Superbaby!

When Baby W was a newborn, I used the long hours of breastfeeding and naps on Mama to flip through parenting books.  He's 14 months old now.  It's been a long time since I've read a parenting book. I've been pretty busy, you know, parenting!

But I'm really excited about the new book I'm reading, Superbaby: 12 Ways to Give Your Child a Head Start in the First 3 Years by Dr. Jenn Berman.  I love that this book takes the most current research on what is best for infants and toddlers, and lays it out in a way that any parent can access.  I am a strong believer in research-based information. It can guide both parents and professionals towards what "best practice" is when caring for children.

Babies and toddlers are so unique.  Their needs and desires are very different from adults.  It is important for adults to understand what happens in infancy and toddlerhood so that we don't place inappropriate expectations on them.  So much happens in the first three years of life (things that we can see, and plenty that we can't!) that it can be very challenging for parents to decide what to expend their valuable parenting energy on!

Each of the 12 chapters of this book is focused on one important thing parents can do to foster their child's healthy growth and development. Some examples:  Respectful Communication, Creating Security and Predictability, The Importance of Play, and Screen Time.  As a busy parent, I appreciate that this book is so accessible; as a child development specialist, I appreciate that it provides accurate, research-based information.