In this episode: Janet offers feedback to a parent who’s having a disagreement with his spouse about how to respond to their 5-month-old’s babbling, which includes “high-pitched coos and zerberts and yelps.” Both parents want to encourage their daughter’s communication, and this dad exclaims, “We need a decider!” Transcript of “How to Encourage Your Baby’s … Continued
In this episode: Janet responds to an email from a parent who’s struggling with how to start setting limits with her 15-month-old. She says she wants to “parent with respect, with a gentle approach and natural consequences,” but her daughter’s constant testing has her feeling exhausted. “And I know the hard stuff is only beginning!” … Continued
In this episode: Janet speaks with pioneering homeschool practitioner and advocate Laura Grace Weldon, author of the best-selling book Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything. Laura’s experiences capture the essence of how children learn best and gain competence, self-confidence, maturity and wisdom. She and Janet find common ground in their respect for the natural … Continued
In this episode: A mother wonders when and how to react to her baby’s sounds of frustration, whether she should intervene in her child’s self-directed play sessions or observe from a distance. “I don’t want her to be her savior,” she writes, “but I don’t want her to feel unsupported either.” Transcript of “How to … Continued
In this episode: The parent of a 4-year-old is concerned that her boy won’t poop on the toilet and wonders what she can do to encourage him. She realizes that it’s a sensitive topic and she wants to respectfully help him “without adding to the issue.” Transcript of “Potty Struggles with a 4-Year-Old” Hi, this … Continued
“I’m a bit lost. My older child is 2 years and 10 months old. For the past week he’s been telling me he’s a baby. I acknowledge his comments by playing pretend that he’s a baby, but I’m concerned about whether I’m doing the right thing. He asks to be fed (when he has been … Continued
‘Tis the season to be jolly! It’s also the season to remember that excitement, stimulation, the disruption of daily routines, traveling and social events all tend to bring out the very worst in our young children. So, the holidays are a particularly important time to remember the best piece of parenting advice I have to … Continued
In this episode: Janet is joined by Dr. Meghan Owenz and her husband Adam to discuss some of the truths and misconceptions about children and screens. Meghan is a university professor teaching classes on counseling and infant and child development. She and Adam write about the latest research on their website ScreenFreeParenting and present a … Continued
Many parents choose not to limit TV use, and that’s okay. But if the amount of time your children spend sitting in front of a screen isn’t sitting well with you, or you’re concerned about the research showing TV’s impact on attention span and other foundational learning skills, the eye-opening experiences described below might give … Continued
When my three children were little, summer was always a time to take advantage of looser schedules and to plan special outings and activities. Once they entered grade school, the freedom and fluidity of summer days became even more precious. Though we weren’t in a position to take expensive vacations, we’d go to shows, zoos, … Continued
In this episode: Janet responds to a frequent reader request to introduce and summarize the RIE parenting approach. She begins in this podcast by discussing the first 3 basics she shared in her article “RIE Parenting Basics – 9 Ways To Put Respect Into Action” (janetlansbury.com/2013/12/rie-pare…ect-into-action/). She will eventually cover them all in future episodes … Continued
Back in 2011, I shared on this space “The Case Against Tummy Time”, a perspective by Feldenkrais practitioner Irene Lyon that remains one of my most controversial posts. Many have voiced disagreement with the suggestions in the article (which includes a video demonstration by an inspiring infant named Liv). Others have been relieved to learn … Continued
As the saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20,” and that is certainly true for me as I recall life as a brand new parent. I adored my baby girl but was lost as to how to spend the day with her beyond what seemed obvious: breastfeeding, snuggling, making sure she had a clean diaper, keeping her … Continued
