full academic potential is called psychoeducational testing. Our friends at The K5 give a good explanation of what this is. To avoid re-inventing the wheel, we'll let their school psychologist, J. David Carr, tell you more:



In many school districts, psychoeducational testing is done to determine whether a child needs to have an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP. In my local area, parents also have the right to seek out a second opinion – at the school district’s cost. This means that if you are dissatisfied with the school’s testing or IEP results, you may seek out additional psychoeducational testing from a psychologist on your own. To find out more about this, you may contact your local school district.

A great resource for parents in Southern California who want additional (or first time) psychological/educational testing for their child, is Dr. Paula Bruce, who has a great deal of experience, expertise, and is just terrific to work with.

Remember: Identifying and understanding how your child best learns and where he or she needs additional support is one of the best ways to get ready for school success!