Parenting in the First 3 Years – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode Ann McKitrick sits down with Audrey Rowland, founder of Greenspace Learning and president of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, to explore the biases we often hold against childhood.

Audrey shares her insights from her powerful South by Southwest presentation, "Confronting Our Bias Against Childhood," and helps us understand why we sometimes feel pressured to make our children act beyond their age to meet adult expectations.

This episode will challenge your perspective, freeing you from the need to rush your child's development, and encourage you to celebrate who they are in the moment. Tune in to gain valuable wisdom about honoring childhood and trusting your child's unique journey.

Click here for the show notes, where you can learn more about Audrey.

We've got lots of resources for you at Nurtured Noggins. Check it out!

In this episode of Parenting in the First Three Years, Kelly Coleman, a feature film executive turned author and disability advocate. Kelly shares her personal parenting journey raising a child with disabilities, offering invaluable insights and practical advice for parents who are navigating similar experiences.

Ann and Kelley discuss everything from the emotional challenges of receiving a diagnosis, finding community support, and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of caregiving. Kelley also provides helpful strategies, including how to prepare for travel with a disabled child and ways to educate others about disabilities.

Tune in to hear Kelley’s inspiring story and her hopeful message for parents of disabled children: you are exactly the parent your child needs.

In this episode, we delve into the how-to's of playing with your baby, guided by expert advice from Autumn McKay, founder of Best Mom Ideas. As parents, understanding how to effectively engage with our little ones during the infant/toddler years is paramount.

We explore three key points that shed light on nurturing your child's development through play, ending with suggestions on how you can learn from Ms Rachel, the YouTube phenomenon that's got babies mesmerized!

Topics Discussed:

• Creating Opportunities to Learn
• Connecting Emotionally with Your Child
• Screen Time, Learning and Ms Rachel

Here's the show notes where you'll find a link for Autumn's free gift, The Ultimate Mom-Saver Activity Bundle!

Little ones love to help, especially when it involves food. But our culture tends to exclude young children from the entire process of serving a meal. We sit them in a high chair, away from the table, a plate magically appears in front of them, and we feed them without letting them try it on their own. What if we started incorporating our infants and toddlers into every part of the meal? Could they help set up? Could they serve themselves and eat on their own? What about the inevitable mess?

In this episode, I talk to early childhood educator Sarah Moudry about how we can encourage our infants and toddlers to be active participants in mealtimes.

Sarah is an author, international speaker, and founder and owner of The Studio June, an early educational studio for young children and parents offering in-person and online classes. She is also an interior designer and spends much of her time creating both classroom and home Montessori environments where children can learn and develop.

Check out the full show notes here!

The way we talk about food in today's culture is vastly different than when I was growing up (take a listen below to hear about my parents and their 5 lb block of cheese!). There's a lot of talk out there about diet culture, but what does that really mean? How can we lead our children into a healthy relationship with food from introducing solids, all the way through their toddler years and beyond? 

In this episode, I talk to pediatric registered dietitian nutritionist Dani Lebovitz about how we can raise healthy and intuitive eaters by the way we are introducing foods to infants and toddlers.

Dani is an author, early childhood education advocate, and Mom of 3 who founded Kid Food Explorers, a resource hub and learning platform that empowers families on their journey to raise confident, adventurous eaters.

Check out the full show notes here!

We all need play in our lives. Yes, even you! It's amazing to watch babies and children play. It comes naturally to them, whereas it seems as adults we completely forget how to do it. Even though the way children play seems relatively simple, it's actually developmental play. It's how babies and young children learn about themselves and the world around them.

In this episode, I'll cover the 6 stages of play, from birth through 4+ years. I answer the questions every parent wants to know: when will my child start playing without me? And when will they start playing with other kids? Not only that, but I delve into the dos and don'ts of developmental play, along with some ideas for how you and your partner can add some child-free play to your routine.

Download our resource, 20 Ways to Play with your Baby & Toddler for simple activities you can do with your child today, using things you already have around the house! 

Check out the full show notes here.

How do you know when your child is ready to use the potty? How do you teach them to do it? Should you give them rewards or candy when they're successful? What’s the best way to respond when they have an accident?

So many questions surround the simple task of learning to go to the bathroom-- the skill that every child has to learn. And every parent scratches their head about it because there are so many mixed messages out there.

In this episode, I talk to parenting coach Camilla McGill about her tips for potty training that are gentle, nurturing, developmental, and positive – all the things I love! Plus she’s got a brand new book out that gives you step-by-step instructions and insight for your child.

Camilla is a mom of four adult children and has been a parent educator for over 20 years. She founded My Parenting Solutions which provides online courses, along with group and 1:1 coaching sessions for parents.

Check out the full show notes here!

Did your baby or child experience any trauma in early childhood? If you were quick to answer ‘no’, consider whether the past couple of years, living through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, has felt like a traumatic experience to you. In what ways might this have also affected your little one?

On the other hand, if you’re involved in the world of foster care, or you have experience with adoption, the idea of trauma may be one you’re very familiar with. But do you know what truly constitutes trauma, and how it changes babies’ brains?

In this episode, I talk to Holly Elissa Bruno, a bestselling award-willing author and keynote speaker on the topic of trauma. We discuss the causes of trauma in early childhood, and some signs you can look for in children that have experienced it. She also tells the story of her own children, adopted from Korea with very different temperaments.

Check out the full show notes here!

In this bonus episode, Dr. Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez tells a personal story about her son starting Pre-K, which turned into a difficult partnership between her and the child care provider. She gives some helpful tips on how to bring up issues with your child care provider, and how to create a partnership between you and them.

Things can get a little sticky when parents and childcare providers don't see eye-to-eye on things like discipline, nutrition, and nurturing. But what power do parents have when they're having child care issues at a large daycare facility? Or even stickier, how do they communicate with family members who are watching their kids, without ruining those relationships?

In this episode, I talk to childcare education expert Dr. Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez. We discuss how both verbal and nonverbal communication play a critical role in developing a trusting relationship between parents and a child care provider. We also tackle the tough question of how to set boundaries and communicate effectively with a family member who is watching your child.

Check out the full show notes here!