Articles related to: Child development
7 min read
By Ellie Springer on November 20, 2019
Transitions
You have probably heard about transitions being hard for young children. Or, if you haven’t heard this, you have probably noticed that some of the hardest times with your child are times when you are moving from one activity to another—getting out of the house, going to bed—or when any big changes happen in their lives. Transitions are hard for all children, and they can be especially difficult for some children, depending on their
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6 min read
By Ellie Springer on July 3, 2019
A teacher I know and respect very much says, "We don't stop happy, why do we stop sad?" I love this saying, as it highlights how we as adults often try to stop children from expressing "negative" emotions like sadness, fear, or anger. Our culture in general discourages us all from expressing those feelings. But we all have a range of emotions, and we can't be happy all the time!
To help children grow up to
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2 min read
By Ellie Springer on May 30, 2019
I often come across websites and apps that detail what to expect as your child develops and give tips on how to promote healthy development. These websites can also give you ideas of when you might need to get additional screening for your child. I am collecting a list of these sites and apps here to make them easier to find.
CDC has a milestone tracker app and pamphlets:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html
Mass.gov has videos about development
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Our mission at First Connections is to equip parents with tools, practical strategies, and connections to other families and their communities to foster healthy parenting and guide them through the first years of the parenting journey.
We offer support groups and play groups to families with children from birth to age 8 in the communities of Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Hanscom AFB, Harvard, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Sudbury, and Westford.
The first time you drop your child off at school or child care can be full of mixed emotions--for you
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What is Dialogic Reading?
Some of you may have heard or read about dialogic reading in materials from First Connections
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