Parenting in the First 3 Years

The first 3 years of parenting can be really intense. First you have all the months of interrupted sleep and adjustments, then the toddler shenanigans and three year olds whose curiosity literally could kill the cat (or themselves 😬) if you’re not watching every second. Parenting can be as exasperating as it is exhilarating! But on those cranky days, how can you change your own mindset to find the positive when everyone’s crying? Today’s guest, Lenora Edwards, a personal success coach and speech and language pathologist, gives you ways to interrupt negative thinking cycles with practical, easy tips.

Here's the show notes for this episode. 

Would you like to share YOUR parenting journey on my podcast? Email me here and let's start the conversation!

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your little one.

What will happen in 2023 for you? What about your baby?

You’ve likely got some new year intentions for yourself… or maybe not. Some people love setting intentions for themselves and others don’t. As a parent, you have more than yourself to think about when it comes to future planning. You’ve got a little person in your life who has a lot of growing and learning to do this year!

In this episode, I talk about how to think forward about parenting – ways to kind of predict what might happen with your baby and also for you as a parent as your child goes through different developmental stages.

Here's the show notes for this episode. You'll find the "20 Things about Me" reflection exercise here.

Would you like to share YOUR parenting journey on my podcast? Email me here and let's start the conversation!

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your little one.

In this season of gift-giving, I'm reminded of what a gift it is to be a parent. In this special episode, 10 parenting professionals reflect on how being a parent impacted their own personal growth, helping them understand and be kinder to themselves through the process of understanding and being kind to their children. 

You'll hear from these amazing guests:

Colleen O’Grady, Host of Power Your Parenting: Moms of Teens Podcast

Steph Pellish, Thriving Through Motherhood

Aysin Karaduman, Host of Redefining the Good Life Podcast

Abbey Heagney, Wellness with Abbey

Ann Kaplan, Parent Coach

Carly Fleming, Postpartum Coach, Fourth Trimester Foundations

Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez, Early Childhood Professor 

Deborah Farmer-Kris, Author and Founder of Parenting 365, 

Kent McKitrick, Dad Extraordinaire 😍

Here's the show notes for this episode, where you can find lots more resources.

Would you like to share YOUR parenting journey on the podcast? Email me here and let's start the conversation!

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your little one.

In this mom story, you'll meet Maranda Deason, Montessori teacher and mother of 7 children including 3 under age three. She shares her thoughts on the cultural changes in parenting she observed between her two sets of children and how she manages the everyday life, including a full time job, a little bit of self care and helping other parents get the resources they need (that she didn't have as a young mom).

Here's the show notes for this episode, where you'll find links to contact Maranda.

Would you like to tell your parenting story? Email me here and we'll start the conversation!

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your little one.

Language development in the first years seems to just happen on its own. Or does it really? Will babies just naturally say their first words around 12 months or do parents need to help that happen? It's a great question and one that Lenora Edwards of Better Speech and I discuss on this episode. Lenora gives you great tips on how to support your child's language through exposure to natural conversations and observing others as well as being a part of complex conversations. 

Here's the show notes for this episode, where you'll find links to reach Lenora and learn more about language development. 

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your little one.   

Do you have questions about parenting? Schedule a call with Ann McKitrick for a free individualized coaching conversation.

There's a lively conversation on social media about attachment parenting and sometimes it feels like if you don't get everything exactly right, you might be messing up or at least not be providing the best for your baby. 

In this episode, Diane Goyette and Gabrielle Holt discuss how both infants and parents contribute to their secure, attached relationship. They explain how the attachment parenting trend lines up with attachment theory, how parents can support their baby's emotional development and whether parent attachment is affected when your child spends all day in child care or with a sitter (hint: it's not!)

Here's the show notes for this episode. There's a link here for the research article referred to in the podcast.

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child at different ages from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your kid.

Would you like to ask specific questions about your child? Schedule a call with Ann McKitrick for a free individualized coaching conversation.

We all seem to have our own take on what’s behind children’s behavior. I know my husband and I sure did when we were in the thick of raising little kids - we definitely had our own ideas of what was going on!

In this episode Rochelle Bridges, a licensed family therapist and Integrated Enneagram Accredited Practitioner, explains how your center of intelligence affects how you respond to your child in the everyday life of parenting. She explains why we respond to parenting challenges like temper tantrums differently, why some parents are more inclined to follow their gut than others and how you can identify your center of expression and personality type.

Here's the show notes for this episode. Go here for links mentioned in the podcast.

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child at different ages from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your kid.

Would you like to ask specific questions about your child? Schedule a call with Ann McKitrick for a free individualized coaching conversation.

The sound of a crying newborn... oh my goodness! It sends shivers down your spine, creates emotional tension and you want to do anything to help them (and make it stop!). But how do you know what they need? Our guest, Dympna Kennedy, has created a checklist of 5 things for new parents to try when their baby is crying and they're not sure why. Her advice is simple, concrete and easy to remember, which makes it perfect for brand new parents (or grandparents, nannies, aunties and uncles). 

Here's the show notes for this episode.

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child at different ages from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your kid.

Would you like to ask specific questions about your child? Schedule a call with Ann McKitrick for a free individualized parent coaching conversation.

Toys. You love ‘em, your kid loves ‘em, people give you lots of them and after a while, they take over your house! How do you keep them organized? Amanda Liford, has the answers. She’s the founder of Easy Life Organizing, which specializes in decluttering, minimizing, and organizing homes, businesses, and digital spaces to make life easier. She knows what’s going on in your house because she’s the mom of a 2 ½ year old - and knows how hard it is to stay on top of all the stuff that can accumulate with little ones. Amanda shares how to organize spaces so that your child is able to find and play with the toys they want and ways to set up so they can put things away on their own, even toddlers. She also shares great ideas for holiday gift giving that focus on experiences - gifts that support connection, learning and fun.

Download Amanda's Experiences Over Stuff printable resource.

Click here for show notes.

I'd love to pray for you and your baby - email me at [email protected] if you'd like that. No strings attached, no follow up email or anything. Just a quiet way for me to support you in your parenting journey. Because no one needs to feel alone.

Schedule a conversation with Ann McKitrick. 

It's that time of year when kids like to wear their Halloween costume any chance they get and I say, let 'em! Costumes allow children to pretend big, often exploring themes of power and justice through their play. When they put on a costume that says “I’m in charge”, they're able to practice what it feels like to be powerful, whether that's a powerful lion, princess, witch or superhero. They’re allowed, in this role, to try on behaviors that might otherwise be quieted down. 

In this episode you'll learn what happens in the mind of a child when they put on a costume and become the character. You'll get tips on how to play with your little superhero in a way that respects the process of play and models care and cooperation, even when you're pretending to be an evil character.

Here's the show notes for this episode.

Download our free tool, 20 Ways to Play with Your Baby and Toddler to learn about the developmental stages of play, how to interact your child at different ages from 0-36 months and the do's and don'ts of playing with your kid. 

I'd love to pray for you and your baby - email me if you'd like that. No strings attached, no follow up email or anything. Just a quiet way for me to support you in your parenting journey. Because no one needs to feel alone.

Schedule a call with Ann McKitrick for a free individualized parent coaching conversation.