SitterTree Resources: Insights on Babysitting and Childcare

Today’s parents can often find themselves wondering how much screen time is too much. The ever-changing landscape of digital media can make it difficult for us to keep up with how much is too much and which type(s) of devices and content should our children be exposed to. Childhood is changing, especially when it comes to media exposure. Many of today’s parents watched TV and played video games as children, but they were not exposed to the internet, social media, tablets, and other handheld devices kids have access to today. Below are some helpful guidelines for screen time for children under five.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

• Children between 0-18 months should only use screen media for video chatting.
• Children between 18-24 months can be introduced to media and can watch up to one hour per day of high-quality programming with an adult caregiver. Examples of high-quality children’s programming are Sesame Street and Kids’ PBS. At these ages parents or adults, caregivers should help children understand what they are seeing on the screen.
• Children between the ages of 2 and 5 can watch up to one hour per day of high-quality media with their parent or adult caregiver, adults watching media with children should not only help children understand what they are seeing but also help them relate what they are seeing to the world around them.

What happens if my child is exposed to too much media?

According to Madeline Johnson author of the article “Baby Screen Time: What You Need to Know“, young children exposed to too much media can face a number of challenges which include:

• Speech delays Studies have shown children between the ages of 6 months to 2 years of age with access to handheld devices showed the more they used the handheld devices the more likely they were to have a speech delay.
• Obesity Children of all ages are at an increased risk of obesity when they are exposed to too much screen time due to the sedentary nature of watching a screen. Sometimes unhealthy and over snacking can also go hand in hand with screen time.
• Other developmental delays Studies have shown too much TV time can affect children’s social skills, communication, thinking and attention span.
• Sleep problems Too much screen time for young children can be overstimulating, parents will want to avoid exposure to screen time one hour before bedtime as this can prevent young children from falling asleep and getting enough sleep.

In my experience working with children, too much screen time can lead to an increase in irritability and a general disconnect between the child and those around him or her. Parents and their children will benefit from being consistent with their limits on screen time.

In your absence, it is important to prepare babysitters and other caregivers to maintain the consistency of your family’s screen time limits.  Clearly community with babysitters or caregivers that you want to remain consistent on how much and what type of media your child is allowed to access, even when you are not present.

Below are three ways you can encourage and prepare your babysitter or caregiver to follow your screen time guidelines:

1. Set expectations from the very beginning with babysitters and caregivers.  Be specific about your 1) what types of devices you allow your child to use (i.e. iPad, computer, TV, video games etc.), 2) what types of shows and/or games you allow your child to watch and play, 3) the start and end times your child is allowed to be on screens, and 4) time limits for how long they are allowed to stay on these devices.
2. Leave a written list of media or screen time rules for your babysitter or caregiver.  List other activities your child enjoys such as favorite toys, games or books.
3. Be specific regarding your preferences for your babysitter’s media usage while he or she is at your home. For example, explicitly communicate the expectation that he or she will only use their phone only when absolutely necessary when your child is awake.

When in doubt, less is more when it comes to screen time for children. Children benefit greatly from playing with toys, being outside, and interacting with other children and their caregivers. The social and emotional learning that comes with play time and face time interactions with others cannot be replaced with a screen.

A note about the author:

Tristan Ford-Hutchinson, MPS, LAPC, ATR-BC, CCLS is an art therapist and counselor at Peachtree Art Therapy and Counseling who specializes in working with children, young adults and families. Email Tristan Ford-Hutchinson or visit her website to learn more.

Just as the teenage years are marked by strong mood swings and hormonal surges, the characteristic emotional outbursts of the “terrible twos and threes’ are in large part due to a temporary imbalance in the areas of the brain responsible for anger and self-control.

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Two and three-year-old pass through a phase where there is a maturity mismatch of two different areas of the brain:

• The region controlling emotional responses (amygdala)
• The region responsible for ‘putting the brakes on’ emotions (pre-frontal regions)

This maturity mismatch leads to a neurochemical imbalance that slowly corrects itself in early childhood. At birth, both areas are relatively immature. A slow and asymmetric maturation occurs in spurts until the age of about five years. By 18 months, the ability to produce and express emotional responses out-mature the ability to effectively ‘put the brakes on’ emotionally, leading to the beginning of what is often perceived as negativism of age the two systems are well balanced.

The maturity is achieved, as in most brain systems, primarily by refining connections between nerves and by the development of a special fat known as myelin that wraps itself around many nerves in order to increase signaling efficiency.

So What?

Knowing the scientific basis of outbursts and rage may help explain why rational explanations are rarely effective for toddlers – because they are beyond the developmental capacity of the child. Two and three year olds have on average twice as many ‘rage episodes’ per day than 3-4 year olds, but rest assured, this phase does pass! Until then, considering how to proactively avoid and handle outbursts is the best method of dealing with such behavior during this age.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

The way we read books to our children makes a difference in how they learn new words and develop early reading skills.

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There’s more than one way to read a book, and the way you read to your child has been found to significantly correlate with the benefits children receive from reading sessions.

Pointing to and labeling pictures seems to have the greatest overall benefit for children’s vocabulary and later print awareness, but taking the time to ask questions and describe the meaning of events is also beneficial when children’s initial skill levels are taken into account.

Listening to multiple readings of a storybook facilitates children’s comprehension and vocabulary, whereas answering questions during the multiple readings is more helpful in saying new words than in understanding new words. These findings suggest that, under certain conditions, techniques used by adults have differential effects on preschoolers’ receptive and expressive vocabulary.

So What?

Of course, one style doesn’t fit all children or parents. You might find these tips helpful:

• Choose books deliberately and carefully, notice book and print size, language and illustration quality
• Because siblings can’t be confined to certain stage-appropriate books, consider separate reading corners or alternate target age each reading session to ensure that each child periodically experiences suitable books.
• Vary reading style for age and stage. For example, the attention span and learning phase of children around 18 months favorably accommodates interruptions and questions. Three-year-olds, however, may develop better comprehension when the story is completed before answering questions or discussing.
• Point and verbally refer to text, from the earliest age. Studies prove that children take notice of and learn letters more easily as a result.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

Twelve-month-old babies seem to have the ability to not only process information quickly, but also to retain that information for at least a month – amazing!

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It’s hard to tell what babies are thinking and how good their memories are since they can’t yet communicate verbally. However, research into memory development in babies has given some fascinating insights into when short-term and long-term memories form, and how memory development can be promoted and encourages. Groups of babies were shown five separate toys and researchers demonstrated unique ways of playing with objects, being careful not to allow parents to watch the demonstration so that they could not repeat it later. The researchers demonstrated the toys to the little ones for a period of only 20 seconds each.

The results? Three minutes later, 70% of the babies remembered the special ways to play that they were shown. That percentage dropped to just over 50% at the one week point, and four weeks after the initial meeting, about 50% of the babies still choose to play with the toys in the manner that they had been shown. Impressive results, especially when you consider that the toys were displayed to the babies for only 20 seconds! In similarily constructed studies, about 50% of older children aged 18 months to three years retained the memory for one year. Thus, the length of the memory had a clear correlation with age.

So What?

The impact of memory span reaches into many areas of the daily life of the baby and toddler. For example, very young children have memory centers that are not yet mature enough to remember rules. Parents may become exasperated when rules are repeatedly broken, but children may actually be too young to remember the rules.

Very young children are also often presented with objects or activities that, in order to enjoy them in their intended fashion, require a more advanced memory than what the child has. When engaging and playing activities, or even choosing books, you choose appropriately but also provide guidance in creating reasonable challenges.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

Motor and language development depend on one another much more so than previously thought.

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Our ability to speak depends in part on the muscles in the mouth, tongue, and throat. These muscles are controlled by nerves that mature just like those needed for other motor activities, such as, walking. Accordingly, children who achieve motor milestones early also tend to be early speakers, and, in general, are at the upper end of the spectrum for verbal skills.

The maturaton of the language and motor areas of the brain are interdependent. Consequently, the more your child moves and interacts physically with their environment, the more opportunities there are for the muscles that coordinate speech to develop, thus prompting enhanced language development.

In fact, recent work has taken this link further, showing that preschool speech fluency is linked to infant and toddler motor skills.

So What?

Because your child;s increasing mobility permits them to explore the world around them in more detaul, you can make the most of this interdependence between movement and language. From even the first days you can begin creating a “language playground” that offers a rich variety of interactions on your child’s level – consider what they can see, touch, hold, whether your baby is lying on their back or tummy, and reaching, crawling, cruising, or independtly walking.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

The transition into parenthood is a wonderful and joyous time, but it can be overwhelming and stressful. While self-care includes everyday activities you find enjoyable such as reading a book or taking a bath, it is important to participate in activities which promote wellbeing and positive thoughts about yourself. Self-care is about doing anything that will calm you both physically and mentally.

Here are a few suggestions on how to improve your wellbeing through self-care:

1. Remind yourself you will not have all the answers. This is completely normal! You don’t need to have all the answers and many parents need to reach out to family members or their pediatrician for help. Not having all of the answers doesn’t make you a bad parent, it means you are human.
2. When you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, remember it is normal to experience these emotions. Every mother and father will feel frustrated or angry at times. Remember you can reach out for support, walk away and take a few deep breaths.
3. Try to not go to a place of blame when things aren’t going well. It is really easy to blame ourselves during this difficult time. Please try to say something reassuring to yourself such as “I am doing my best” and “I am enough.”
4. Try to participate in activities which will calm your mind when it starts to go to a negative, anxious or depressed place. For instance, take a walk or turn on a favorite song. These activities will take your mind to a more relaxed and positive space. These are things you can do at home and with your baby.
5. Book a babysitter! SitterTree was created to be a stress-free way for moms to be able to take time for themselves!  Request a babysitter to come your house so you can completely relax and participate in activities you enjoy such as showering in peace or getting out of the house. Getting help will allow you to fully enjoy the moments you have with your baby.
6. Reach out for support. This is very important. Self-care will sometimes require relying on others for support. If you are emotionally overwhelmed, please reach out to your friends, family, or a professional. Also, if you are wondering if you might be experiencing mental health issues such as postpartum depression or anxiety, please call a psychologist who can help you determine if therapy will be helpful. Don’t struggle alone.

A note about the author:

Dr. Jessica Bauer, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and owner of Aspen Hills Psychology (Brookhaven, GA) who offers both individual and couples counseling. She specializes in providing pregnancy and postpartum support and more specifically, treating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. 

Whole volumes have been published about the impact good nutrition on early development, both before and after birth, with good reason – nutrition plays an integral part in the development of neural connections in the brain.

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Why does food choice matter? The brain grows primarily by forming new neural connections and be enveloping neurons in a fatty sheath called myelin, which dramatically increases the effciency and speed of brain activity. In order to perform these tasks, the brain requires food to provide these building blocks for brain development.

So What?

Because the brain reaches 90% of its adult size by around 4-5 years, good nutrition in the early years of life is particularly crucial to the production of myelin, thus ensuring optimal brain growth and development. It is also worth noting that what we feed our children during early childhood appears to have greater effect on later cancer development than dietary intake over the next 50 years.

Don’t forget that a child’s independent food choices and eating patterns are also a direct result of their parents’ attitudes and preferences, so setting a good example is important part of giving your child good nutritional habits for life.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

Reading to babies has a direct impact on preschool vocabulary and listening comprehension and is directly related to reading skills in school.

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Most parents understanding the importance and benefits of reading to kids, but you might be surprised to learn that the language advantages of reading have been shown in babies as young as three months. Looking at stage-appropriate books and learning to read has direct physical effects on the brain’s wiring n the areas responsible for language and reading. Specifically, children’s exposure to books has been linked to the development of vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.

Besides simply enjoying the sound of your voice, over times babies learn to connect books with spending time with the people they love. Books can be introduced from the earliest months – it’s never too soon to start building your child’s relationship with books!

So What?

Of course, books for babies should be developmentally suitable – here are some tips for early reading selections:

From Birth to 6 Months

Goals: Strengthening the relationship between child and parent or caregiver, helping baby to focus eyes and develop vision, stimulating the brain to make connections between images on a page and real life, conceptualizing the nation that objects have labels.

• Choose sturdy books with large but simple high-contrast pictures and bold illustrations in white, black, red, yellow, green and blue
• Show books with big and colorful but familiar objects and label them with words
• Incorporate songs and nursery rhymes into the regular “talk” times to encourage babies to acquire a feel for the specific sounds and rhythms of a language
• Place soft, cloth books with clear, defined, uncluttered pictures, in bright primary colors in your baby’s crib

From 7 to 18 Months

Goals: Language learning (sounds and words), listening comprehension and the recognition of cause and effect.

• Introduce toy books (participative books), touch-and-feel books, flap books, and talking books will develop your baby’s sense of touch and sound
• Set up a reading corner with a low bookshelf for your child to access the books by themselves

Helpful tip: Give the child a toy to hold in one hand or even another book to relieve the desire to clutch things while reading them. Take cues from your child about when and for how long to read.

A note about the author:

Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, MD Ph.D. is the Founder of The Babyboost Institute for Early Learning and Development. Want more tips?  Purchase Babyboost: 50 Critical Facts on Amazon.

Have you ever had a difficult time leaving your child with a babysitter, or perhaps during the morning drop off at school? Has your child ever clung to you, begged you to stay by their side, or cried when you went to leave?

If yes, you are not alone. Many children struggle with separation from their parents. Separation anxiety can happen at any age. There are many reasons why children may struggle with separating from their parents.  It is important for parents to recognize this type of behavior early on and to take action.

If your child is having a tough time separating from you here are five ways you can help:

1. Keep goodbyes short. You can give your child a hug or kiss and let them know when you will be seeing them again. By keeping the goodbye brief and remaining calm, you will not only be modeling good, calm behavior for your child, but you will also be preventing a long drawn-out, difficult goodbye. Longer goodbyes can be more difficult because they prolong the length of time children and parents feel distressed.
2. Develop a goodbye ritual with your child. Rituals are like routines. Children respond well when they know what to expect and when to expect something. A ritual can provide your child with the signal you are saying goodbye. It can also help the goodbye feel safe and predictable. A goodbye ritual could be as simple as a hug and a kiss. It could also be a funny saying you have with your child such as, “see you in a while crocodile.”
3. Keep the surroundings for your child familiar whenever possible. Have a sitter come to your home to sit for your child when you go out. If your child is going to a new place and will be separating from you, have him bring a familiar object along, such as a favorite teddy bear.
4. Have your babysitter maintain your child’s predictable routine. Maintaining your child’s routine while you are gone will help her adjust to the new person. It will also help your child feel more safe and secure.
5. Follow through with promises you have made to your child. For example, return when you promised you would and avoid “sneaking out.” Following through with promises and being honest with your child will instill confidence in them. It will also help you and your child build a trusting relationship.

At what point should I consider seeking professional help for my child for their separation anxiety?

Having some separation anxiety as a child can be normal, but there are signs to look for to know if it is a larger problem. If your child experiences three or more of the problems listed below, consistently, for four weeks or more, it may be time to seek professional help:

• the child has reoccurring distress when anticipating or experiencing separation from parents or main caregiver
• the child consistently worries that something bad or dangerous will happen to their parents or main caregiver
• the child has a reoccurring worry that something bad will happen to them (such as getting kidnapped, having an accident, becoming ill etc.) and this will cause separation from their parents or main caregiver
• the child does not want to leave home, refuses to go to school or to other places that would cause separation from their parents or main caregiver
• the child has a consistent fear of being alone in their own home or in other settings without their parents or main caregiver
• the child refuses to sleep away from home and/or needs to sleep near to or in the same bed with their parents or caregivers
• the child has repeated nightmares about being separated from their parents or main caregiver
• the child complains of physical symptoms such as stomachaches, headaches, or nausea when separated from their parents or main caregiver

A note about the author:

Tristan Ford-Hutchinson, MPS, LAPC, ATR-BC, CCLS is an art therapist and counselor at Peachtree Art Therapy and Counseling who specializes in working with children, young adults and families. Email Tristan Ford-Hutchinson or visit her website to learn more.