Anthony J. Shacar, Clinical Psychologist

Patricia is one of those souls. We remember her with love on this anniversary of her birthday. May her memory be a blessing.

Sometimes I get so focused on the tasks at hand that I forget that it doesn’t have to be so serious. Does that happen to you, too? You’re so focused on moving t...hrough the things that have to get done that playfulness gets pushed to the side? When we bring playfulness into transitions it can be an awesome way to connect with kiddos and lead to collaboration. It turns off the alarm center in the brain, allowing them to feel safe and secure. What have you found helpful during transitions?

With a million neural connections being produced each second, baby brains change and grow rapidly. Download age-based handouts on the science of early development: https://bit.ly/3zyWPVh

Infancy is a time of great dependence. Nevertheless babies should be allowed to do things for themselves from the very beginning. Here are some examples of what... I mean. Mother places her nipple on baby's cheek. The rooting reflex moves baby's head towards the breast. Father looks at baby with outstretched arms and asks: "Do you want to be picked up?" Baby is given time to make a choice. A five-month-old boy reaches for a doll. He wriggles his body closer to it and finally is able to reach it. An eleven-month-old's ball gets stuck under a shelf. His expression shows anger. He kicks his legs. Parent says, "Oh, your ball got stuck. What can you do?" Child cries. Parent waits quietly or may say "This upsets you," showing empathy without taking over. Child kicks ball and ball rolls out. Had the mother thrust the breast into the child's mouth, had the father picked up the child regardless of the child's reaction, or had the parent given the doll or ball to the infant, these children would have been deprived of trying to handle the situation, learning by doing, and experiencing the joy of mastery. Trust your baby's competence: she wants to do things for herself, and she can do things for herself. You also know that your child does need help, but try to provide just that little amount of help that allows the child to take over again. Let her be the initiator and problem solver. We can look at life as a continuation of conflicts or problems. The more often we have mastered a minute difficulty, the more capable we feel the next time. - Magda Gerber

Fix the broken child in you, so you don’t break the child that came from you. Fix the broken child in you, so you don’t break the child that came from you.

Knowing that their behavior isn’t personaleven if it feels that way sometimeshelps you stay calm and guide your little one to a calmer place too. And re...member: No parent gets it right 100% of the time. Re-connect when you’ve made a mistake. Take a moment to get down to your child’s level, take responsibility, and re-connect with a hug or cuddle: ’ . ’ . Tips on managing toddler tantrums: https://bit.ly/3tcpSev See more

"It is often easier to engage in an activity with a child than to sit and simply observe her. But from our observations come the answers, though it takes time t...o understand one’s child. Parents are so involved with their children that they sometimes lose perspective. Nobody knows for certain what a baby is thinking or feeling, but observing is the best way to tune in to your child. If through observation, you can perceive and accept your child at her own developmental level and learn how to understand and respond to her needs, you have a better chance of preventing problems before they develop. Over time, observation skills improve with practice. " Magda Gerber, Your Self-Confident Baby See more

Check out the remarkable bond between the mother and her baby.

Especially if a child is already feeling out of control, forcing them to sit by themselves can feel like abandonment. You don’t want to send the message that yo...u’ll be in a relationship with them when they are good or happy, but you’ll withhold your love and affection when they are not. http://bit.ly/NoDramaDiscipline

Since our founding over 40 years ago, RIE remains a steadfast advocate for child-led play. Our co-founder, Magda Gerber explains in Your Self Confident Baby th...e importance of play in young children's lives. "Children play beautifully on their own. They do not need to be taught how to play. Children work out their conflicts in play, which is connected to their readiness. Readiness refers to the ability to solve problems at each developmental stage. For example, a young infant is ready to reach for and grasp objects near her. A toddler is ready to fill a bucket with sand and dump it out. Note that problems occur naturally in an adequate play environment, where a child may need to figure out how to retrieve a ball that rolled under a chair. It isn’t necessary to create problems. A parent can observe his child’s play and based on that observation, see what she needs - maybe a new object to play with. If a parent, instead, interrupts and says to his child, Let’s roll the ball then the play becomes therapeutic for the parent rather than for the child, and the adult’s goal becomes more important than the child’s interest. Uninterrupted play promotes concentration and a long attention span. When we interrupt a child, we also stop what she is doing, whatever process she may be in the middle of, as she focuses on us. Our interruptions, no matter how well-intended, become distractions. " http://ow.ly/oiMf50Ez2Gb See more

L.R.Knost - Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources

When parents minimize or deny their child’s feelings, the child can develop what can be called an incoherent core self. In these instances, the child will rea...lize, if only at an unconscious level, that their internal response to a situation doesn’t match the external response from the person he or she trusts most. See more

Knowing that a toddler's tantrum isn’t personaleven if it feels that way sometimeshelps you stay calm and guide your little one to a calmer place too. Some tips to help. Learn more: go.zerotothree.org/tantrums

When parents and children are feeling big emotions, find some calmtogether! Tips: go.zerotothree.org/mindfulfamilies

It's no secret that parenting can be stressful. The next time a frustrating situation arises, try these tips to better-manage your approach. Learn more: https://t.co/5J1WOGXHjo #MindfulnessMonday

Reading early and often has immense benefits in helping babies develop the roots of language long before they can talk! What is/was your toddler's favorite b...ook to read? And which one did you not mind reading over and over as a parent? Share in the comments! Learn more: go.zerotothree.org/readearly

Great advice for these times!

Little kids can have big emotions. Here are ten gentle ways you can help them work through their feelings. (via First 5 Marin)

Repost from: All That Lies In Gray Counseling It’s important that we don’t reduce Suicide Prevention to one month, a check in, or a hotline. It’s much more th...an that. At the very least it requires advocacy throughout the year, trainings, communities, programs, accessibility to basic needs, and destigmatizing mental illnesses. Crisis intervention is important and can literally be the difference between life and death, but the key is to try to prevent it from getting to that point through awareness and advocacy. #WeAreNavajo #WeRNavajo See more

Sharing a simple resource in case it is helpful for families evacuating due to the fires. Download at: https://childparentpsychotherapy.com//afteracrisis_2018....pdf National Child Traumatic Stress Network has more wildfire-related resources: https://www.nctsn.org//trauma/disasters/wildfire-resources