If you're like, oh, every other parent out there, you're not simultaneously an expert in education, emergency medicine, child psychology, and couples' therapy. But you are the authority on your own family, and you're the one that can make the right choices for them. We aren't here to tell you what to do. We're here to tell you about what other people have tried, why it worked or didn't, and what the research says. We hope that somewhere in these "pearls," you'll find the information that helps you decide what's right for you.
In addition to writing comments, we will be offering you the chance to share your thoughts through Survey Monkey, a quick and anonymous survey tool that allows you to see how many other readers share your opinions. Once the survey responses are tabulated, you can come back to this blog and see the results.
So read on, then leave a comment, ask a question, or take a survey. The more feedback we get, the more we can personalize this site and give you the information you want.
Marcy, BA, MST, is the voice of the new and clueless parent. She started her career in magazine publishing, then jumped ship for the world of education. After earning a Master of Science in Teaching, she began teaching at a private elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa. She is currently in her fourth year there. Even more fun than playing with 7-year-olds all day is coming home to husband Marty (a middle school teacher) and son Luke, 20 months.
So read on, then leave a comment, ask a question, or take a survey. The more feedback we get, the more we can personalize this site and give you the information you want.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Mary, BA, MEd, Licensed Parent Educator, is the voice of the veteran parent. She has been working with and for children and families of all ages for over thirty years. Mary began her career as a high school Language Arts teacher and Reading Specialist. She taught childbirth education classes for sixteen years and was a trainer for the International Childbirth Education Association during that time. Mary is a Licensed Parent Educator in the state of Minnesota. She currently is Manager of Youth and Family Services Programs for the St. Louis Park (MN) Schools. Most importantly, Mary and her husband, Dan, are parents of 4 adult children: Molly, 31; Tom, 29 and his wife, Kitty, 28; Maggie, 27 and Bridget, 24.
Mary, BA, MEd, Licensed Parent Educator, is the voice of the veteran parent. She has been working with and for children and families of all ages for over thirty years. Mary began her career as a high school Language Arts teacher and Reading Specialist. She taught childbirth education classes for sixteen years and was a trainer for the International Childbirth Education Association during that time. Mary is a Licensed Parent Educator in the state of Minnesota. She currently is Manager of Youth and Family Services Programs for the St. Louis Park (MN) Schools. Most importantly, Mary and her husband, Dan, are parents of 4 adult children: Molly, 31; Tom, 29 and his wife, Kitty, 28; Maggie, 27 and Bridget, 24.
Marcy, BA, MST, is the voice of the new and clueless parent. She started her career in magazine publishing, then jumped ship for the world of education. After earning a Master of Science in Teaching, she began teaching at a private elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa. She is currently in her fourth year there. Even more fun than playing with 7-year-olds all day is coming home to husband Marty (a middle school teacher) and son Luke, 20 months.
Hooray! I am so glad you guys are doing this! I'm excited to read more...
ReplyDeleteI have a question. My pediatrician has recommended that my 15mth daughter drink the same milk as the rest of the family, we drink skim milk. He believes that she should get her calories from food rather than fill up on milk. I work for a child care center and we are required to give the children whole milk. Is it really necessary to give infants/toddlers whole milk or is my pediatrician correct?
ReplyDeleteVictoria
A posting on Web MD (July 11, 2008) states that the American Academy of Pediatrics changed its recommendation that children receive whole milk after they are weaned until age 2. The new recommendation is that between 12 and 24 months children can receive 2% milk, changing to 1% following the child's second birthday. The high number of young children who are obese or have high cholesterol was cited as a reason for the switch by an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson. Because dairy is a good source of protein, preschoolers over age 2 are recommended to have 3 servings of low fat dairy foods per day. So your pediatrician is correct and you might want to check with your child care facility's coordinator about whether the state licensing guidelines are reflecting this recommended change.
ReplyDelete