Parenting with Research, Insight, and Love
Parenting with confidence comes from knowledge. Parenting with grace comes from insight.
Play-Based Learning
Toddler Development
I’m a wife, mom of two boys and a child development writer. I may have a Ph.D, but I believe the value of child development research is not in telling us what is “right” or “wrong” with our parenting, but in helping us to see our children with a new lens.
If you are looking for strategies to support your child’s development using research combined with your own innate intuition, this is the place for you.
Latest Posts
What Does Child Rearing Mean? A Modern Parenting Perspective
Sneak peek: What does child rearing really mean? Learn why it matters and the goals behind raising emotionally healthy children. W On the face of it, this may seem like a silly question—what does child-rearing mean to you? Another way of saying it is: What is your parenting philosophy? When you really think about the core of your …
4 Child Development Milestones Parents Miss (And What They Mean)
By Amy Webb, PhD, Human Development and Family Sciences (and mom of two_ Remember when you first brought your baby home? If you’re like me, you suddenly found yourself Googling everything about baby development. You probably know the typical types of developmental milestones but what about those overlooked developmental milestones that no one talks about? …
Back-to-School Survival Guide: Navigating the Whole Transition
e Sneak peek: This back-to-school survival guide isn’t just a supply checklist — it’s a stage-by-stage guide to the emotional side of the transition too: before school starts, the big day, and the weeks after. If you’re anywhere near back-to-school season right now, you already know it’s not just one hard day; it’s a whole …
First Day of Kindergarten: What Kids Really Need From Parents
Sneak peek: The first day of kindergarten for parents is almost as big an event as it is for children. While your child’s new independence may make you feel less needed, there are many important life lessons your kindergartener still needs from you. This school year is THE year for me — my youngest is …
Back-to-School Preparation 2026: 12 Emotional Tips + Must-Have Supplies
August is here, which means back to school is approaching quickly. Some schools, like ours, start back in the middle of the month! The transition back to school is legitimately challenging for both parents and children. While many parents (maybe even me) are a little excited to have some much-needed quiet/work time while the kids …
Potty Training with Rewards: What the Research Actually Says
Sneak peek: Stickers, treats, and sticker charts are one of the most popular potty training strategies out there, but does the research actually back them up? Here’s what the evidence says about using rewards for potty training, plus how to do it in a way that works (and doesn’t backfire). If you’ve started researching potty …
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