From the time they are born they seek out information about the world around them in an effort to construct meaning and further their development. While children have an inherent drive to make sense of their reality, parents have a unique opportunity to harness their children’s curiosity and channel it into a love of learning. Playful learning is the magic that takes place when we meld a child’s sense of joy and wonder with thoughtfully planned learning experiences. Through easy-to-implement, hands-on projects you can engage your child in fun and creative ways that encourage learning and impart the joy of discovery. With a little bit of information and forethought, you can play a pivotal role in the cognitive and creative development of your child Mariah Bruehl has worked in the field of education for over a decade. She has taught in the classroom, developed curriculum in many different subject areas, trained teachers, and implemented programs across many grade levels. She is the mother of two girls and the owner of Playful Learning—a retail space and education center in Sag Harbor. Learn more at www.playfulearning.com.

    While empathizing with the parental hopes and, especially, fears that lead to overhelping, Lythcott-Haims offers practical alternative strategies that underline the importance of allowing children to make their own mistakes and develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and inner determination necessary for success.Relevant to parents of toddlers as well as of twentysomethings-and of special value to parents of teens-this book is a rallying cry for those who wish to ensure that the next generation can take charge of their own lives with competence and confidence."Julie Lythcott-Haims is a national treasure. . . . A must-read for every parent who senses that there is a healthier and saner way to raise our children." -Madeline Levine, author of the New York Times bestsellers The Price of Privilege and Teach Your Children Well"For parents who want to foster hearty self-reliance instead of hollow self-esteem, How to Raise an Adult is the right book at the right time." -Daniel H. Pink, author of the New York Times bestsellers Drive and A Whole New Mind

    In a world of modern, involved, caring parents, why are so many kids aggressive and cruel?  Where is intelligence hidden in the brain, and why does that matter?  Why do cross-racial friendships decrease in schools that are more integrated?  If 98% of kids think lying is morally wrong, then why do 98% of kids lie?  What's the single most important thing that helps infants learn language?NurtureShock is a groundbreaking collaboration between award-winning science journalists Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.  They argue that when it comes to children, we've mistaken good intentions for good ideas.  With impeccable storytelling and razor-sharp analysis, they demonstrate that many of modern society's strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring--because key twists in the science have been overlooked.Nothing like a parenting manual, the authors' work is an insightful exploration of themes and issues that transcend children's (and adults') lives.

    . . . A badass, feminist, and personal deep-dive into the science and culture of pregnancy and early motherhood that debunks myths and dated assumptions, offering guidance and camaraderie to women navigating one of the biggest and most profound changes in their lives.Like most first-time mothers, Angela Garbes was filled with questions when she became pregnant. What exactly is a placenta? How does a body go into labor? Why is breast best? What are the signs and effects of post-partum depression?But as she discovered, it’s not easy to find satisfying answers. Your OB will cautiously quote statistics; online sources will scare you with conflicting and often inaccurate information; and even the most trusted books will offer information with a heavy dose of judgment. To educate herself, the food and culture writer embarked on an intensive journey of exploration, diving into the scientific mysteries and cultural myths that surround motherhood to find answers to her questions that had only previously been given through a lens of what women ought to do—instead of allowing them the freedom to choose the right path themselves.In Like a Mother, Angela offers a rigorously researched and compelling look at the physiology, biology, chemistry, and psychology of pregnancy and motherhood, informed by research, reportage, and her own experience. With a journalist’s curiosity and discipline, a mother’s urgency, and a food writer’s insatiability, she explores the science behind the pressing questions women have about a number of subjects, including postpartum hormones, breast milk, and miscarriage.Infused with candor and humor, born out of awe, appreciation, and understanding of the human body and its workings, Like a Mother is a full-frontal look at what’s really happening underneath your skin (and to it), and why women need to know.

    Whether you're new to camping or a seasoned pro, hit the road with Stephanie and Jeremy, hosts of the popular The RV Atlas podcast, as they show you the different ways that camping can lead to a happier, healthier family. From hiking with infants to navigating RV camping in state parks and camping in national parks—these outdoor lovers have tried it all, and See You at the Campground is a beautifully illustrated camping book for adults packed with personal anecdotes, packing lists, site recommendations, and recipes that will help you create a one-of-a-kind vacation on a family-friendly budget.Tips include: Reasons camping vacations are better Buying an RV Trip planning tips Road trip tips Campground etiquette Camping with family and friends National park adventuresThe perfect resource for parents—and a great gift for campers at any level—this is the ultimate family vacation book to bring the family closer every time you set up camp—whether it's in a cabin, tent, or RV.

    Here is the paperback edition of Elaine St. James's best-selling guide to making life with children easier, simpler, and happier.Everyone with children has experienced the frustrations of trying to juggle softball practice, PTA meetings, meals, laundry, and comforting a crying child with marriage, a hectic career, and what used to be a social life. It's a familiar challenge in many of today's harried households. In fact, in nearly three-quarters of American homes with children under eighteen both parents are employed full-time. Life can quickly get complicated.Simplicity expert Elaine St. James now has solutions for beleaguered parents everywhere. Simplify Your Life with Kids offers practical, down-to-earth advice for the vital, time-demanding, perplexing issues that all parents face; it promises to be an easy read for busy parents whose lives are so hectic they don't have the time or energy to wade through a heavy tome.Like St. James's previous simplicity books, Simplify Your Life with Kids will become the classic gift choice for anyone with kids, for anyone who's expecting kids, for older boomer parents, for parents of the currently developing baby boomlet, and for everyone who knows anyone with kids.

       Sheryl Eberly’s bestselling 365 Manners Kids Should Know gives clever and insightful advice for the myriad situations where consideration counts, but is sometimes forgotten. This new edition incorporates tips for every aspect of digital communication into her straight-forward format.   Using a smart one-manner-a-day organization, parents, grandparents, and teachers alike can find practical ways to teach essential manners like:   -    When and where it’s appropriate to text -    How to write a thank-you note -    The proper way to handle an online bully -    How to behave at events like birthday parties, weddings,and religious services   Full of role-playing exercises, games, and other activities that adults can do with children, 365 Manners Kids Should Know explains not only what manners to teach, but also how—and at what ages—to present them.

    Never before in history have children been so plugged in—and so out of touch with the natural world. In this groundbreaking new work, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today's wired generation—he calls it nature deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as rises in obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and depression. Some startling facts: By the 1990s the radius around the home where children were allowed to roam on their own had shrunk to a ninth of what it had been in 1970. Today, average eight-year-olds are better able to identify cartoon characters than native species, such as beetles and oak trees, in their own community. The rate at which doctors prescribe antidepressants to children has doubled in the last five years, and recent studies show that too much computer use spells trouble for the developing mind. Nature-deficit disorder is not a medical condition; it is a description of the human costs of alienation from nature. This alienation damages children and shapes adults, families, and communities. There are solutions, though, and they're right in our own backyards. Last child in the Woods is the first book to bring together cutting-edge research showing that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development—physical, emotional, and spiritual. What's more, nature is a potent therapy for depression, obesity, and ADD. Environment-based education dramatically improves standardized test scores and grade point averages and develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Even creativity is stimulated by childhood experiences in nature. Yet sending kids outside to play is increasingly difficult. Computers, television, and video games compete for their time, of course, but it's also our fears of traffic, strangers, even virus-carrying mosquitoes—fears the media exploit—that keep children indoors. Meanwhile, schools assign more and more homework, and there is less and less access to natural areas. Parents have the power to ensure that their daughter or son will not be the "last child in the woods," and this book is the first step toward that nature-child reunion.

    Her realistic, achievable methods will help you savor your time with the kids and on your ownParents have struggled with the time equation for generations. In the age of extracurriculars, calendar alerts, and smart phones, the question of how to give your kids undivided attention—and still take care of yourself—looms larger than ever. Time to Parent is a take-you-by-the hand manual that shifts the goal from "having it all" to getting it right in that moment.Morgenstern offers parents: proven strategies for prioritizing what really matters to your family; organizational skills to get the basics—food, clothing, health—in place and out of mind; relief from “this is forever” thinking with ways to divide the parenting years into manageable stages; and realistic, research-backed guidelines for what quality time really looks like.

    Oh, and research shows the number one influence on kids’ financial behaviors is mom and dad. Clearly, we can’t afford to wait.Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You’re Not) is a jargon-free, step-by-step guide to help parents of all income levels teach their kids—from ages three to twenty-three—about money. It turns out the key to raising a money genius isn’t to teach that four quarters equal a dollar or how to pick a stock. Instead, it’s about instilling values that have been proven to make people successful—not just financially, but in life: delaying gratification, working hard, living within your means, getting a good education, and acting generously toward others. More specifically, you’ll learn why allowance isn’t the Holy Grail when teaching your kid to handle money, and why after-school jobs aren’t always the answer either. You’ll discover the right age to give your kid a credit card, and learn why doling out a wad of cash can actually be a good parenting move.You don’t need to be a money genius to make your kid a money genius. Regardless of your comfort level with finance—or your family’s income—this charming and fun book is an essential guide for passing along enduring financial principles, making your kids wise beyond their years—and peers—when it comes to money.

    Psychotherapists and sleep specialists Jennifer and Jill, the dynamic "girlfriends" all of Hollywood calls on to solve Junior's sleep problems, have perfected their sleep technique that will get any child snoozing in no time—most often in fewer than three nights. The key to their method? It addresses the emotional needs of both the parent and child (yes, how to handle the crying!)—a critical component of why most other sleep methods fail. In this much-needed, family-friendly guide, weary parents will learn to define their own individual sleep goals, those that work for their family’s schedule and style. They'll create a customized "sleep planner" to ensure consistency with both parents as well as extended caregivers. (As an added bonus, they'll even improve the readers' relationships with their spouses with the "marriage-saver" section.) With comprehensive sections devoted to each stage of Baby's and Toddler's development, plus solutions to special circumstances like traveling, daylight saving's time, moving to a "big kid bed" and multiples, The Sleepeasy Solution is a dream come true! "This approach was truly amazing in helping our family to thrive. . . . We are eternally grateful!" —Ben Stiller and wife, Christine Taylor, actors "With their gentle approach, Sleepeasy gave us the tools we needed to solve our daughter's sleep problems." —Conan O'Brien, host of NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien "Sleepeasy gave us all the tools we needed to get our baby sleeping through the night. Now when we say good night to our daughter, we know it really will be a good night." —Greg Kinnear, actor Sales Points Jill Spivack cofounded Sleepy Planet, the foremost parenting sleep company that caters to celebrities, including Ben Stiller, Conan O’Brien, Greg Kinnear, and many more The authors conduct workshops at Baby Expos with audiences of more than 300 CBS Evening News, Inside Edition, The Wall Street Journal, and Fit Pregnancy have featured the Sleepy Planet team Jill and Jennifer write the Sleep Q&A column for the Modern Mom website (www.modernmom.com) with over a million subscribers.

    Brazelton introduces new information on physical, emotional, and behavioral development. He also addresses the new stresses on families and fears of children, with a fresh focus on the role of fathers and other caregivers.

    Parents themselves, they were determined to figure out how to help their children get along. The result was Siblings Without Rivalry. This wise, groundbreaking book gives parents the practical tools they need to cope with conflict, encourage cooperation, reduce competition, and make it possible for children to experience the joys of their special relationship. With humor and understanding—much gained from raising their own children—Faber and Mazlish explain how and when to intervene in fights, provide suggestions on how to help children channel their hostility into creative outlets, and demonstrate how to treat children unequally and still be fair. Updated to incorporate fresh thoughts after years of conducting workshops for parents and professionals, this edition also includes a new afterword.

    The result is a funny and thought-provoking playbook for contemporary families, with more than 200 useful strategies, including: the right way to have family dinner, what your mother never told you about sex (but should have), and why you should always have two women present in difficult conversations… Timely, compassionate, and filled with practical tips and wise advice, Bruce Feiler’s The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More should be required reading for all parents.

    She shows you why a daily massage can be one of the greatest gifts you give your child...and yourself.  For generations mothers the world over have known that the soft stroke of their hands soothes, calms, and communicates their love to their babies. Now scientific research proves that massage can do all that and more.In Infant Massage, McClure shares how massage benefits children--easing discomfort, releasing tension, helping premature infants gain weight, even helping asthmatic children improve breathing function.  She explains each step of the massage process with simple easy-to-follow instructions and delightful photographs demonstrating each stroke. You'll also find: Specific routines tailored to help relieve colic, fever, chest and nasal congestion Modified instructions for premature infants and babies with special needs Helpful hints on dealing with crying and fussing Lullabies, rhymes, and games to enhance the massage experience Guidance for teaching children about "good touch" A special chapter dedicated to fathers Compassionate advice for foster and adoptive parents And much more