Navigating life with young children can really keep us on our toes, and requires an ability to constantly adapt and adjust. Just when we figure out the demands of our sleepy newborns, they become more alert and awake, and require a shift in the kinds of stimulation and support they require. Toddlers need a different kind of input, as do preschoolers, then primary age kids and tweens, then teens, and so on. Each stage places different demands on parents or caregivers, and requires us to always be shifting our approach to meet a child’s changing developmental needs. 

Emotions are a natural part of life, and young children have big feelings that can shift quickly. At Park West we don’t think children need to be protected from their feelings, and we don’t try to jolly them through feeling sad that mom left, or feeling mad that they can’t have all the turns with the dump truck. We think it’s important to help children recognize, express and manage their emotions.

Building rituals and routines can be useful and fun for children and families. As young children begin to make sense of their world, making some things predictable can help them manage everyday challenges.

Have you heard teachers in your child's classroom helping children take turns with toys? Some of the most common squabbles occur when more than one child wants to use a toy or material. We like to protect kids' work with materials, but we also help them find the language to ask each other for turns, tell somebody when they're not finished, and ultimately pass the toy along to the child who is waiting when they are finished.