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Finalizing (!) our series during this final year of AoS of the top 12 published posts of all time (measured in simple traffic numbers), this one is officially the most popular of all time on this website. I wrote it when we were living overseas well over a decade ago, and people still read this daily. Daily! That makes me happy.(Heads up, parents: I know everyone says it goes fast, but it’s true. That grumpy toddler pictured at the bottom of this post is sixteen.)xoxo, TshThe Countdown: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6...

Scientists have been trying to unlock what turns a happy kid into a scared child for decades. To understand this, they need to dig deeper and to ask, where does fear come from? Does fear come from nature or nurture? At what stage of children’s brain development do they become afraid of the dark? Why are infants afraid of slithering reptiles they’ve never before encountered? Even more, what kind of encounters can be considered scary for kids.Researchers have used some pretty out-there methods to answer these questions. Think terrifying babies with pictures of spiders and snakes or coaxing infants to crawl over a...

Do you know what’s great about having twins? I get everything in stereo! Including the classic line: “I’m boooooored!” My kiddos are really good about keeping themselves entertained, especially since I am a work-at-home mom, but I’m not immune to hearing the cry of bored children. I’m sure you’re not either. Whether you work from home or are a stay-at-home mom, there’s still stuff to get done and you can’t give your children your undivided attention 24-7. While it is beneficial for your children to experience boredom, you as a parent need to get the ball rolling when it comes...

Vendor: Manhattan Toy Type: Toy Price: 28.50 PIERRE LEARNS TO WAIT PATIENTLY: This combo book and plush gift set features Pierre, the soft toy poodle stuffie with curly, life-like hair, who learns that patience does indeed pay off. This socio -emotional book for kids subtly explores positive ways to overcome the common childhood struggle, impatience, through the feelings and reactions of a little animal friend. SOCIAL - EMOTIONAL SKILLS: Building social-emotional skills prepares kids to thrive in any situation. Learning to identify and navigate their feelings in a positive way builds confidence, resilience and maturity. Seen through the eyes of...

Phoebe Bell doesn’t have to hassle her 4-year-old son, Jude, to make his bed. He wants to do it. “We actually kind of battle about who can make the better bed,” she says with a laugh. Recently Jude made an argument for why all the pillows should be lined down the middle of the comforter. Even at such a young age, it’s clear he has his mom’s eye for texture and pattern mixing (Bell and her husband, Chris Monahan, are the founders of colorful and bohemian homewares brand Sage x Clare). One of Jude and Bell’s most recent combinations included...