TLC Parenting Blog

Dealing with Pandemic Stress as a Parent

Personalized TLC Rule Chart for Families with Young Children

TLC Gift Suggestions for Every Parent in Your Life (including you!)

Expert-recommended, thoughtful presents for soon-to-be parents, new parents, and parents of young children    It’s

TLC Feelings Chart: How to Build Emotional Intelligence in Young Children

If we could have our way, every home with young children would have TLC’s Feelings Chart posted on the kitchen wall. Im

I’m Feeling Hopeful for Parent Employees

Depressed. Anxious. Lonely. These are just a few of the emotions that parent (and especially mother) employees have rep

FREE Printable from TLC: Daily Routine Chart for Toddlers and Preschoolers!

Young children really thrive on routine and predictability. As we are trying to manage the day-to-day during this globa

Parent Tips: How Should Families Proceed as COVID-19 Restrictions Are Lifted or Reduced?

As towns and states pull back on the restrictions imposed to “flatten the curve,” and society tries to re-open business

Managing Your Emotional Rollercoaster

Many parents feel like we are riding an emotional rollercoaster right now: angry, frustrated, joyful, surprised, excite

Social distancing with toddlers? Three ways to make the most of your time together.

These are strange times together as parents as we readjust to our lives in quarantine. Some days will be good while oth

Coexisting with COVID-19

It’s been almost two months now. Two long months of physical distancing, of adhering to the Governor’s stay-at-home adv

Important Update: TLC Family Center

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”   Dear TLC Families, I shared that familiar proverbial phrase in the first

TLC Playing @ Home: Springtime Lemon Scented Playdough!

Let’s celebrate Spring with The Loved Child’s famous homemade play dough recipe! Unlike commercial play dou

Coronavirus and Kids: How to Talk to Children About COVID-19

The current public health situation can seem overwhelming right now for many families. Work is in flux, kids are separa

Stuck at Home? Parenting Tips & Support to Help During the Era of Coronavirus

At this point, we’re sure that you’re caught up on the latest COVID-19 news, especially if you’re a parent or car

Sleep Priorities During A Crisis

In this highly unusual and stressful time for us all, parenting challenges can feel heavier and more worrisome. The str

Supporting our Kids in Difficult Times

Mental Health Awareness Month could not have come at a better time!  Living with a global pandemic is challenging.  And

Preparing for Childbirth in a COVID-19 Environment

COVID-19 has changed the way that we all live and work almost overnight. From how we grocery shop to how we catch up wi

Love in the time of Covid-19

by Nora Dybdal, Play & Parenting Facilitator & Yoga Instructor Wow, you guys. What a time we’re living in! I fe

How to Always Support Parent Employees with TLC

by Jennifer Gillette, Founder & Owner of The Loved Child Parenting Center   Have you noticed that during these

Food should be Fun! Family Mealtimes and Starting Solids for Little Ones

by Danielle Shea Tan, Functional Family Nutritionist With so much fear and sadness surrounding us right now, it is crit

Pregnancy and Coronavirus: Recommendations from the Experts

At this point, according to the CDC, there are no specific recommendations for pregnant women surrounding the managemen

Peaceful Parenting: An Approach NOT Just for these Uncertain Times

During these uncertain times we have all heard repeatedly how important and beneficial it is to find the silver linings

TLC Playing @ Home – Fancy Tea Party Time with Stuffed Animals

We’re ready for some fancy Friday fun! Like most of us, you have probably been living in sweats for the past mont

TLC Playing @ Home – Make Your Own Fruit & Veggie Stamps

Today we are working on our fine motor skills! Do you ever put out a selection of fruits and veggies for your little on

Parents Deserve Wellness Moments Too

Parents, we know that you also need some tender loving care (TLC) during these uncertain times. Maybe you are being pul

TLC Playing @ Home – Spring Yoga Exercises

Today is all about giving your bodies some much needed movement! We all know how important exercise is for development

TLC Playing @ Home – Touchy Feel Frames Sensory Play

 Sensory play is essential for development in babies and toddlers. There are countless activities on parenting blogs, I

TLC Playing @ Home – Painting Fireworks

Start the week with a BANG! Well not quite, but we love this super fun and easy idea to create fireworks with paint! An

TLC Playing @ Home – Music Time!

Welcome to our final TLC Playing@Home post of the week! We’re ending the week with a “bang”…LIT

TLC Playing@Home- Sensory Play

Today we’re focusing on sensory play! Tasting, touching, seeing, smelling, moving and hearing. These are all the

Playing@Home with TLC – Cognitive Skills

Welcome to Playing at Home with TLC post #3! Today we are focusing on Cognitive Skills and one of the most adorable and

Playing@Home with TLC – Obstacle Course Time!

Welcome to Playing at Home with TLC post #2! Today we are focusing on Gross Motor skills and we can’t think of an

Welcome to our first Playing@Home with TLC post!

Our first TLC suggested activity highlights fine motor skills and without a doubt, will be a repeat favorite for famili

Spring Forward! – Helping Your Child Adjust to Daylight Savings Time

If you have a baby or young child who has a sleep schedule that you’d like to preserve, it can be helpful to think abou

Play is the Work of Childhood

The Winter/Spring Semester of TLC Infants & Parents Class and TLC Play & Parenting Classes begin this week! If

TLC Donation Drive for Room to Grow: The JOY of Giving

The Loved Child is hosting a collection drive forRoom to Grow. Share the JOY of giving this holiday season with your ch

Autumn Homemade Play Dough (100% safe!)

Today is officially the first day of fall! Why not celebrate this special day by making homemade playdough with your li

Is your parenting style more like a Gardener or Carpenter?

The autumn semester of TLC Play & Parenting has begun! What a perfect way to begin the fall semester by discussing

I’m not getting ANYTHING done at home!

The first Adult Discussion Topic for the TLC Infancy & Parenting class focuses on that very common feeling some of

TLC Parent Workshop Topics

The Loved Child (TLC Family Center) offers a variety of expert-facilitated parent workshops for expecting parents and t

Touchpoints | A Beneficial Parenting Concept for ALL Caregivers

Now that you have been introduced to the Touchpoints concept, you will probably notice that when your baby acquires a n

Welcome to TLC Play & Parenting Classes at The Loved Child

Welcome to TLC Play & Parenting Classes at The Loved Child! As always, we have planned a variety of fun, developmen

Parent Self-Care: Making YOU Top Priority

A semester of TLC Play & Parenting classes will never pass by without at least one week dedicated to parent self-ca

Teaching Young Children to be Grateful

At first glance, this week’s topic may appear developmentally not appropriate for caregivers of babies, toddlers,

Throwing Food: Babies’ Challenging Behaviors

We have come to that time in the semester when we dedicate two consecutive weeks to addressing challenging behaviors in

To Praise or Not to Praise

We have no doubt that this week’s TLC Parent Topic has caused some confusion in our parenting lives – to pr

Eat With Your Kids

Every semester we dedicate at least one class parent discussion to healthy family eating. Why? Simply put, research cle

Who is YOUR Child? Understanding Temperament in Young Children

All children are born with a distinct temperament. As parents we can’t control this raw material, but we can try to giv

Supporting Your Child Falling Asleep: Healthy Family Sleep

Our first Parent Topic of the semester- Finding a New Normal Together– clearly supports the necessity for parents

Parents Finding a New Normal TOGETHER in TLC Play & Parenting Classes

We wouldn’t be surprised if you have previously read how important it is for young children to have consistent an

Quit Bullying Yourself!

We are at that time of the semester – the one week of the semester where we focus completely on us– the ten

Distracted Parenting

One may think this week’s parent topic, Distracted Parenting, will be one of those class discussions when you lea

Racial Bias in Young Children

Research has clearly demonstrated that babies recognize when faces are of a race different from their own. Of course, a

Healthy Family Eating: SNACKS 101

As parents ourselves, we know preparing and feeding our children can be a (very) stressful component of parenting. For

Three Common Parenting Mistakes

Last week, we began the spring semester with an overview discussion focused on which parenting strategies we value and

Parenting Strategies To Set Kids Up For Success

Life has no guarantees. As adults, we certainly know this well. However, supposedly, based on numerous research studies

The Cure for Whining

Our next two parent topics are committed to supporting parents around children’s challenging behaviors. Rebecca E

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Parents

A TLC semester doesn’t go by without dedicating at least one week’s parent topic to Healthy Family Sleep. T

What Young Children Need from Their Parents

We wouldn’t be surprised if many of you are already familiar with the following interview aired on NPR last Febru

How Much Do Parents Matter?

This week’s TLC’s Parent Topic is fascinating. We will be discussing the research of Dr. Robert LeVine and

Why Parents Should Have Knowledge of Research in Child Development & Parenting

As many of you have already experienced in the TLC Play & Parenting classes, every week we focus on a specific area

Grandparents: Tips for Respectful Relationships

At this time of the year, advertisements are full of joy and good cheer. Our spirits are lifted by holiday music, decor

DiaperCircle.org: Welcome to The Loved Child!

The Loved Child couldn’t be more proud to have partnered with the Diaper Circle! The Loved Child (TLC Parenting C

It is Time to Focus on the Children

Turn off your televisions, computers, radios, and please, put down those smart phones. It is time to focus on the child

Supporting Empathy in Children

Yet again our weekly topic may appear, at first glance, developmentally not appropriate for parents attending TLC Play

Guilty Parents

This week we are shifting from children’s challenging behaviors to a very common yet complex emotion for many par

Healthy Family Screen Use

Many of us in the TLC community already heard the news that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently changed i

Toddlers’ Challenging Behaviors: Hitting, Kicking & Biting, oh my!

We hope that you left last week’s TLC Play & Parenting class with, at the very least, the following message:

Toddlers’ Challenging Behaviors: Temper Tantrums

We are at that moment in the TLC semester when we focus our parent discussion time on children’s challenging beha

8 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Feeding Toddlers

As we discussed last week, sleep deprivation may top the list as one of the most frustrating and difficult areas of par

Night Wakings: Healthy Family Sleep

Now that we have completed our class parent topic on the importance of recognizing and respecting individual child and

Nurturing Your Child’s Unique Temperament Style

Congratulations! We have successfully completed our first week of TLC Parenting & Play classes for the 2016 fall se

My Life As A Parent: I Can’t Complain

We all have had some life experience with a friend like Kate. Maybe your “Kate” wasn’t in your close

Lemon Summer Home-Made Play Dough

Easy recipe for lemon-scented homemade play dough (safe to eat): 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 2 tsp cream of tartar 2 Tbsp

How to Handle a Clingy Child

The majority of TLC parents will relate to this week’s topic: how is the best way to handle my clingy child? Most

How to Talk with Young Children About Race

Families that have been with TLC for awhile know that one of the many advantages of being enrolled in a semester of Dev

10 Myths of Early Childhood Development

What a better way to start a semester by presenting what child development is…NOT! We wouldn’t be surprised

What Is Your Child’s Learning Style?

Returning TLC families know that each week in our Developmental Play & Parenting classes the little ones are presen

Parents Taking Care of Themselves: Parenting with Mindfulness

By now, thanks to the current focus in the media, the majority of TLC parents have at least heard about the practice an

Why We Should NOT Ignore a Tantrum

The good news is the majority of child development experts recommend responding to tantrums in the very similar emphati

Healthy Family Eating by Danielle Shea Tan, TLC’s Family Nutrition Coach

It’s 5 o’clock and dinner is ready. Phew! You get the kids set up with food cut into perfect little pieces on their pla

Healthy Family Sleep

Rest assured, a TLC semester will never go by without dedicating a week’s Parent Topic to Healthy Family Sleep. Y

TLC Recipe for Winter Glitter Snowflake Play Dough (easy-to-make and safe-to-eat )

At TLC we know creating routines and rituals at home are healthy for families. Maybe your family looks forward to pizza

5 Resolutions That Will Make You a Better Parent This Year

Welcome to the winter semester! If you are a new family joining The Loved Child, welcome to our growing TLC community!

Parenting in Today’s Uncertain World

Thanksgiving, the holiday of togetherness and gratitude, has come and gone. We are now quickly approaching Hanukkah, Ma

Early Literacy Development

Back in the middle of October when our weekly Developmental Focus was on Language Development, we read and discussed ho

2015 The Loved Child’s Gift Suggestions for Families with Young Children from Infancy- Preschool Years

Following is The Loved Child’s selected collection of gift suggestions for young children from the newborn period throu

The Loved Child is a Drop-Off Location for BABY CARRIERS: carrrythefuture.org

Separation Anxiety in Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Similar to many other behaviors which arise in early childhood, the onset of separation anxiety often appears with litt

Temper Tantrums: What should a parent do?

Let’s imagine a scenario together for a moment (for some this may feel more like painful memory than fantasy!) Yo

Tips for Moms (and Dads) to Make Time for Themselves

As parents, many of us have already heard, perhaps repeatedly, how important it is that we take good care of ourselves

Language Development from Infancy to Age Three

It is quite natural for parents and loving caregivers to compare his/her own child with the other children in a group s

Screen Use & Young Children: New Guidelines from AAP

Thankfully, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has finally changed its policy on screen use for young children. A

The Identity Shift in Early Parenthood

Back to work — or not?  Or, more accurately, return or not to paid employment, because this parenting business is

What is “Positive Parenting,” Anyway?

Positive parenting — sometimes called positive discipline, gentle guidance, or loving guidance — is simply

Which Parent Feeding Style Do You Have?

How do you handle the issues about eating that can arise as your child becomes more and more independent? Authors Jill

Brain Development

While we know that the development of a young child’s brain takes years to complete, we also know there are many

The Importance of Play for Young Children

We are preaching to the choir this week! Evident to your commitment to joining a TLC Developmental Play & Parenting

Think Parenting Isn’t Fun? You’re Not Alone

What a perfect article for bring us together for the first week of class: Think Parenting Isn’t Fun? You’re

Welcome to TLC New Parenting Classes, Infant I (newborns- 3 months) & Infant II (3- 6 months)

The Loved Child’s New Parenting Classes, Infant I (newborn – 3 months) & Infant II (3 months- 6 months)

Top Ten Culturally Diverse Picture Books for Babies and Toddlers

We all visit our public library or purchase books for our family. On your next visit to the library or book store/site,

How to Address Race and Ethnicity with Young Children

Some of us are probably thinking- this week’s parenting topic doesn’t apply to us- it is way too early to b

Date Nights for Parents: 16 ACTUALLY GREAT DATE IDEAS IN BOSTON

As we read in The Atlantic article, parenting puts “an enormous strain on the central relationship in the family-

Parents Taking Care of Themselves: How to Enjoy the Often Exhausting, Depressing Role of Parenthood

We have come to that time in the semester where we dedicate our class discussion to us- parents- and specifically the i

Healthy Family Sleep

We have all experienced that somewhat awkward moment when well-meaning friends, family members, and/or pediatric profes

Let Kids Learn Through Play!

What a perfect topic to begin both our summer season and the TLC Summer Session- the importance of play for young child

Positive Discipline: What To Say Instead of Punishing To Teach a Lesson

Every semester we dedicate one week to the topic of Positive Discipline. Just a reminder for TLC families: discipline m

The Importance of Pretend Play

Most young children naturally enjoy and partake in make-believe play. As cute as it may be to observe little ones prete

Parents Fighting in front of Young Children

Obviously, conflict between two people is inevitable. Do you have disagreements with your partner in front of your chil

Creative & Artistic Development in Young Children

Our developmental activity in class this week will highlight creative development. Before coming to class, enjoy readin

The Benefits of Slow Parenting

The perfect Parent Topic for the beginning of summer: Slow Parenting.  “Slow parenting cherishes quality over qua

Best Playgrounds near Boston

Spring is here! With the recent beautiful weather, and our weekly focus on gross motor skills, this list of Boston̵

Parents Taking Care: How to Stay Close After Having Children

Every semester TLC dedicates at least one week to parents taking better care of themselves. This week our TLC class dis

Sensory Development in Young Children

Our developmental activity in class will highlight sensory development. Yes, often when we hear about activities to sti

When your child physically hurts you…

I suspect the majority of TLC parents have had the startling experience of being on the receiving end when their little

TLC Weekly Parenting Topic: Healthy Family Sleep Naps 

We certainly didn’t plan on this, but articles on children’s sleep- specifically naps- have been prevalent

TLC SPRING Mint-scented Homemade Play Dough

Easy recipe for mint-scented homemade play dough: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 2 tsp cream of tartar 2 Tbsp canola oil 1 cu

Make The Most of Playtime: TLC Take Home Idea

“Play is the work of children.” – Jean Piaget Following is a lovely article for caregivers reviewing

Parents DO Make A Difference: TLC Parenting Topic

We have no doubt that many of you have read numerous recent articles addressing a recent study investigating the impact

Welcome to TLC Developmental Play & Parenting Classes

The Loved Child’s Developmental Play & Parenting classes have an organized and set weekly class curriculum th

Sample TLC Weekly Newsletter

sample TLC Weekly Newsletter

Take Home Idea: Home-made musical shakers

The perfect winter activity for all TLC families! A simple must-do- family project with great benefits in all areas of

Parents Taking Care of Themselves: Feeling Irritable?

It is that time of the semester when the weekly topic focuses on Parents Taking Care of Themselves.  How appropriate to

Music Development in Young Children

Once again TLC is preaching to the choir– we are quite certain there isn’t a parent in our community who would di

Take Home Idea: Creative Activities & Crafts With Recyclables

Our Take Home Idea is an obvious one— creative activities and crafts you can do at home with all your recyclables!  Tak

13 Safety Rules for Every Family

Our weekly Parent Topic, 13 Safety Rules for Every Family, certainly seems less appealing than discussing how to raise

Supporting the Development of Environmental Consciousness in Young Children

This week in our TLC classes we will review what we already know about Nature/Sustainability and focus more closely on

Sensory Development

By this time in the semester, we sure hope we are just “preaching to the choir” when we stress the benefits of sensory

Helping Your Child Develop a Healthy Sense of Self-Esteem

Is our TLC Weekly Parenting Topic- Helping Support your Child’s Self Esteem- a developmentally appropriate topic for pa

Changes in Parents’ Relationships

The majority of parents have little to no hesitancy reaching out for professional support around typical parenting chal

Supporting Successful Sibling Relationships

Perhaps you are picking up on a theme at The Loved Child?  We are really focused on supporting  healthy relationships-

Parent & Toddler Yoga: New Spring Class at TLC!

  Similar to the little ones in the TLC community, The Loved Child is developing at a fast yet healthy pace…

Why Children Benefit From Routines & Structure

Similar to all the TLC topics, this week’s Parent Topic is an especially important one: Why ALL Children Benefit From R

Happy Sleep

The Parent Topic this week also tends to be a popular area of conversation for parents in almost every class: Healthy F

Gross Motor Developmental Milestones: What to Expect

Our developmental activity in class will highlight gross motor development– a favorite area of development for mo

TLC Parenting Workshop: Understanding and Managing STRESS in our Daily Lives

How Does Your Child Learn How to Talk? Language Development newborn- age 5

In preparation of our TLC class discussion on language development, we provided a trusted resource from the American Sp

Is Bilingualism Really An Advantage?

Furthering our learning of language development in our children, our weekly Parent Topic is on bilingualism.  Please re

Three Helpful Suggestions When You Feel Like Yelling…

One could ask, how does compassion and NOT yelling at our children relate?  Please read Dr. Laura’s short article with

Cognitive Development Milestones in Young Children and How to Nurture Thinking Skills at Home

When we think about cognitive development in TLC Developmental Play & Parenting classes, the first image that comes

TLC Parenting Topic: Raising a Moral Child

Thankfully, research has shown that parents are much more concerned that their children grow up to be “kind, compassion

Fine Motor Development in Babies and Toddlers

After a careful review of numerous resources on fine motor development in young children, TLC encourages all parents to

Gingerbread Play dough Recipe

Yes, there are 9 toddlers and 9 parents completely absorbed in the TLC Developmental Group Activity! As promised, here

TLC Parenting Topic: Make Life A Little Easier on Yourself in 2015

The perfect first Parenting Topic for 2015: a list of 25 little positive and reachable changes we can make in our healt

TLC Overview: Social-Emotional Development in Young Children

Every semester in our TLC Play & Parenting classes we will focus on SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT in young children.

Recipe for Colored Rice: Sensory Activity for Home

All the TLC Developmental Play and Parenting Classes focused on sensory development this week.  Following is a refreshe

Are Young Boys and Girls Really That Different?

Another interesting and important parenting topic for TLC class discussion this week: gender differences in young child

Common sense, realistic, & SCIENCE-BASED advice around SCREEN USE for parents of young children.

This article is a must-read for parents of young children.  At last, an article on screen-use that is based on science

The Loved Child’s Developmental Play & Parenting Class ROUTINE

The one-hour TLC Developmental Play & Parenting Class is designed specifically for little ones, parents or caregive

Overview: Developmental Play & Parenting Classes at The Loved Child

The foundation for every class at The Loved Child (TLC) is that all parents and caregivers need to have trusted and sup

Parent Workshop: Talking WITH Your Children (0-5 years) About Their Bodies and Sex

Registration is now open for next Tuesday’s (November 18 6:30- 9:00) Parenting Workshop on Talking with Children

Take Home Ideas: Creative Art Projects for Home

After realizing the joys of observing the creative process in your TLC class, you may find the courage to attempt art p

Weekly Parenting Topic: The Myth of Perfect Parenting

I suggest reading this supportive and powerful piece on The Myth of Perfect Parenting.  Unlike many of the parenting re

Take Home Ideas: Sensory Activities for Babies and Toddlers

The following article from PBS.org reminds us how important it is for our little ones to have these sensory-rich experi

Weekly Parenting Topic: How Effective are Time-Outs?

How effective are time outs?  Further, are time outs harmful for our children’s developing brains and relationships wit

Take Home Ideas: Outdoor Family Activities in the Boston area

And, with this beautiful autumn weather, and our focus on gross motor skills, following is a wonderful list of suggesti

Weekly Parenting Topic: Healthy Family Sleeping

Our scheduled Parent Topic this week tends to be a popular one- Healthy Family Sleeping.  Following is an excellent res

Take Home Ideas: Toys and Activities to Nurture Children’s Cognitive Development

The following article was published in a well-known journal for teachers of infants and toddlers.  Please do take a mom

Weekly Parenting Topic: Healthy Family Eating

Following is an excellent and trustworthy collection of articles from HealthyChildren.org, a website supported/edited b

Take Home Ideas: 25 First Books for your Child’s Home Library

To connect our class activity with home, we hope you will enjoy this lovely list of 25 first books for your child’s hom

Weekly Parenting Topic: Positive Parenting

Take Home Ideas: List of Books about Feelings

When you return home from your TLC class after observing your little one (s) interact (or not!) during the class activi

Take Home Ideas: Fine Motor Activities for Home

After having the opportunity to observe your child’s fine motor skills in your TLC class, following is a robust l

Weekly Parenting Topic: Impact of Parent Screen Use on Children

I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our TLC families are already familiar with the following parenting article from The

Weekly Parenting Topic: What makes a good parent?

When you have a moment, preferably before your TLC class this week, take the opportunity for yourself and for your own