A parent’s decision to homeschool is personal and often backed by evidence showing that homeschooled students excel at higher rates than students at, for example, public school. Homeschooling can begin earlier than kindergarten or first grade, though. Do Children Need Preschool? Studies that show children with working parents benefit from preschool because they learn concepts such as numbers, letters, and shapes. Preschool helps children become [...]
Much of what your child learns is through hearing. That’s why it can be quite frightening when a parent discovers their child needs a hearing aid. From birth to three years, babies are learning speech and language. This development is natural; it cannot be taught. If your child has hearing loss, pursuing a consistent hearing method is vital. Often, that method is hearing aids. What [...]
Technology is a fact of life in modern culture, and there’s no question that devices, including cell phones and video game systems, affect our children. As with most things, there are pros and cons.. Technology Pros Education and imagination have been positively influenced. Games, devices, and software have been developed to improve most areas of modern life including academics, physical skills, communication, health, and social [...]
For many children, their first vision screening happens at their elementary school. Studies show that these screenings are crucial for adolescents, but research is also finds that they’re not enough. School Vision Screening Pros Optometry students are encouraged to set up school vision screenings in their community. This is because the fourth most prevalent class of disability are vision problems, and 80% of what children [...]
“Don’t eat spicy food!” your grandmother may have screamed at you as you prepared to feed your newborn. Those who are older always seem wiser, so you may have asked yourself: “Will spicy food...make my milk spicy?” When you’ve just had a baby, you don’t have the time and energy to peruse through books and figure out what’s a myth and what’s a fact. There [...]
Your friend invites you out and you politely decline, explaining that your newborn is spitting up. “Throwing up? Is she sick?” “No, spitting up.” You may be able to see the difference, but understanding why it’s happening can help you prevent it. What’s the Difference? When a baby vomits, their abdominal muscles and diaphragm have contracted while their stomach is relaxed. When a baby spits [...]
Most in Phoenix are delighted when spring peaks its head around the corner. It’s our break from the chilly winter and gives us time before the smoldering summer hit us hard. The weather is perfect, and air is filled with...sneezes? While we may not notice it, the flowers are blooming even in the Phoenix spring. If your child seems particularly stuffed up and squinty this [...]
What are those smallbumps you see on your baby or child’s skin? They’re from a common condition called heat rash, or prickly heat. It’s normally harmless, easily treatable, and shouldn’t cause any panic. However, it can be bothersome for the child and possibly a sign of something more serious. What Does it Look Like? Heat rash happens on clothed parts of the body--abdomen, neck, upper [...]
Recently, the Tide Pod Challenge and coverage thereof went viral. The Tide Pod Challenge is a particularly tragic episode in the series of dumb, dangerous things teenagers do to show off. It vexes the responsible parent, who childproofed their home for babies, toddlers, and young children, but thinks that teenagers ought to know better. What Goes On In The Teenage Brain? Fortunately, the vast majority of teenagers do know better than [...]
If you own a firearm, you know it's a constitutional right that comes with a good deal of responsibility. Even if you don't own a firearm, your child may visit relatives or friends who do. Learn how to practice gun safety at all times, and how to properly secure guns in the home. Younger Children and Guns Of all age groups, toddlers with their boundless [...]
