Early Leaders Hub

If you have children, you know that maintaining peace in your home can sometimes be a challenge. One minute, our kids are getting along great, and the next they’re throwing legos at each other and screaming like someone just lost an eye. Massaging the relationship between siblings can take patience (along with ear plugs) when things feel overwhelming when they’re at each other’s throats, but when love is the goal, there are some steps you can take to set siblings up for getting along and to have a positive relationship. The sibling dynamic is an interesting one and while as parents, we of course want our kids to get along, stick up for one another and find ways to play together nicely, it also requires room for learning how to communicate, share their surroundings and know when it’s time to get some space. Also, knowing when and how to intervene can make a big difference in your children’s relationships with one another. Learn all my magic tips to manage sibling rivalry...

Dear Parents, Learn what to do when your child hits you , their siblings or friends.  Effectively stop your child from hurting others without yelling, time out or getting physical. By: Lauren Tamm. I literally stepped out of the room for 20 seconds. That’s the amount of time it took for my oldest to tackle his little sister while she proceeded to whack him in the head. The two wrangled on the floor as I attempted to separate them. Both kids were screaming. I was frustrated. And I would’ve given my tallest cup of black coffee and a biscotti to anyone who could make it stop. I just kept wondering why is my child so angry and aggressive? From ages three and below, it’s especially normal to see aggressive behavior in kids. They live in a very physical world of communication that is often lacking in words. When you get to ages four to seven, it’s also pretty normal to see aggressive behavior from time to time. Especially when kids get tired, frustrated, or in general, do...

Struggling with math can make kids feel like they’re not smart. And that can take a toll on their self-esteem. Let your child know that everyone struggles with something and that all people have strengths, too. Help your child develop a growth mindset and stay motivated to keep trying, even when math is hard. It’s not uncommon for kids to have trouble with math. Math difficulties can show at different ages and in lots of ways. If your child is struggling with math, you might wonder why, and whether it’s something to be concerned about. Some people are just bad at math, right? Some kids who have trouble with math just need more time and practice to learn math skills. Others need extra help and support to get there. Math Difficulties You Might Be Seeing If your child is having difficulty with math, there are certain behaviors you might see. Kids who struggle with math might avoid doing math homework or get upset when they have to do it. They might cry before ma...

Through the eyes of a child, the world is full of possibilities. You can be a pirate, sailing to undiscovered worlds. You can be a doctor, caring for your stuffed bunny with only one good eye. You can be a master builder creating spaceships, forts, and whole cities all with the click of a block. We need creativity and imaginative thinking present in our children’s lives because it builds creative and divergent thinking skills, develops physical dexterity, and teaches comprise and negotiation tactics.  CNN.com published an article discussing with educational psychologist Kyung Hee Kim creativity scores in 300,000 American K-12 students saying, “Creativity scores have significantly decreased since 1990. […] Creativity scores for kindergarten through third-graders decreased the most and those from the fourth through sixth grade decreased by the next largest amount”. An article published by the National Association for Gifted Children in 2017 says, “Creative thinkers are more a...

When I was trying to help my children navigate  the exciting journey of learning to read, all I really wanted was for us to have fun. I love books and reading and wanted them to have the same joy. I knew that just by talking, reading aloud, singing and listening to my boys as babies, toddlers, and then preschoolers, I was helping prepare them to read. Kids learn and grow in many different ways. My active boys learned best when they could be active, connected to the real world, and learn through play. We made up ridiculous knock-knock jokes. We put labels on everything. We played dress up, had musical puppet shows, and filled the pots in the toy kitchen with “sound soup” made from ingredients that all started with the same sound (carrots, cars, cards, candy, clothespins). To extend your child’s language ability and vocabulary, I’ve pulled together lots of activities that take little paper or preparation and can fill your home with letters, sounds and word fun. I hope they he...

By-Amy Morin. For years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended no more than two hours of screen time for children and teenagers, and absolutely no screen time for children under 2. However, they’ve now updated their guidelines to reflect the realities of today’s digital world. The AAP's new recommendations acknowledge that technology is integrated into our daily lives, making it nearly impossible to police a strict two-hour per day limit on school-age children. Additionally, technology can be a valuable component of learning. Children access computers and tablets at school and use computers to do their homework. But, some kids are growing dependent on their devices. They're using video games and TV as their main form of entertainment and they're replacing face-to-face communication with text messages and social media. The new guidelines from the AAP focus on setting healthy guidelines that will prevent kids from using their devices in an unhealt...

It’s a heartbreaker. Your child comes home from school one day and says he/she doesn’t have any friends and that nobody likes them - the dreaded words no parent wants to hear. You’ve been there; you know how cruel it can be on the playground and how quickly friendships seem to come and go throughout life. You want to wrap up your little child and protect him/her from the world and most of all, you want to ensure that he/she has plenty of friends. As much as you’d like to step in, you simply can’t make friends for your children. You can, however, give them the tools they need to be social and to be a good friend. Every child is born with an innate need to attach or be in a relationship, but how they go about forming those relationships depends largely on their temperament. Children can start to develop real friendships around the age of four or five. When everything goes smoothly, it can be exhilarating and great. But when you see your children hitting some bumps...