As you prepare for the birth of your baby, you may have heard about the necessity of writing a birth plan in order to inform your caregivers about your preferences for labor and birth. You may have also heard that you should NOT write a birth plan, because it can be a self-fulfilling prophesy for bringing about everything you did not want for your birth into reality. 

A birth plan can be an excellent tool, but as you’re about to learn, its usefulness may be for reasons you did not expect. We’re going to unpack what is a birth plan, and just as importantly, what it’s not.  Continue reading →

Dr. Maria Montessori was a visionary who studied and documented the developmental stages of children in the early 1900s. From this research, she created a method of education that respects and celebrates the whole child. Montessori education made its way to the United States in the early 1900s but really didn’t take hold until the 1960s. Despite the increase in the number of Montessori schools around the country over the last fifty years, the Montessori Method is often misunderstood by those who are accustomed to the typical model of traditional elementary education. Parents who go against popular practice and send their children to an accredited Montessori school, however, are often pleased to discover the benefits of Montessori Education. Continue reading →

Expecting a baby is an exciting time for a mother and father. It may not, however, be very exciting news to a brother or sister-to-be. A child may not really understand the implications of having a newborn in the household while his mom is pregnant. After the birth, however, reality will hit and parents will need to be ready with extra compassion and attention to curb potential sibling rivalry. With careful preparation, parents can help an older child adjust to the family’s new addition. Here are three important steps for introducing a new sibling into the family.

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Gone are the days when extended families lived nearby, offering an automatic circle of support to new mothers. Stay-at-home moms may face times of loneliness and long for adult interaction. They may wish for the company of other moms to get questions answered, share stories, and find friends for their kids. Moms who work also long for support and friendship as they seek to find balance between family, work and friendships.

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