Most of us remember our favorite stuffed animal from childhood—maybe a teddy bear, a soft bunny, or a plush dog that we snuggled so hard for so many years that it ended up tattered and worn. Parents tend to call these comfort items ‘loveys’—but in addition to being cute, they actually serve an important purpose for little kids. So how and when should your little one meet their new best friend? Here’s everything you need to know about introducing a lovey for baby.
What is a lovey and why do babies, well, love them?
“A lovey is usually a term that refers to an item a baby may hold or want while falling asleep, for comfort or self-soothing behaviors,” says Dr. Sara Siddiqui, a pediatrician at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in New York. This often includes stuffed animals, soft dolls, baby blankets, and other comfort items. Loveys aren’t just for bedtime, though—tots turn to them whenever they need a little comfort and soothing throughout the day. Think: in the stroller, on car rides, or just hanging out in your living room.
A lovey can help babies calm down during an episode of crying or irritability, Siddiqui says, and may offer comfort when mom and dad aren’t around. “[Loveys] assist in separation anxiety when the parent or loved one needs to leave the room.” After all, you can’t be within arm’s reach of your child all day, every day, so a lovey is a great tool to help them feel safe and secure when you’re out of sight. Research even shows that the act of stroking can signal the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps calm and soothe the body, which is why you’ll sometimes see a toddler frantically petting their lovey when they’re feeling uneasy.
Because these items offer a sense of security, kids can develop an attachment to them at a young age. While many children bond with a soft toy or stuffed animal, others may form attachments to random household objects—even toothbrushes!—because they’re familiar and offer so much comfort. They may crave these objects when they’re feeling tired or sad, or processing other emotions. The image of a baby snuggled up with a comfort mop or hairbrush is hilarious, don’t get us wrong, but trust us—a stuffed toy is a lot more practical (and convenient) for most families.
When can I give my baby a lovey?
“The ideal age to introduce a comfort item would be around 9 months when the infant starts to experience separation anxiety,” Siddiqui explains. “Developmentally, babies [at that age] are forming object permanence and separation anxiety where they know who they are most comfortable with.”
Pro tip: choose a lovey that’s washable and relatively inexpensive, and grab a spare or two. This will come in handy if you need to wash the original, want to bring a beloved stuffed animal on a trip, or if the original lovey is lost, damaged, or discontinued.
How to introduce a lovey for baby
While introducing a comfort item to your baby may seem as simple as just handing it over, there are tips and tricks to help them form a bond. Some sleep experts recommend cuddling the lovey alongside your baby during storytime or while breastfeeding, while others suggest giving the lovey hugs and kisses in front of your infant before offering it to them. You can also tuck the lovey into your shirt or sleep with it yourself temporarily to help transfer your scent onto the material—a familiar and comforting sensation for your baby.
When can your baby sleep with their lovey?
While you may be tempted to throw your tot’s lovey into the crib at bedtime, sleep experts and medical professionals agree that no blankets, stuffed toys, or other loose objects should be added to an infant’s sleep space until they’re a year old. “Best practice is not to have [a lovey] during sleep as there may be a suffocation risk for infants,” Dr. Siddiqui agrees. “Always speak with your child’s pediatrician to discuss safe sleep practices.”
Once your babe is over a year old, feel free to give them a stuffed animal or favorite comfort object at bedtime. Over time, they may even come to associate the feel of the lovey with sleep and doze off more easily (fingers crossed). Just make sure it’s not a choking risk or a suffocation risk (skip the oversized or weighted stuffed animals, for example). You should also make sure it can’t be used to help them climb out of their crib. A large, firm stuffed animal that functions as a makeshift step stool in bed? No, thank you!
Can babies get too attached?
Generally speaking, this isn’t something parents need to be concerned about. Being emotionally attached to a comfort item (or ‘transitional item’) is a normal part of childhood development, and has known benefits for parents and kids alike. Self-soothing is a learned skill, and comfort is a good thing—people need it at every age and stage of life. So if your child seems obsessed with a certain soft toy or stuffed animal, know that it’s perfectly healthy and this phase will likely pass (or at least, the intensity of the attachment to that item will fade over time). If you have specific concerns, ask your family doctor for advice.
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Kids go through stages. Some phases are more difficult to move through than others, like that constant drooling phase or the non-stop sock-throwing period. But there is one phase that can cause a lot of sleepless nights for parents—the sleep regression stage.
If your little one was a powerful power napper and great at sleeping through the night, but suddenly can only sleep in short bursts, don’t panic. Sleep regression is a totally normal and, well…sleepy event that occurs when your infant or toddler is going through a new developmental phase. Sleep regressions happen because big-time emotional and cognitive milestones are taking place. During the popular (and sleep depriving) 4-month sleep regression, changes like babies gripping toys (or chunks of your hair) and holding their heads up begin. In the 18-month non-sleeping phase, separation anxiety can play a part. Throughout any regression, a busy brain during the day can cause this sensory overload to continue into the night and disrupt your child’s normal sleep patterns.
The good news is this phase won’t go on until your kiddo goes to college, as sleep regressions usually last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. So, grab your cup of coffee, because here’s a list of some of the biggest no-no’s when it comes to supporting your little one through their latest stage.
1. Don’t adjust your bedtime routine. Babies and toddlers love a good schedule, and research shows maintaining a bedtime routine can help your little one sleep better and with fewer wake-ups during the night. Improved sleep during a sleep regression stage is a welcome surprise which is why sticking with your normal bedtime routine is so important. Moving through your usual bath, book, and cuddle time allows your child to understand that this is what happens before bedtime—all of the time. That stability allows your baby to read the cues you’ve set (along with their bedtime book) and know it’s time to settle in for a good night’s sleep.
2. Don’t put your kid in your bed. When your child isn’t sleeping, this means you’re not sleeping either. That’s when all the ways to catch more z’s trudge through your tired brain. One that invariably pops up is sharing your bed with your child.
While bed-sharing might seem like a quick fix, it can create other sleep issues like confusing bedtime rituals and creating a sleep crutch. A sleep crutch like this can become a problem over time when your child can’t fall asleep without you and your big bed—until high school. Plus, when it comes to bed sharing with a baby, another big reason to skip this one is that The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clearly warns against it due to safety concerns.
3. Don’t put your baby to sleep awake. It’s common for babies to go through more than just nighttime sleep changes during this 4-month phase. Has your baby been taking longer naps because he’s getting less sleep at night? Or is your little one shortening all her day and night sleep times? These changes can influence how awake or drowsy your baby is for bed. Putting your baby in their safe sleeping space awake can make it harder for them to fall asleep. So, look for the sleepy time cues. The Mayo Clinic says signs your baby is drowsy are: drooping eyelids, rubbing of the eyes, and fussiness. Laying your baby in their sleepy space drowsy versus awake can ease them into a more restful night of sleep.
4. Don’t push back bedtime. While in a sleep regression phase, sleep patterns are disrupted and that can throw all your sleep schedule dreams out of whack. During the day, babies (and napping toddlers) may sleep more or less than they normally have, but in order to compensate, this doesn’t mean you need to adjust bedtimes. Continually making bedtime later can confuse sleep habits and contribute to shorter naps during the day. Maintaining your sleep schedule as best you can is a way to support your child through this phase and get you back on track faster when it’s over.
5. Don’t lie down with your child. During any sleep regression stage, your child can become super clingy. It’s possible they’re not a fan of sleeping without you close by and this can prove problematic as your need to soothe (and sleep) is strong. Lying down with your child can once again develop a sleep crutch where you find yourself in your kid’s room staring at the ceiling long after the sleep regression is over. And remember, lying down with your infant can prove unsafe. The AAP emphasizes the safest place for your baby to sleep on their backs on flat non-inclined surfaces without soft bedding.
6. Don’t leave on all the lights. Infants have spent most of their lives in darkness and lights from open curtains, or even a small bedside table lamp, can be stimulating, signaling to baby’s brain that it’s wake-up time. The darker the room, the better to help your baby sleep deeper all through the night.
For toddlers, leaving on all the lights won’t aid in deep sleep, but during this phase a small nightlight might offer comfort. Childhood fears like monsters in the dark or giant mice eating big slices of cheese in shadowy corners become a thing around 2 years of age. A nightlight can provide comfort and aid in your child’s nighttime sleep.
7. Don’t limit bottle feeds. For parents reading this at 3:46 a.m. during your baby’s 4-month sleep regression, you might’ve noticed there are big milestones happening, like vision improving and rolling over. With this increased activity may come an increased appetite. Feeding your baby during the day can help them feel fuller at night. It’s possible this can keep them from waking up for a midnight snack. At this age, babies usually take 4 to 6 ounces per feeding. And as always, remember to check in with your pediatrician if you have questions.
8. Don’t do this alone. Parenting during a sleep regression phase asks a lot mentally and physically, so be sure to reach out to your partner, family member, or trusted friend and ask for support. Getting in that extra nap and practicing some self-care helps lower stress and increase your energy, so you’ll be ready (and awake) to take care of your little bundle during all the phases to come.
Here’s the truth about your big concerns from the early years all the way through high school
From the first goodbye in kindergarten to the last day of twelfth grade, sending our kids to school means letting go a little bit every day. And for many parents, that nudge out of the nest brings up ALL the parental concerns. Questions run the gamut, from “Will my kindergartener get lost on her way to the bathroom? ” to “What if my college-bound kid doesn’t get good grades?” But teachers say to take a deep breath!
“What does worry actually contribute? A lot of times parents feel that it’s their responsibility and role to worry, but we’re having an epidemic of anxiety among young people right now. A lot of people point to technology, but I would also point to this culture of worry that parents have picked up,” said former Los Angeles school principal Bruce Harlan, who currently teaches middle school science.
Worried now? Don’t be. Whether you’ve got a kid just starting their school journey or a teen almost at the end, we talked to teachers about common parental concerns—and why you can rest easy knowing that your kids will be fine.
Preschool/Kindergarten/First Grade
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The Worry: Your child will get lost on the way to or from the bathroom (or the cafeteria or any other place inside the school).
The Truth: They might. But someone will help them find their way. “This happens all the time. It’s always within the first week. It’s all hands on deck that first week. Parents need to remember that school is a very safe place. There are teachers and support staff everywhere, and everybody knows that in the first few weeks of school, you’re going to find a random kindergartener wandering the halls,” said Los Angeles elementary school teacher Anne Vanderpool.
If your child is worried about getting lost, you can help ease the jitters by practicing. Stick around after school and walk around the school with your child (especially the way to and from the bathroom and classroom). By the first week or two of the school year, even the youngest of students will find their way.
The Worry: Your child will have a potty accident.
The Truth: Many do.
It is common for preschoolers, kindergarteners—and even older kids— to have an occasional accident said Amanda Yuill, a longtime teacher and educational spokesperson, on her website. “For this reason, it is a good idea to ask parents to send a labeled bag with extra clothes you can keep in the classroom if you are teaching kindergarten.” “If there is a child in an older class who still has trouble with this, you can do the same thing with just that child and not the whole class.”
Experts say some kids are just too shy to use the bathroom—whether it’s because they are too embarrassed to raise their hand to ask or they’re worried another schoolmate might hear them going (this is mortifying for some kids!). To help ease these worries (and yours), have a conversation with your child about their concerns—and how the alternative (wetting their pants) may actually be more problematic than not going in the first place. If they keep holding it in, talk to the teacher about letting your child use a single-stall bathroom (for instance, in the nurse’s office), which may alleviate their shyness.
The Worry: You’re wondering if you should hold your child back from kindergarten.
The Truth: More time is usually a good thing
According to Vanderpool, one of the most common questions she gets from parents is whether they should hold their younger children (those with late summer birthdays) back for kindergarten. She said she almost always thinks it’s a good idea to do so. “It varies by child, but always my reaction was to ask them a question back. I’d ask them, ‘Tell me when you had too much time to do something, and tell me when that was a problem for you.”’
Holding kids back—mainly when they are on the younger side for kinder—usually helps them by giving them the time they need to mature into ready-to-learn students. When it comes to kids in the middle of the age net, Vanderpool says the answer isn’t always as clear. “It might be OK. But then I ask the question, ‘How do you want your senior year to go? They’re going to be 18 before they start their senior year. Do you want them to be closer to 20 in their freshman year of college?'”
The Worry: Your kindergartener/first grader isn’t reading as well as some of her peers.
The Truth: Some kids take longer than others—and that’s OK.
AnnMarie Sossong, a reading specialist in Florida, told US News and World Report,“Some children are ready to learn to read at age 3, and some take much longer. I have seen both, and by age 12 or 13, they are reading at the same level, which seems counter-intuitive, but it is not. When they are ready, they are ready, and everything clicks.” And while there seems to be a national push for kids to read earlier and earlier, literacy expert Timothy Shanahan said children only really need to master around 20 sight words by the end of kindergarten and 100 by the end of first grade.
The Worry: Your child has separation anxiety when you drop him off.
The truth: Your kids are (almost always) fine once you leave.
The trick to easing the separation and making your child realize that school is non-negotiable is to be confident at dropoff. “It’s a transition issue. Most of the time, the parent has the hardest time with this—the kids are completely fine. Your child is probably four or five, and you’ve fixed everything up to this point. This is the first time they’re going to do it themselves. The worst thing you can do is tell them they can’t do it. Just swallow the tears for a minute, give them your brave face, and say, ‘I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be great. I’ll see you in a few hours,’” says Vanderpool.
The Worry: Your kid isn’t learning how to spell correctly.
The Truth: Spelling doesn’t matter until later on (and some teachers say it is a nonissue even then).
There’s no denying that kiddified spelling is adorable, but at what point should you correct those cute little misspells and teach your kid the proper way to spell those tricky words?
Not in kindergarten or first grade, say teachers. “There’s a heavier focus on fluency and building confidence [in kinder and first grade], and then you circle back to the nitty gritty later in second and third grade,” said Vanderpool. Even later on, when they’re in upper grades, spelling isn’t the obstacle it used to be, with some teachers admitting that in the age of spell-check and voice type, spelling isn’t as important as it used to be. Dierdre Amey, a third and fourth-grade teacher in Philadelphia, PA, says, “Don’t sweat it if your students are not the best spellers in the upper grades. There are so many strategies and accommodations available for their children via computer.”
Elementary Years
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The Worry: Your child doesn’t seem to like school.
The Truth: How worried you should be depends on the reason.
This is a tricky one, teachers say, since some kids may legitimately be struggling while others don’t like school simply because they’d rather be elsewhere. “Ask your child, ‘Why?’ He might say, ‘Oh, it’s boring.’ Or, ‘I don’t have any friends.’ Or, ‘It’s too hard.’ All of these are great responses that should be explored. Sometimes it’s just a preference; there’s no real good reason; it’s just that your child would rather be home playing video games,” said Vanderpool.
For better or worse, not liking school is a common predicament—especially as kids get older. A 2020 survey of more than 21,000 American high schoolers showed that the top two feelings students said they experienced at school were “stressed” (79.8 percent) and “bored” (69.5 percent), with nearly 75 percent of their self-reported feelings about school being negative.
Friendships play a big part. According to a University of Illinois study, kids with “reciprocal friendships” were more likely to like school and be more academically successful. Similarly, a Gallup poll found that friendships were the biggest predictor of student engagement in both fifth grade and 11th. Talk to your child about whether they have friends at school; if not, try to set up some time with their peers to forge better relationships.
“If we are to help kids gain happiness from their education in the short and long term, we need to bring to bear more resources to facilitate friendship, which tends to solve both the loneliness and boredom problems.” Arthur C Brooks writes in The Atlantic.
The Worry: Your kids’ teachers don’t give enough homework—or your kid doesn’t want to do it.
The Truth: Homework isn’t how young kids learn best anyway.
Dierde Amey, who has been teaching elementary school for 19 years, says “It is the least effective method for learning at a young age.” In fact, a study from the University of Missouri found no academic advantage to doling out homework in elementary school. For middle schoolers, however, homework does help—but only if the work lasts between one to two hours per night (after that, achievement levels don’t change, experts say).
If your school does a “Student of the Month” certificate (or anything like that), it may be disappointing when you don’t see your little scholar standing in the spotlight. Try not to worry.
“Short of a Nobel or Pulitzer, most awards don’t really have a long-term effect on anyone’s life. How many adults can truly point to a childhood award making a deep impact on their future?” teacher Braden Bell told the Washington Post. Parents can use these moments to build empathy, as he did himself when his son didn’t get an award in kindergarten—but a good friend did. “I explained that feelings are like living things, whichever one he fed would get bigger. He realized that he had a choice: He could focus on his own unhappiness or be happy for his friend.”
The Worry: Your child didn’t get into the Gifted and Talented program.
The Truth: It doesn’t mean your child isn’t smart.
Parents often misunderstand the Gifted and Talented (GATE) program as a Smart Kids Club. But teachers say that’s not really the case. “The Gifted and Talented program is not for good students. It’s for kids who learn differently, who can excel in a program that offers a different style of learning,” said Vanderpool. Of course, this reality doesn’t stop parents from wondering how they can “get their child into” the program.
“Holy moly, I had so many parents want to have a personal conference with me about how they’re going to GATE test and their expectation for this child to pass. My greatest recommendation is for parents to be a little more informed and realize it might not be a good fit for your child,” she says.
If your child does get into the program, take that as a cue that maybe your child needs alternative types of teaching, and discuss how you can accommodate these needs at home and as your child grows.
The Worry: Your kid lost (or keeps losing) a game.
The Truth: Consider it a win.
You’re holding your breath as your child steps up to the plate. They swing… miss… and strike out. What do you do now? Cheer, of course! “They don’t have to win. All you really need to say to your kid after a game—win or lose—is ‘I love watching you play,'” said Bruce Harlan, who also worked as a swim coach before his experience teaching middle school.
Here’s the real win: Losing has been shown to help kids. A 2019 Brigham Young University study found that high school students who had participated in youth sports showed higher levels of resilience—as well as self-regulation and empathy—than students who didn’t participate.
“Learning to cope with loss is important because they’re not always going to win later in life. It’s an important skill to develop, to lose with grace, not to blame other people, and to take responsibility for the loss,” psychologist Dr. Kate Lund said in this article.
Parental Concerns About Middle & High School
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The Worry: Your child is dealing with social drama.
The Truth: Don’t get involved (unless you have to).
Harlan, who has been working with kids for 33 years, says “Adolescents ride an emotional roller coaster. The role of the parent is to be steady and calm and not ride that roller coaster with them. This is normal socialization. Kids are going to get feedback from their peers—and often not in a gentle way—about how to be. That is how they learn, and sometimes it is painful.”
That means if your daughter comes home complaining that a friend was mean to her in school, resist the urge to call that friend’s mom. “It sends a bad message to the kids that, ‘Wow, this thing that I brought home must be really important because now all the adults are getting involved,'” says Harlan.
The other unintended consequence is that kids might stop sharing their troubles with parents to avoid them stepping in (which can be embarrassing for most kids). “You want open communication, but sometimes kids will stop telling their parents because they don’t want their parents to overreact,” Harlan said.
The Worry: You’re putting too much pressure on grades.
The Truth: The grades aren’t what matters most.
Sure, you want your kids to do well in school—but how much pressure is too much? “Don’t care more than your kid cares. The teacher will reach out if concerned. And stay off the grading websites,” said Kate England, a 10th-grade civics teacher in Abington, PA.
Instead, focus on effort… and kindness. It sounds hokey, but experts say that if parents worry less about grades and more about teaching decency, good grades will follow naturally. A study done by Arizona State University found that teaching children kindness and compassion—instead of focusing solely on academic achievement and extracurricular activities—helped kids do better in school. Researchers looked at the school performance of 506 sixth-grade students, then asked what their parents valued the most about them. The kids that performed the best in school were the ones whose parents seemed to value kindness more than grades.
In this article, Suniya Luthar, a professor of psychology at ASU said, “When parents emphasize children’s achievement much more than their compassion and decency during the formative years, they are sowing the seeds of stress and poorer well-being. In order to foster well-being and academic success during the critical years surrounding early adolescence. . . parents should accentuate kindness and respect for others at least as much as (or more than) stellar academic performance and extracurricular accolades.”
The Worry: Your child wants to be/can’t get into AP classes?
The Truth: AP Classes aren’t always a good thing.
AP classes sound good. After all, they give your kid a chance to earn college credit while still in high school (Woohoo! No math class freshman year at university!). But many teachers advise against them—and some, like these eight private schools in Washington DC—are doing away with them altogether.
“The truth is that college courses, which demand critical thinking and rigorous analysis, look nothing like AP courses, which stress breadth over depth. Moving away from AP courses will allow us to offer courses that are foundational, allow for authentic engagement with the world and demonstrate respect for students’ intellectual curiosity and interests,” the schools said in a joint statement published by The Washington Post.
Instead of worrying about AP courses, let your kids enroll in interesting electives. “Let them take cooking, sewing, and art even though those classes don’t boost GPAs. They make for a well-rounded student who isn’t stressed beyond belief,” advises England, a teacher of 17 years.
Harlan echoed her thoughts. “There’s no joy in AP classes. It’s a drill-and-kill type of instructional style that is so old-fashioned and goes against everything we know. . . Even the colleges don’t like them because once you’ve gotten credit, you cant retake it in college… but you don’t get the same level of instruction you do in college.”
The Worry: Your child’s SAT scores aren’t great.
The Truth: SATs aren’t always required.
While SATs used to be the gold standard by which every student measured their college-bound worth, that has changed. Today more than 80 percent of US colleges have “test-optional” applications, meaning SAT scores are not required for admission. The California State University system went a step further when it announced in 2022 that it won’t accept SATs or ACTs in the application process for any of its 23 schools—so kids don’t have to worry about whether or not they should “option-in” their scores when applying.
“The era of standardized testing is starting to slide away,” Harlan said, adding that the same is true for tests kids take in elementary and middle school. “Most of the high schools in our area aren’t even accepting them anymore.”
The Worry: Your kid isn’t who you thought they’d be.
The truth: Love the kid you’ve got.
Parents often despair when their kids grow up to be a different person they’d imagined they would be—whether that means that you expected your kid to love sports and they only love computers; or whether you hoped for a cheerleader and got a bookworm. All this worry goes nowhere, experts say.
“Parents start to graph out the life of their kids, and they extrapolate all the way to graduate school. That is not fair to the kids. It’s their life, their ups, and downs,” Harlan said. Instead, he emphasized loving the kid you have. “You don’t order a fully-baked human being when you have a kid. Stop worrying about how you thought things would go for your kid.”
And don’t feel guilty about your feelings. Doctors say it’s normal to feel some loss when our children don’t grow up to be what we thought they’d be. But don’t let those expectations dictate how you treat your child. “When our fantasies about our children do not coincide with their interests, talents, and tendencies, our expectations can strike a debilitating blow to our children’s development. Accepting these losses and mourning them opens our eyes to what we can celebrate about our children.” psychotherapist David Braucher said in Psychology Today.
Parents are singing this sour juice’s praises all over social media, but here’s what experts think of the latest miracle cure for your toddler’s sleep problems
For so many parents, bedtime is nothing short of a circus, leaving them as exhausted as their sleep-resistant children. And when kids struggle to get their nightly shut-eye, we moms and dads start Googling. Melatonin! Magnesium! Is it the nap schedule? Do we need to start meditating before bed? Is there some kind of voodoo doll I can use to get this kid to sleep?! When all else fails, sleep-deprived parents turn to social media for out-of-the-box suggestions—or, in this case, out of the bottle. TikTok’s latest magic bullet? Tart cherry juice for toddlers.
I know what you’re thinking. Juice? Yes, juice. Before bed? Uh-huh. Some parents swear that if you want your toddler to go to sleep more quickly and rest more soundly, all you need is some watered-down tart cherry juice, and they’re even turning it into bedtime popsicles, gummies, smoothies, and more. But is this promised sleep remedy actually effective and safe for little kids? We got all the juicy details with help from Pegah Jalali, a registered dietitian in New York City, and Dr. Candice Jones, a board-certified pediatrician in Orlando, FL.
What is tart cherry juice?
Tart cherry juice is, as you probably guessed, a tart-tasing juice made from cherries—specifically, Montmorency cherries, which are native to France and taste far more sour than those sweet Bing cherries you’re used to. According to the Cleveland Clinic, tart Montmorency cherries contain melatonin, a naturally occurring sleep hormone that helps regulate our sleep cycles (and a supplement you might have heard your mom friends talking about). They also contain tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps our bodies make melatonin.
A no-sugar-added bottle of this biting liquid can cost upwards of $6 for 32 ounces, with a serving size usually listed as one cup.
Can tart cherry juice help toddlers sleep?
The #tartcherryjuice hashtag has more than 60 million views on TikTok, and we’d guess plenty of those are from exhausted parents. But despite the many claims from TikTok moms and dads that their toddlers have never slept better, Jalali stresses that there isn’t any current scientific data studying the effect of tart cherry juice on sleep in children. Gulp. This means that medical professionals shouldn’t officially promote tart cherry juice as an appropriate, effective treatment for littles who struggle to go to sleep.
Is tart cherry juice safe for toddlers, babies, and older kids?
The fact is, we just don’t know right now. The most current study on sleep and tart cherry juice is from 2012, when researchers had 20 adults spend a week drinking an ounce of the juice before bed each night. In the end, this group slept better than the placebo group, and tests found more melatonin in their urine.
Another study from 2010 looked at tart cherry juice’s effects on a small group of elderly adults who struggled with insomnia. In this population, the researchers found that tart cherry juice did “modestly improve sleep,” but they reported that their “findings may not generalize to other populations.”
What this shows is that there may be potential to demonstrate that tart cherry juice is an effective sleep aid, but with study populations as small and limited as your toddler’s attention span, we can’t generalize the results to the general population—especially kids. This is something that researchers from both studies agree on.
What are the other benefits, if any, of tart cherry juice?
Jalali agrees that the melatonin and tryptophan in tart cherry juice “can help increase sleep duration,” though, again, this isn’t well studied. Upon examination of several bottles, we found that tart cherry juice offers consumers calcium, iron, and potassium. Cherries are also a good source of antioxidants and vitamins A and C.
Beyond this, the sour substance has been used by athletes to help with muscle recovery, thanks to its anti-inflammatory qualities. This has been especially effective after high-intensity events rather than regular daily workouts, says a 2010 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Sports Medicine. It found that when marathon athletes regularly drank the juice before and after competing, they recovered more quickly and felt less soreness and inflammation.
What are the downsides of tart cherry juice consumption?
We empathize with any parent struggling to get their child to sleep. However, Jalali reminds us that the American Academy of Pediatrics “recommends limiting juice intake based on age.” For example, toddlers should only have up to 4 ounces of juice daily, which is half a cup.
Jalali also shares that we need to consider our kid’s oral health. Sugar shouldn’t sit on a child’s teeth all night, so if you’re going to give tart cherry juice a whirl, your kiddo should have some water afterward and thoroughly brush their teeth. Also, as a mom of four, the last thing I want any kid to do, especially a new-to-the-potty toddler, is to load up on a liquid before bed. That’s like engraving a formal invitation for a bed-wetting incident.
Additionally, kids’ interest in a particular food or drink can ebb and flow. If your only go-to for helping your child sleep is tart cherry juice, Jalali says we need to ask: “What will parents do if the child refuses?”
And finally, even no-sugar-added juice is high in carbohydrates, averaging about 30 grams of carbs per serving. Unfortunately, this is similar to the carbohydrate count in a regular soda. Drinking tart cherry juice alone, without any fiber, fat, and protein, can spike and crash a person’s blood sugar, which can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. So one has to decide, do the potential pros outweigh the cons?
What are other strategies parents can use to help their kids sleep?
When a child can’t sleep, there are so many possible explanations. Dr. Jones says some sleep issues stem from “lack of a consistent bedtime routine, a recent nap, a distracting environment, separation anxiety, a scary dream, or sickness.” Other potential disrupters might include a sleep disorder, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, an uncomfortable sleeping environment, and screen time too close to bedtime.
Parents have to become investigators. It’s always a good idea to keep a journal for a few days and try to pinpoint the issue. If nothing turns up, head to the pediatrician for some insight. Dr. Jones encourages parents to ask their doctors for sleep recommendations. She advises us to be mindful of children’s needs to have a “consistent bedtime routine, create a comfortable and quiet sleep environment, turn off and remove distractions such as electronic devices, and resist allowing your child to take a nap close to bedtime.” Be mindful that sickness can disrupt your kid’s sleep, but that “they are likely to return to a normal sleep pattern once they are well.”
It’s not a good idea to put a bandage on a symptom. Instead, you need to get to the root cause and work from the ground up to help your child sleep, ideally with the help of their medical practitioner.
Still on the fence about whether or not to try tart cherry juice? Dr. Jones isn’t convinced—yet. “There are many sleep aides that could help,” she says, “But, like tart cherry juice, many are controversial and unproven.” As parents, Dr. Jones reminds us of our number one job: keeping our children healthy and safe.
Experts recommend 6-8 well-baby visits during the first year. If you’re thinking, what’s up, doc, you’re not alone. Read on to find out what to expect from each doctor’s appointment, what you should bring and how to get the most out of your visit.
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What to Bring with You
Reference documents: driver’s license, insurance card, hospital documents from baby’s birth, information about family members’ health history and allergies
Baby necessities: burp cloths, extra diapers and wipes (the doctor will remove baby’s diaper), hand wipes, baby bottle, a blanket in case baby gets cold, a lovey or favorite stuffed animal, a pacifier if you use them
Mom necessities: an extra shirt in case of spit-up, water and a snack in case you have to wait for the doctor. Once your baby is eating solids, bring snacks for them too.
Questions: Keep a list on your phone or in a small notebook so you can jot down questions when you think of them. Bring a printed version of the questions to your appointment so you don’t forget anything and can write down your doctor’s answers.
What Happens at a Well-Baby Pediatrician Appointment
Each appointment will vary depending on baby’s age, but here's what you can expect:
○ Measurement of your baby’s height, weight and head circumference to monitor your child’s growth curve; plus a discussion of that curve
○ A head-to-toe physical exam, including eyes, ears (and hearing), mouth, neck, skin, heart, lungs, abdomen, hips, genitalia and legs
○ A discussion of your child’s physical and cognitive development
○ Vaccinations, at most visits, if you’ve chosen them
○ Time for you to ask questions and bring up concerns
Read on for specifics of each visit.
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Day 3-5 Well-Baby Visit
In the first week of your child’s life, pediatricians will do a physical exam; measure baby’s height, weight and head circumference; and observe baby’s behavior, reactions and reflexes.
Don’t sweat it: It’s common for babies to lose some body weight after birth. They typically gain it back by the time they hit two weeks old. As your doctor tracks your child's physical growth and tells you which percentile they're in, remember that the actual numbers and percentages are usually less important than whether your child is growing steadily along their curve.
Topics to discuss:
○ SIDS and creating a safe sleep environment
○ How often and how much your child eats
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movement look like
○ Your child’s growth curve
1-Month Well-Baby Visit
At this visit, in addition to taking measurements, doing a physical exam and checking development, your doctor may give your child a second hepatitis B shot (they typically received the first right after birth).
Don’t sweat it: It’s normal for your child (and you!) to cry when they get shots. Shots are typically done at the end of the visit so you can comfort your child with cuddles and nursing or a bottle before you leave.
Topics to discuss:
○ What to do if your child is inconsolable in the evenings (aka the witching hours)
○ If your child is dealing with diaper rashes, baby acne or cradle cap, the doctor can give you advice on how to treat these conditions
○ How often you're doing tummy time
○ Whether your child needs vitamin D drops
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child feeds
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movements look like. Hard, dry poop could indicate constipation, and mucousy, soft stools can signal a food intolerance.
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2-Month Well-Baby Visit
Your child will likely receive immunizations at this visit, if you've chosen them. The doctor will also check your baby’s head control and posture.
Don’t sweat it: Some babies feel discomfort in the day or two after shots, so be prepared to notice a change in your child’s behavior and energy level. Offer extra cuddles and comfort, and clear your schedule if you can.
Topics to discuss:
○ If your child is dealing with colic, constipation, diaper rashes, baby acne, reflux, sleep or feeding issues, the doctor can give you advice
○ Whether your child needs vitamin D drops
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child feeds
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movements look like
○ Whether your baby smiles yet
○ How you characterize your baby’s temperament. If your child seems weepy, restless or uncomfortable, your doctor can explore possible causes
○ How you’re feeling. If you’re experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety, you should bring it up to your child’s doctor and your own.
4-Month Well-Baby Visit
Your child will receive more immunizations, if you've chosen them, and may receive a hemoglobin screening to test for anemia. The doctor will also begin looking for, and discussing with you, age-appropriate milestones for your child.
Don’t sweat it: Babies develop at their own pace, so don’t assume the worst if your child hasn’t reached a certain milestone. Tell your doctor if your child is losing skills they once had or if you’re concerned about any aspect of their development (like crawling, talking, hearing, eyesight).
Topics to discuss:
○ Whether your child needs vitamin D drops
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child feeds
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movements look like
○ Age-appropriate milestones, such as whether your child can roll over, sit up with support, push up from their belly, grab items and kick with both legs.
○ Whether your baby communicates by babbling, squealing, laughing, copying caregivers’ facial expressions and sounds
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6-Month Well-Baby Visit
More standard tests and (sorry) immunizations. Your doctor may also do a lead screening, as older homes can have lead paint, which, in high doses, can be harmful to babies. Your child may also receive a tuberculosis test and, if any teeth have popped through, your doctor will want to see them. Since babies are likely to crawl soon, it’s a good time to talk to your doctor about ways to childproof your home.
Don’t sweat it: Childproofing your home doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. Here are 14 DIY babyproofing tricks to make your home safe as your baby gets more mobile.
Topics to discuss:
○ If it’s time to start your child on solid food. And, if so, which foods your doctor recommends
○ If your child has teeth, how you should care for them
○ Age-appropriate milestones, such as whether your child is rolling over in both directions, sitting up without support, showing interest in their environment, babbling and imitating sounds and expressions
○ Whether your baby needs vitamin D drops
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child feeds
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and how bowel movements change after introducing solid foods
9-Month Well-Baby Visit
In addition to the standard tests, a review of baby’s oral health and perhaps immunizations, your doctor will look more closely at your baby’s development. The doctor will likely ask you questions about how your child moves and interacts with you.
Don’t sweat it: If your child has any developmental delays, your pediatrician can give you valuable resources. Early intervention in the form of physical therapy or speech therapy can help your child develop new skills.
Topics to discuss:
○ Age-appropriate milestones, such as crawling, saying words, responding to their name, pointing, using the pincer grip, feeding themselves, playing games with you or others
○ If your child is experiencing separation anxiety or fear of strangers
○ How you should care for your child’s teeth
○ Whether your baby needs vitamin D drops or gets enough from solid foods
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child eats (breastmilk/formula and solids)
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movements look like
12-Month Well-Baby Visit
You’re a pro at this point and know what to expect at these doctor visits. But as you've learned with babies, they're always learning new things and changing their routines, so you'll have lots to discuss at this and future appointments.
Don’t sweat it: You’ve almost made it through year one, with all the big changes and sleeplessness that goes along with it. You can handle whatever year two throws at you.
Topics to discuss:
○ Age-appropriate milestones, such as whether your child is pulling themselves up, cruising along furniture, walking, pointing, saying words, responding to what you say, playing games with you or others
○ How you should care for your child’s teeth
○ Whether you should introduce cow's milk into baby's diet
○ Whether your baby needs vitamin D drops or gets enough from solid foods
○ How your baby is sleeping
○ How often and how much your child eats (breastmilk/formula and solids)
○ Frequency of wet diapers and bowel movements, and what bowel movements look like
Bright backpacks, sharpened pencils, carefully-curated lunch boxes—the hallmarks of the back-to-school season signal excitement, structure, and promise for those headed out the door.
But for the younger siblings left at home, they can mean something else entirely.
Little brothers and sisters who’ve soaked in every last drop of summer with their siblings are often forgotten during the school prep rush, but the transition can be just as big for the little ones.
Prep your tiny tots for the change in season with these simple steps.
1. Create a Goodbye Ritual
Are you walking kids to the bus stop? Driving them to school? Giving hugs as they run out the door? No matter where your goodbyes take place or what they look like, include little sibs in the act. Even babies without the language to say goodbye can understand the sentiment.
2. Establish a Routine
As soon as you see the big kids off, your little ones will look to you to for what’s next. Maybe that means hopping in the car to head to daycare or maybe it means walking back in to clean the breakfast mess. Whatever that next step is will be the first of many your little ones will come to expect, and knowing what’s coming can help them feel prepared and at ease.
3. Join or Set Up a Playgroup
Most families with an age spread will tell you: the older ones have a lot more friends. The farther down the birth order line, the less time caregivers have to seek out and maintain friendships for the little ones. And the little ones are happy to tag along with the big ones. So, finding friends for preschoolers, toddlers, and even babies to play with while their siblings are in school can be helpful—for them and for you.
4. Set up Camp in Little Kid World
Whether it’s playing with toys they don’t really like, messing up games they can’t really play, or watching screen time they just don’t understand, little siblings often live their lives in a big kid world. When big brothers and sisters are at school, indulge your little ones in playtime (or yes, even screen time) suited just for them.
5. Read Books about School, Separation Anxiety & Changes
Even if they aren’t the ones going to school, your little ones will be curious about where exactly their siblings are going each day.
The Kissing Hand is a classic that has been a first day of school tradition for decades.
Boots reminds little ones no matter how far their family scatters each day, they come back born together at night.
6. Remind Older Kids How Much They’re Missed While They’re Away
Talk to your older kids about the transition their little siblings are going through and how much they wish they could be together. Older kids should be excited to get out into the world and explore on their own, but a little empathy can go a long way for their siblings.
7. Celebrate Gathering Back Home Together
Big sibs and little ones can help create a welcome home ritual for the end of school. Cookies and milk, a walk around the block, or even just a kiss on the cheek will become a moment the littles look forward to every day.
The hallmarks of the back-to-school season look different for little siblings, but with intentionality and planning, they can still signal excitement, structure, and promise for what’s to come.
—Sheelah McCaughan is a kid lit connoisseur and sends a free, monthly email with book suggestions from baby to big kid. Sign up at KidLitConnoisseur.com.
Sheelah McCaughan is mom of five kids (10 and under) and an independent children’s book author. She is also a kid lit connoisseur and sends a free, monthly email with book suggestions from baby to big kid. Sign up at www.KidLitConnoisseur.com.
The back-to-school season is an exciting time for families as they gear up for the huge transition ahead. A new academic year may mean new teachers and new friends for most children, even new schools for some. While starting on a clean slate can be refreshing, the high level of unknowns and changes in routine can cause anxiety in some kids.
That’s why it’s good to plan a mix of fun and purposeful back-to-school activities to better prepare our children for the school year ahead. Check out these creative activities inspired by the Oddbods show that you can do with your child and the whole family. Let’s do this!
Fun-Tastical Back-to-School Activities
1. Shop for New School Supplies
Get your child excited by stocking up with some new, inexpensive stationery. We’re particularly partial to this Oddbods Creativity Kit. No matter your budget, giving your child new-to-them school supplies can help them look forward to returning to class. As much as possible, let them make their own choices so they can feel a greater sense of self and autonomy.
Pro Tip:If you have multiple children, let them hold their own shopping baskets and have the items bagged separately during check out. This saves you the effort of sorting out the purchases for each child once you get back home.
2. Order Cute Name Stickers & Get Labelling
It’s not uncommon for children’s stationery to get lost or accidentally traded among students. Name labels can help. There are many online name sticker services offering a wide variety of designs to choose from. Once they’ve arrived, sit down with your child and let them enjoy pasting stickers on their belongings.
3. Assemble a Homework Caddy
Assemble a homework caddy with coveted stationery for your child to look forward to using after school. Becky from Clean Mama assembles adorable but super functional homework caddies for her children every back-to-school season. It’s a great idea to adopt because it helps to organise stationery in your home and injects colour into the dreaded routine of completing homework after school. When shopping for back-to-school supplies, pick out some fancier stationery for communal use among your kids.
4. Tidy Up Together
We’re being cheeky calling this “fun”, but tidying up the mudroom or coat and shoe racks ahead of the back to school season can help to reduce chaos in your home once school has started. Declutter footwear and jackets that your kids have outgrown and craft some fun, decorative touches with your child to display. Involving your child can help them feel proud of contributing to the family.
5. Plan Extra-Special after-School Snacks for the First Few Weeks of School
Make snack time family time. While you have the luxury of the summer break, why not plan some extra special after school snacks for the first few weeks of school to help your child look forward to them? Whether it’s baking cookies or freezing fruit popsicles in advance, it’s a great opportunity to bond with your child before school routines take over your days.
If your kid is running off for after-school activity, the best time for them to snack is 30 minutes before their activity. This leaves enough time for digestion and the fuels from the snack to start working.
7. Make New Morning Routine Charts
Morning routines are chaotic, so get your kids’ help by training them to be independent when getting ready for school with their school gear, like their backpack, in advance and perhaps, boost their mood with their choice of back-to-school essentials.
As your child grows older, they develop more executive functions which help them pay attention, remember instructions and multitask better. Based on the new skills they’ve acquired, design new morning routine charts where they increasingly become more independent in getting ready for school. As a bonus, customise the routine charts with your child’s favourite themes.
8. Read Books about the First Day of School
After spending their summer break at home, young children especially can feel separation anxiety in school. You can help to mentally prepare them for what to expect by reading books about going to a new school or returning to school. Let them know that fear and anxiety are normal feelings and that you trust your child is capable of acting in spite of them.
Check out these three popular titles among parents!
9. Rehearse Drop-Offs & Pick-Ups
Talk to your child about how your family will be doing drop-offs and pick-ups once school starts. Drop by the school compound, rehearse the journey to and from school and show them where you’ll be sending them off and picking them up. Letting them know what to expect and giving them plenty of calm assurances can help to reduce their jitters about the coming school year.
Make this year’s back-to-school season extra joyful by trying out the suggestions above. Whether your child is filled with excitement or dread, embrace their feelings and support them through their journey so that they can succeed. Every child is different and each deserves to grow well over the upcoming school term. Parents, you got this!
Oddbods is more than an animation. We empower parents to transmit the Oddbods values to their children, supporting healthy development and growth. We're a non-dialogue, cartoon comedy series featuring seven unique and relatable characters who bring individual personalities to life; it builds friendships and encourages young children to celebrate individuality.
Even during a regular year, the end of summer and beginning of fall marks a big transition for a lot of families. Back to school is a big shift with routine changes and social-emotional adjustments. But this year, the back-to-school transition feels especially big. Our kids have been through so many wild changes, uncomfortable adjustments and uncharted territory—and so have we!
Given the inequities in access to education that surfaced over the past year and a half, many parents are also worried their children have fallen behind their peers. Whether your family has dealt with online learning from home, hybrid classes, a pod set up, going to school in a mask or all of the above, you’ve been through a seemingly constant stream of changes and adjustments. As fall approaches, we know they (and you!) may have some extra back-to-school jitters this year. We’re here to help!
We believe two of the biggest supports for creating back-to-school stress relief are connection and routine.
Building Connections
We can teach our little ones that they are always held in a wide net of loving community connection, even when their loved ones are far away. As our kids embark on a new school year, reminders that they are always loved and supported no matter where they are empowers them to feel excited about creating relationships with new peers and teachers. This can greatly help to ease separation anxiety.
Talking with kids about upcoming changes and giving them a chance to get the details and ask questions is a great way to feel connected and soothe back-to-school stress. In these conversations we can help them remember that their Heart Family, just like Otter’s, is always with them. As we talk with them and help them prepare their backpacks and other items for school, we can remind them that our love and connection travels with them, too.
Roleplaying scenarios like walking out the door, getting on the bus, and entering the school or classroom can be a great way for parents to help kids feel ready, and if they know they’re not just carrying their lunch and school supplies but also the love of their family and community, they’ll feel that much more courageous and secure.
Fostering Routines
Being prepared and establishing routines gives us another way to support our kids as they get ready for the back-to-school transition. We can support our kids through their big transitions by giving them predictability in their home routines, such as having dinner together, packing up their backpack for the next day, and preparing for bed. Having routines at home also supports our kids in understanding and practicing routines at school, as well.
We encourage you to come up with a unique way of sending off your little one before their big day. This special goodbye ritual can be another part of the routines that you create together. Is it a fist bump and a silly face? A big squeeze and a nose nuzzle? Get creative and make it yours, together!
Many teachers agree that school readiness is mostly based on social-emotional skills and less so on academic skills. When our kids have the emotional support and skills to cope with big feelings and big changes, they are well prepared to learn at school.
To help with building connections and routine, Slumberkins has two stories that can help kids: The first is about Otter who helps teach our little ones that they are always loved and supported no matter where they are. This reassurance helps to ease separation anxiety. The second is Sloth’s story that helps children practice routines to calm their bodies and minds. By embracing structure with Sloth, our kids learn to take on new challenges and cope with new experiences.
We hope Otter and Sloth can help your family create some back-to-school stress relief through the power of connection and routine! Whatever fall brings for you, we hope to support you through this upcoming transition.
Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen are co-founders of Slumberkins, a children's brand supporting social-emotional learning for children. Kelly has a dual master's degree in family therapy and school counseling, and Callie has a master's degree in teaching. Both are passionate about teaching children social-emotional skills to thrive in our modern world.
Understatement of the year: Parenting while struggling with your own mental health is challenging. The truth is, as much as we don’t like to hear it, the ways we manage our own anxiety and stress—positive or negative—can impact our kids. But, before you can help your child, you have to learn to manage your own stress and anxiety in healthy ways.
All of us react poorly at times when we’re overwhelmed or frustrated. We raise our voices at our child when we shouldn’t or we let little things bother us that normally would not. It’s not until our child does the same thing two weeks later that we remember…those small, observant humans are always watching.
Kids observe us as parents because they are seeking information on how to interpret ambiguous situations. So, if you, the parent, seem worried, afraid, or anxious on a frequent or consistent basis, your child may conclude that certain scenarios are dangerous or triggering.
Having anxiety does not make you a bad parent. I cannot iterate this enough.
Having anxiety as a parent just means that it’s especially important for you to learn stress management techniques and model this for your child. In fact, “A big part of treatment for children with anxiety is actually teaching parents stress tolerance. It’s a simultaneous process—it’s both directing the parent’s anxiety, and then how they also support and scaffold the child’s development of stress tolerance.”—Dr. Laura Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist.
As you learn and actively practice managing your own anxiety, you are paving a path for your child who is observing your behavior. From you, they are learning how to address situations of uncertainty or doubt. No pressure, right?
Here are some Child Mind Institute-approved ways we can positively model anxiety management for our kids.
First, explain your anxiety when your child sees it.
Let’s say, you lose your temper on bring-your-kid-to-work day because you’re running late for a meeting and traffic is terrible. Later in the day, when things calm down, it’s a good idea to address that moment with your child.
Do you remember when dad was angry in the car this morning? Well, I was feeling anxious because I was running late for a meeting and the way I managed my anxiety was by yelling at all of the other drivers on the road. But, there are other ways to manage anxiety. I will brainstorm some better ways that I can handle this situation next time so that I don’t let traffic ruin my morning or yours.
Second, talk openly about your anxiety.
This is important because it lets your kids know they have permission to feel stress but also that stress is manageable. You may not want your child to be the eye witness of your every anxious moment, but you also don’t have to hide your emotions.
It’s actually healthy for kids to observe how their parents cope with stress every now and then. When we keep our children from seeing us anxious, stressed, angry or sad 100% of the time, we inadvertently send the message that they do not have permission to feel those emotions and that, when they inevitably feel these emotions, there is no appropriate way to manage them.
Third, make a plan.
Be prepared to manage situations that trigger stress. If you know you have a day full of stressful meetings coming up, plan to step aside and take a few deep breaths in between each meeting. If you know your mother-in-law is staying at your place, plan your reaction when she asks why the house isn’t cleaner.
Fourth, know when to disengage.
If you know that a situation causes you a great deal of stress, figure out how to remove yourself from the situation. For example, if you have separation anxiety from dropping your kids off at soccer practice, try swapping carpool schedules with a parent. If they drop off, you’ll pick up. Of course you eventually want to be able to take your child to practice but, if you are still working through this, it’s okay to carpool. You want to avoid letting your tone or facial expressions lead your kids to believe there is something dangerous about being dropped off at practice.
Take some time for yourself to engage in a stress-relieving activity when you feel a bout of anxiety coming on in the presence of your child (even if it’s just taking a few deep breaths). This is way easier said than done, but can save you hardships in the long run.
And finally, find a support system. Like, actually do it.
Even if you’re a single parent, you really do not have to do it alone. Identify people in your life (text them right now or, if it’s late, tomorrow morning) who will help out when you feel overwhelmed or follow up with encouraging words when you need them. This could be your spouse, a therapist, another PTA parent, an in-person or virtual support group, etc.
You can also find support through social media, blogs, or other online forums. Lots of parents are passionate about mental health and parenting and they write about it publicly.
I leave you with this: You aren’t expected to manage your stress right every time. The cool thing about having a kid is that they force us to grow into the type of people we want to be because we, whether we choose to or not, lead by example. If you’re thinking that stress management is something you need to fix about yourself, reframe that. This is an opportunity to grow personally and to grow with your child.
To learn more about explaining anxiety to your kids, check out maro by BeforeWeBegin.
Works cited: Brigit Katz is a staff writer at Tina Brown Media’s Women in the World. Her writing has appeared on NYtimes.com, N. (2020, April 07). How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids.
Kids (and kids at heart) all look forward to staying up late and watching fireworks over the summer. But dogs? Not so much. Those loud booms, pops and crackles are enough to make them beeline it for a spot under the bed. Since animals don’t understand that the noise and bursts of light are for July 4th celebrations, fireworks can feel unexpected and downright terrifying for pets. Signs of distress may include shaking, pacing, panting, hiding, crawling into your lap (even when they’re 80 pounds!), or engaging in destructive behavior. Pro tip: Hide your favorite shoes! Here are some simple tips to ease your dog’s anxiety during fireworks:
Every family’s pet journey looks a little different, but one thing remains the same: We all want our furry friends to be healthy and happy. Hill’s provides science-backed nutrition for every age, size and need and makes it easier to support your pet’s needs. See how Hill’s science-backed nutrition can give your best friend their best life.
Stay Inside
The sounds from fireworks may feel like a threat, and your anxious pup doesn’t know where to flee if his natural “fight or flight” response is triggered. That’s why it’s important to keep dogs inside during fireworks, so you don’t risk him running away from home in an attempt to get away from the noise. Make sure his collar, with correct contact information, is on just in case you have an escape artist on your hands! Avoid bringing your dog to a firework show, especially if you don’t know how he’ll react when seeing fireworks among a crowd.
Stay Close By
Your dog will feel better being close to you—a reassuring, familiar presence. If you won’t be home during a fireworks session, arrange for your pooch to stay with a trusted pet sitter or family member so he’s not alone during a stressful time.
Set Up a Safe, Cozy Space
Cuddle up on the couch with blankets and toys, guide him to his crate if that’s where he likes to curl up, or consider hanging out in a smaller room of the house (with the door closed) where the noise won’t feel so threatening. Keep windows and doors shut during fireworks. Closing the blinds also helps dim the startling lights.
Drown Out the Noise
Play calming music, an audiobook or other soothing ambient noise to help minimize the sensory overload from fireworks. There are tons of playlists online made just for dogs! Aside from fireworks, pup-approved music really comes in handy as a technique to handle other bouts of fear, including separation anxiety.
Dress for Success
Some dogs (and cats!) respond really well to wearing a Thundershirt. This snug wrap works much like an infant swaddle by applying gentle pressure to calm anxiety from fireworks, thunderstorms, travel, vet visits and more.
Every family’s pet journey looks a little different, but one thing remains the same: We all want our furry friends to be healthy and happy. Hill’s provides science-backed nutrition for every age, size and need and makes it easier to support your pet’s needs. See how Hill’s science-backed nutrition can give your best friend their best life.
Talk to Your Vet about Treatment
Some dogs benefit from medication during high-stress times. There are over-the-counter pheromone sprays, chews or prescription medications for severe cases. Ask your veterinarian about options for your dog if you’re concerned.
Keep Calm and Carry On!
Act normal around your pet during fireworks. Play together and provide treats for good behavior. Your dog will pick up on your mood cues and feel secure.
Every family’s pet journey looks a little different, but one thing remains the same: We all want our furry friends to be healthy and happy. Hill’s provides science-backed nutrition for every age, size and need and makes it easier to support your pet’s needs. See how Hill’s science-backed nutrition can give your best friend their best life.
