Teach. Play. Love. Parenting Advice for the Early Years Bright Horizons Family Solutions

World events shake all of us — parents and children alike. So how do you answer when your child asks, “Are we going to be okay?” On this episode, Bright Horizons early childhood education expert Rachel Robertson gives concrete advice on all of it — supporting your child through difficult times, giving calm, simple reassurances to tough questions, and using play time to help process and express feelings.

Full schedules and little downtime can cause stress for everyone – including children – but practicing mindfulness can alleviate that stress. We are bringing back this episode to help you learn about the many benefits of being mindful, how to pay attention on purpose, and how to do mindfulness activities like Shake the Sillies Out and Mind Bubbles.

Children need us to focus on their physical development — they need to play, take risks, connect with nature, and more. Why? To enhance fine and large motor skills and encourage exciting milestones. On this episode, Bright Horizons early childhood experts Rachel Robertson and Ruth Fidino discuss simple ways to give your child as many active, physical moments and experiences as possible throughout the early years.

Do you find yourself picking up the same story over and over again? Are you wondering how to choose your child’s next book? Join Rachel Robertson, education and development vice president, and Ruth Fidino, education and development senior advisor, for this previously aired episode about children’s literature. They discuss what it means for a children’s book to be high quality, the many benefits of reading, the low-down on tablets and audiobooks, and helping your child learn to love reading.

As much as you might want your child to say “thank you” and mean it right off the bat, the concept of gratitude requires a high level of social-emotional skills, and it grows over time. How can you promote and support that development? Find out from Rachel Robertson, education and development vice president, and Ruth Fidino, senior education advisor. Learn when to start, how to model gratitude, and how to differentiate between saying “thank you” and actually being thankful.

Technology is everywhere. As adults, we rely on it constantly. And for kids, it provides great value, as long as it’s used in the “right” way. In a look back at our premiere episode, Debbie Hoppy, director of curriculum and education at Bright Horizons, and Rachel Robertson, education and development vice president, share what really matters: interactive experiences and co-exploration, questions that encourage deeper thinking, and opportunities for integrating technology into the real world.