First Year
Here’s what Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor, recommends in your first year of parenting.
“How your children see the world and what can I do about it as a parent”.
0-3 MONTHS - PRIMARY GOAL IS TO CONNECT.
Your child’s basic and primary goal in life is to CONNECT with you, their parents. The three most important ways your child CONNECT’S with you, their parent, is by making eye contact with you, getting your loving touch and listening for the sound of your reassuring voice.
What would Dr. Ann say?
By talking, touching and making eye contact with your baby on a daily basis, you will build a trusting relationship.
3-6 MONTHS - BEGINNINGS OF A SEPARATE BEING.
Your baby begins to understand that they are a separate being from you. This sometimes scares a three month old, so expect your baby to cry when you leave the room. You begin to see sincere smiles coming from your baby - a gift you will treasure!
What would Dr. Ann say?
Play peek-a-boo with your baby to help them cope with your absence and then come to the realization that you always reappear!
6-9 MONTHS - THE BEGINNING OF DISCIPLINE.
This period marks the beginning of discipline. For the first time, your baby will realize that their behavior can change the behavior of the people around them. They will begin to test your limits with their behavior.
What would Dr. Ann say?
When your child behaves in ways you want as a parent, be sure to move close to them through eye contact, touching, and talking. This will encourage your child to repeat these behaviors in order to gain your attention. When your child behaves in ways you DON’T want as a parent, be sure to move away, “simply by picking your child up from behind with their back to your chest and don’t talk to them while you distract them with another more appropriate activity.” This will discourage your child from repeating that behavior.
9-12 MONTHS - “NO” IS THEIR FAVORITE WORD.
Your child will change more in the first year of life than in any other time of their life, except puberty!
Parents that ask the most questions about raising their children are the most courageous.
Offering advice to friends and family about what worked for you as a parent is excellent. Just remember to give the advice ONLY when asked and don’t take offense if other parents don’t take it!
If you get unsolicited advice from well-meaning […]
Big guy in a bright red suit, with a strange laugh can be too much for some kids to handle. This time of year, it doesn’t hurt to remind yourselves as parents that some things surrounding the holidays that seem fun, normal and non-threatening to you are really scary to your kids.
Hair on the face, […]
Andrea Yates the infamous mother who drowned her five children back in 2001 was in the news again this week. Her husband, Rusty who is re-married, had another child recently, so the story of their tragedy resurfaced once again. Rusty still communicates with his wife and mother of his five children that she killed. How […]
It is so easy to swat your child when they are seemingly disobedient. ABC TV yesterday reported yet another research study shouting loud and clear that spanking used as a regular punishment has long-term affects on children and their potential for violent behavior.
Please consider the facts. The American Academy of Pediatrics says…
Although most Americans were spanked […]
The minute we learn we’re about to start a family the guilt starts. If it isn’t about what we eat while we’re pregnant, it’s what we do in labor and then it’s how we feed our kids. Then we move on to whether we’re going to pick the right school and feel guilty when our […]
Most parents agree that they have the responsibility to keep their kids safe, provide for shelter and food and eventually pay for their kids education.
So what else should be a part of this top priority list?
I’ll tell you what, teaching kids how to understand the way they feel.
With every behavior come feelings. On top […]
Is your family made up of yours, mine and ours kids? Are you trying to be a super parent, stepparent and referee between all the kids? Raising children is the hardest job and blending different families on top of that is especially challenging.
The first secret is understand that children, especially young children, need a strong […]
I like to think of myself as politic free. I do not want to influence any parent one way or the other on political issues. I am not going to start now, but there is a bill in the Senate that every Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc. should be aware of.
Literally millions of innocent not just […]
Richard and I wanted to share our success story with you. Almost immediately after we met with you we saw a change in ourselves as parents and our 4 year old, Carter. As you suggested we began building our “Family Rules” by watching what Carter was doing ‘right’ instead making a “Don’t List of Rules”
At […]
Success Magazine ’s November issue will hit the newsstands on October 2nd. This issue will include an article for parents on how to successfully teach their kids empathy.
Here’s a sneak preview of my contribution to the discussion about the importance of emotional education for our children. Empathy is, as the saying goes, “Putting yourself […]
