Infants, toddlers, twos, threes, and fours…
Does this sound like you? If so, maybe you’ll find something here that interests you. Because I have four precious children all under the age of five, this is pretty much where I live every day. I enjoy staying at home with them and thinking about whatever comes up. Of course it helps that each child is so different from one another—I am pretty sure each of the four Greek personalities is represented in my brood =) Isn’t it funny how you can go from being an autonomous, outreaching, spontaneous single female at one moment to a rather cloistered mother at the next who over-intellectualizes about the pros and cons of switching your toddler to a big boy bed? Well, it happens!
This blog is meant to share things I’ve pondered and researched over the last five years… things that have come up in my own home, questions I’ve asked, questions I’ve received, and things I am still searching out answers for. It also chronicles my battles with auditory processing disorder in one of my sons, and sensory processing disorder in another. As a psychologist and recent education graduate, I pretty much obsess about child development and how children learn. I also care deeply about the moral dimension of their hearts. If I had to state my desire in one sentence, it would be for moms to find their own conscience about what practically works for their own family—to relieve moms of pressure and guilt from the outside world of experts, and to see where the rubber meets the road in terms of childraising theory, practice, and everyone’s ultimate best interests. It is my hope that something here will help answer a question of yours, whether it is about baby training, special needs, preschool lessons, or behavior problems. Perhaps something our family has been through will save you some time, worry, or just provide the much-needed empathy for how difficult raising small ones can be!
Please feel free to comment or ask questions wherever you’d like. I thrive off of people’s feedback and would love to hear what you think.
I have four boys–and at one point they were ages 5 and under, too! Enjoy this period of your life. I know you’ve heard it before–but it goes by so quickly.
Comment by TulipGirl — October 19, 2007 @ 6:27 am
Hello,
I came across your blog while searching for a decision on whether or not to send my preschooler to kindergarden next year. Ben is 4.5 (was 4 in July) and has an auditory processing disorder. Your explanation of your oldest son sounds so much like Ben, especially the puzzles. Ben can do very complex puzzles and knows most of his letters, all colors, numbers up to 10. He is great at leap frog learning video games. But he has so many of the issues you discussed (a lot of memorizing words but cant formulate his own ideas well into speech). He goes to a speech therapist and has an IEP. I do have several months to decide but I am very conflicted over sending him or not. He would go to a very good public school. Any thoughts from a mom with this experience would be much appreciated. Thank you, Kelly Kempton
Comment by kellyk — December 4, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Well that’s my son all right!!At least it sounds like him! He turned 5 in nov. VERY BRIGHT indeed! He knows all the alphabet,count to 100 ,colors,shapes months,days of the week,digital time working on standard and can read small books and loves computer games and also can write his name it’s endless the things he can do. But his conversation he and she is mixed up sometimes me,I you and recalling something that happen in detail it’s broken in to bits or can’t recall vividly. I work with him at home alot academic because that is his strength. also I work on his ability to recall things by using pictures or asking him different simple questions about the matter or even drawing. He also has a IEP and receives speech but is not classified and attends a public school. I requested a 1:1 aide from the city school district untill I get a definite diagnosis from a ped specialist in about 3/12 wks cause his DR. is not certain. He has had the 1:1 about 30 days and it’s great before it was the student teacher but when she left it went downhill!!! If you told him to do something in a small group or1:1 he could do it larger groups forget about it. He starts getting confused and frustrated. But all is well with the 1:1. Build on his strengths it will help him lots with school,conversation etc. Sometimes if he can’t find a word offer him some alternatives. SEND him to school social interaction is very important it will give him ways to communicate with his peers he will recall things that happened at school in his own words!! Also LISTEN he will recall things at anytime and will want to talk LISTEN GOODLUCK!!
Comment by Julie — January 17, 2008 @ 8:16 am
Hello beautiful mother,
You have a wonderful site, very helful as i just have a baby girl. Will come here daily.
Enjoy your motherhood
Comment by Ella's mom — January 22, 2008 @ 4:26 am
Hallo, I just started looking on the internet for some direction into the concerns I have about my little boy of almost 4. He is a very active, bright little boy, but no language skills. He pronounced his words wrongly, although by now we understand what he says, but strangers thinks he talks a strange language! Please can you help me with information on the auditory processing disorder and IEP that are mentioned in the letters above, for I do not have any knowledge about this.
Comment by Charmaine van der Hyde — March 1, 2008 @ 6:33 am
Hey, I really like your blog.. I have mentioned your blog in mine. Hope you don’t mind.
Comment by Asha — March 25, 2008 @ 9:26 am
Hello my friends
Comment by LeteDifenue — April 11, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
Hello! I am Ashley and i have 2 kids- Sabrina,4, and Drew, 2. My husband, Dave, and I have been married 10 years. I love my family, and we are trying to raise the kids in a Christian manner. Sabrina has, most likely, Asperger’s syndrome, and it is a challenge to deal with. Would any readers mind emailing me with suggestions about living a “normal” life? I would love to hear from people!
Comment by Ashley — July 1, 2008 @ 7:19 pm
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
Comment by James — September 19, 2008 @ 6:32 am
Just curious. Are your blog stats daily, monthly, or yearly. Do you update them yourself? I have a website and I would like to include stats. I need some advice. Great blog! I have 3 kids ages 4, 7 & 10.
Thanks
Comment by pam — November 12, 2008 @ 7:06 pm
Hello, I have had my 3 all 20 months apart. 4.5, 2.75, 1 years. I love them dearly and love spending time at home with them (currently a full time mum) but at the moment am struggling to get all the house work done and stay sane. I feel like I could work ALL the time, not play with them and STILL not be on top of things. We have fairly organised ‘zones’ eg craft table, toy cupboard etc, but at the moment as I look around, the house is really messy around these ‘zones’.On top of this, baskets of unsorted clean washing. Any tips about this sort of thing???
Comment by Catherine — December 5, 2008 @ 5:10 am
Thank you so much for sharing your views. I’m a young mother of 3 and a childcare student in Australia.
I have only read a few posts so far but I found them to be a wonderful breath of freash air after reading my text books.
I have alot of ideas but I’m not at a stage where I can verbalise my views. I can see you saying what I have always felt but didn’t know how to express it. SO now I’m reading through your blogs going “YES I get that” “wow! I’m not alone lol.”
I look forward to comming back when I’m not sleep deprived & reading some more.
- Kara
Comment by Kara — February 28, 2009 @ 11:04 am
I have two kids a boy and girl, ages 2 & 1…11 months difference.
thanks to your blog and will read more of your posting!!
Comment by Amelia — May 6, 2009 @ 5:17 am
Hi – I REALLY like this blog!!1 Thank you. I have a 4, 3 and 1.5 year old and am just sick of the gushy SAHM balony out there and I LOVE hearing advice and thoughts from a PROFESSIONAL intellgent mom who is in the same boat with very closely spaced kids. It is so lonely going from being a professional to being at home with 3 little ones with no one to relate to because I don’t scrapbook, sew matching outfits or can’t/won’t go to gymboree or all this stuff you just “HAVE” to do nowadays.
I especially love the “he’s a boy, not autistic” blog – I have been wondering / looking for info like this for over a year after I pulled my son out of his pointless “speech” classes last year knowing nothing was wrong with him and angry he was already being labeled with some “delay”. He looks, acts and talks like EVERY other boy his age I see EVERYWHERE! I’m all for screening kids for REAL problems (and God Bless the parents of children with autism – I honestly don’t know how you do it.) but, really?…. EVERY kid has to follow the exact same growth charts these days or some doc will label and send them off to specialists… anyway – yea – he’s 3 now and sounds just like your blog – a REGULAR boy.
I like the activities for 3 year olds stuff – i think i’ll print them off.
Sorry for the babbling – i was just so excited to find someone with information and advice who is fighting off the rampant dumbing-down of parents propaganda. Thank you!
Comment by Stephanie — August 21, 2009 @ 2:32 pm
I just stumbled across your blog after I googled Single income budget, and there you were! I have to say, I am HOOKED!! I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a soon to be 4 month old son, and I am now staying at home with them! So far everything I’ve read on your posts are to the point, sensible and refreshing, especially when you use your own personal experiences!! Thank you for doing this and I look forward to scouring your blog on all things kid related!!
Comment by Kathy — September 16, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
Your blog and comments about autism, echolalia.. and just being a boy are the most helpful that I have read anywhere and I have spoken to many a speech pathologist and belong to many groups.
You explain everything so simply. As the mother of boy girl twins, with a girl who speaks non stop and a boy who is slowly, slowly catching up… I have always worried about my son.
Reading your blog I feel like he is just fine. I really enjoyed how you commented on the different ways you have interacted with your daughter, versus your sons! It really hit a chord with me.
My son is doing great, but your blog has so many great ideas!
Like about how to teach colors. THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
laura
Comment by Laura — October 6, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
I’m so delighted to have found your blog. I’ve read only a few posts, but appreciate your views and articulate writing.
I look forward to reading more about your views!
Comment by Angie — November 27, 2009 @ 5:14 am
Great blog. I have a blog of my own at http://www.notjustanotherdad.com on similar topics and found yours as a referral blog to mine on toe-walking. I am the father of two children. My son is almost 3 and my daughter is 8 mos. You’ve got some great posts and fabulous traffic here…I hope to get to where you are. You must have great help from husband or otherwise to find the time to write this with your “brood”. Keep it up!
Comment by David — December 10, 2009 @ 4:57 am