Parenting Foundations Blog
Welcome to the Parenting Foundations Blog Page. It is here that I, Brenda McSween, and a few guest bloggers post about tips and tricks to add to your parenting toolbox. I am a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Parent Advisor with extensive experience working with children, youth and their families. I have a Bachelor of Child Studies Degree. Even with my experience and education there are days and times that I have to remind myself that parenting is a tough gig and I need to cut myself some slack.
The goal of this blog is for you to walk away feeling like you have a new tip to try or thing to consider as your child grows.
Have fun parenting!!
Navigating Tantrums and Meltdowns: What is the Difference?
As children grow and develop, they often experience strong emotions that they struggle to control. In these moments, it's not uncommon for a child to have a "tantrum" or "meltdown". While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to two different...
Pacifier: The Real Deal
A pacifier (aka soother, dummy, sucky, etc) can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. The sucking reflex is a very calming for many children. It is a very natural thing. Children come out of the womb with the ability to suck and they love it!! Many of you may...
Best Laid Plan
As a parent, there are going to be many times that you have a plan in place, and it bombs! When plans bomb we will often think it is something we are doing wrong. The fact is that not all plans will work out and not all ways of dealing with a behaviour respond...
Communication through the years
Children's communication styles can vary significantly based on their age, developmental level, personality, and individual experiences. Children do communication with you using more than just words or sounds. Some general characteristics of children's communication...
What do you need today??
Parenting is not an easy gig. There are going to be many days where you feel like you are a rockstar parent and other days where you feel depleted and/or defeated as a parent. In order for you to be the parent you want to be, it is important that you are able to focus...
Readiness: Is your child ready?
Readiness. This is an important topic that can often get overlooked. I have talked to a number of parents that are concerned about their child's development after their child has spent some time with some same-aged peers. Our children are constantly growing and...
Back to School: Safe Place to Land
Back-to-school season is upon us. Some children are already back to school and some are preparing for this adventure to begin! This can be a huge adjustment for our precious little ones. Often our little, and not-so-little, ones do not have the words to express their...
When “I will be back” is not good enough
Does this sound familiar... You are super excited to go out. Your little one starts to scream when you are getting ready. You begin to doubt yourself. You start to think it would be so much easier to just stay home. Or what about this... Your child is enrolled...
Ideal bedtime for a family of 4??
Question from a parent in my free Facebook Group (Respectful Parenting): Searching for tips for tweaking the sleep schedule for 4 kids Is it as simple as just putting them to bed earlier and waking them up earlier? Some background: my kids are 2, 4, 6, and 8...
Dad: Is he babysitting?
Is he babysitting??? (insert my scrunched up "are you serious" face) When our son is not with me, I have been asked if his Dad was at home babysitting? Excuse me while I rant for a minute or two… No, he is not babysitting. He is parenting! Why does this drive...
