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It's not perfect. It's parenting.

October 2022

Conversations about weight: A focus on overall health

Talking about your child’s weight may feel uncomfortable or challenging to bring up for a variety of reasons. But what if “weight” wasn’t the main focus of the conversation? While weight and height are important numbers to measure as your child grows, there are many factors that contribute to overall health. As a parent, you can be your child’s greatest advocate and help them form healthy habits at an early age.

Tips for a safe Halloween

Halloween is a great time of year for children. But before your kids head out to trick-or-treat here are some safety tips to help keep your ghosts and goblins safe.

Truths about the top 5 excuses for not getting a flu shot

The first cases of seasonal influenza have been reported. We are expecting a severe flu season nationally this year. To put it in perspective, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting early increases in influenza activity this year, higher than what we have seen in the last two seasons.

Getting teens to talk

If you have a teenager in your family, chances are they are less chatty with you than when they were little. Before, they used to tell you every detail of their day whether you wanted it or not, but now you ask about their day and they say it’s, “Fine.” A normal part of kids growing up is that they create some distance from their parents or caregivers, but that doesn’t mean it feels good to experience the distance. If you miss talking to your teen, don’t worry, there are things you can do to make conversation more likely.

Tips for surviving toddler behavior

The toddler stage (1-3 years old) is filled with joy, challenges and everything in between. Difficult behaviors often emerge during this time, including the dreaded “meltdowns” or as my old supervisor used to call it, kids “going boneless” during a tantrum at the grocery store. Here are some practical ways to think about and respond to challenging toddler behaviors.