Category Archives: neurodevelopment

My kid is 3. Yes, I’m on maternity leave. Still. Any questions?

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I have had a baffling few weeks as a baby geek and a toddler person and an educator and a mama and a professional and a slave(!).

Long and short of it: we (people who are kaiako/educators for the Brainwave Trust) had been invited to update our profiles on the website.  I got a snazzy new photo and was keen to rejig the text, which boldly stated that I was on maternity leave, caring for the child born in 2012.

And it’s true.  I am.

And I’m glad to.  Happy to.  Privileged to.  Proud to!

So why was my motivation in updating said profile the removal of those words?  Just what it is it about being a FULL TIME STAY AT HOME MOTHER that made me want to massage that truth and call it something else?

Cos yeah, freelance writer.  And yeah, doing postgrad study.  But oh, HELL yeah – I’m a mother.  I’m the keeper of the castle and I care for my kids.  So why, even amidst the most pro-family and child friendly of colleagues, do I find it necessary to deny that title?

Full time parent.  That’s me.

Yes, three years on.  Yes, at least until she starts school.  So there.

But I chickened out.  Not only rejigged text but made the decision to pull my profile down altogether, cos it’s gonna be years until I can offer to help anyone!  But quick, before it gets removed, check out my fancy new photo!

That’s not all.  I had a gig booked, my first for ages.  I was thoroughly looking forward to it, had learned new tricks in Keynote.  Great client, juicy content.  Lovin’ life.  But then, little girl was sick.  Little girl was sick and husband was not in a position to cancel his life.

So guess what?  I canceled.  Gutting for me, but the right thing to do.  Cos when you’re three years old with a raging temperature and strep throat, what you need is your mum.

Yeah!

Quickly now, cos it’s what we do on this website, I will now throw a variety of links into your lap: THIS is Kids in the House, which is a parenting website like no other!  Enjoy.  I’d love to share this excellent bit o’ writing from Mothering about a new mother’s body belonging to HER.  And it’s been a while since I sent y’all to this glorious collection, but this is a variety of Policy Briefs from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.  It’s fab.

Now here’s an interesting piece about infant temperament and culture, and here is a website from Arizona all about their initiatives to support family.  Next, a gift for new families about settling babies.  Yum.

Compare structured parenting with Free Range parenting here, and here is a very good thang from the Huffington Post about the power of home visiting programmes for changing outcomes for kids in poverty.

Finally, it may or it might not be the best kindergarten you’ve ever seen, but this is an inspiring TED talk all the same.

Big shout out of thanks and support to Jo, who organised the workshop I had to cancel, to brother Nate for always listening, and also to Pennie, who continues to be so flippin supportive of me, at home with my kids.

quick, before lunch

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Lunchtime is my favourite time.  Hey, it’s Lunchtime!  (a prize for whomever can name that artist …)

Quick: some links.  No snazzy segways or classy intros or even categories.  Just random links … GO:

This is from Scientific American and it’s about how to get more parents to vaccinate their kids.  I have.  This is a link to the American Mindfulness Research Association, and here is some explanation as to why smiling makes us happier and more successful.  Even a faux smile!

This is a YouTube clip about the lovely Tree Change Dolls I shared a while back and this is a blog post about the relentless branding of children’s toys.  Ugh.

Here’s an interview urging rebellion against ‘the gospel of money’ and this article from v. good North & South magazine features the most excellent Rick Hanson who I heard speak a month ago.  Still reeling.  In a good way.   You could also do this wee yoga practice and be happy.  Especially if you smile whilst doing so.

Finally, boycott your biology.  Supress the sociology.  Dance and sing in public!

in my office

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Photo on 2015-01-12 at 11.27Woah … I”m all overexcited and hyper caffeinated because I just had a big online time with Sherry Bevan, co-ordinator of the Confident Mother online conference.  Days and days of free, thought provoking content.  Did I mention free?

Anyway, in the course of our conversation I made reference to the awesome interview from Dr Stuart Shanker that featured on CBC radio’s “Ideas” podcast.  I went back to find a link to it for Sherry, and LO! There is a new, updated version available to download and listen to.  You must!  Parents, teachers, everyone … LISTEN.

Here, also, a cornucopia of useful self-regulation resources from Canada.

Gotta go make some snacks xx

Friday arvo

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Photo on 2015-01-09 at 17.41 #2I have always found Friday afternoons to be a bit special.  Even in motherhood, where there ain’t no 9-5, even during our summer holidays, where there is barely a Monday-Friday distinction.  I still love a bit of Friday afternoon.

I am listening to some sweet fiddle music and basking in what is sort of my last weekend before i return to thinking about things other than family: actually feeling really excited to be participating in the super cool online conference for The Confident Mother in the UK (thanks be to Sherry Bevan for coordinating!).  It’s free!  And there will be many interesting opportunities to engage with a variety of people who spend time thinking about family life and motherhood.  EXCITED.  More found here.

Could just about wee my pants with excitement that I am registered to hear Dr. Rick Hanson speak when he comes to my neck o’ the woods!   Listen to an interview with him here.

So in honour of the new baby Annie born in the Canadian winter, I sign off with best wishes from a warm Kiwi Vendredi.

xx

assorted variousness

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Let’s link.

First: a post from Psychology Today about using your brain more effectively (ie being more productive!).  Once again, the moral of the story is Slow Down.  Unplug.  Concentrate.

Similar, and yet so different, is this deluxe post from On Being written by Omid Safi … it might be your new favourite thing.

This is an excellent piece by Scientific American about 10 big additions to our thinking about neuroscience in the past decade.   Enjoy.

OH!  Lovely initiative here … using yoga to change the lives of young women in trouble.  MOre!

Now, take four minutes to check out this promo to a fantastic looking new documentary film called Now Playing.  I long to let rip a rant about the value of play in the lives of children and adults, but my toddler is keeping it all very real by tugging on my arm and beggin me to stop working.

I’m overdue a rant about play, having just written an article for OHbaby! about Play and a foreword for an exciting new book on the subject by my fab colleague Sarah Best

Gotta boogie.  I’ll end with a public service announcement: adopt fist bumps as a replacement for high fives or handshakes and you will reduce the transfer of infection.

November? Salt water!

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Blessed be the Geeks, for they shall inherit the earth.

Quick linky round up on a Monday

From Zero to Three, a wonderful round up about screen time for young children.  Check it out and commence downloadery HERE.

THIS is a link to a magazine I didn’t know about until very recently!  It’s called Brain Works and I reckon you might enjoy a wee gander.

A couple of links from Scientific American … THIS is about the ‘orchid child’ explanation for sensitive children … groovester.  And HERE is an article about happiness, or about the fact that not everyone is seeking it.

HERE is an excellent piece from a most outstanding website … it’s about Aligning and Investing in Infant and Toddler Programs and it’s from the Center for American Progress.  Read!

The Society for Research in Child Development have released a Policy Brief, and you can read about it HERE … its called How Abuse and Neglect Affect Children’s Minds and Bodies.

Finally, with thanks to Rox and Bee and my ladies … the most inspiring anything for ages:

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. Isak Dinesen

big emotions

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Photo on 2014-09-15 at 15.09Kia ora geeks.  Hope your week is going swimmingly.  Mine began with a new issue of OHbaby! magazine, featuring an article I contributed.  It’s called “weathering the storm”, and it’s about supporting children with their big emotions.  The issue also features an utterly beautiful baby on the cover.  LOOK!

Here are a random assortment of links for your surfing pleasure … This is from the good folk at the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard … it is about using science to inform child welfare policy.  Similarly, but differently, here’s a fact sheet about the negative impact of instability on our little children.  We are about to have an election in NZ and I wonder if our leaders have read this.  (have ya?  hmmmm?)

Here is a cool resource for teachers about “sowing the seeds of neuroscience“,  and this is a link to some research into the evidence base for early childhood education.  Of course. all that only works if we are talking about care of high quality.  And that is a whole separate conversation if we’re talking ’bout babies.

Actually, that last link comes from the excellent website of the For Our Babies campaign, which deserves your time.  I have just finished the book of the same name by Ron Lally and it is such an outstanding summary of the complex layers that have led us to today … I wholeheartedly recommend it.  The relevance oozes beyond the USA.

Now a feelgood link; a new find called Green Child magazine.  Recipes, ideas, inspiration.  Yum.

Finally, a couple more links encouraging you to slow down and create mental downtime.  Specifically, if you’ve got writing to do, head outside.

Angry Mamas

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oh baby coverThe new issue of OHbaby! is out and I have an article in there, about Angry Mamas.  It was amazing to write and think about at the time, and the feedback has been fab.  Thank y’all.

Now for some links before bedtime (it is always late when I get to this here blog.  What’s up with that?)

First, the week began in NZ with the release of the People’s Report from the Glenn Inquiry.  And here is the report itself, in all its heartbreaking detail.  I look forward to the plans for improvement … November I think that next bit is being released.

Next: from Wired mag, article about a “radical new teaching method” which is actually a super early childhood education philosophy (let the children choose what they want to learn!  follow their passions!) and it’s been applied to older children.

Sorry.  Being snippy, are we?

Here is a li’l something about the role of synchronized brain waves in supporting speedy learning (thanks MIT) and here is an article from the New York Times about the losses wrapped up in a lack of handwriting.  Ah, kids these days!

small insight, many links

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It’s winter time in the South Pacific.  A time for toddlers to kick off all their bedclothes and then awaken their mothers with cold cries.  As I tiptoed toward Baby Girl last night I felt for her blindly, unsure what part of her I’d touch.  She swivels and wriggles and changes direction.

As I gently patted the air and eventually her, it occurred to me how the darkness of nighttime parenting is a bit like the blessed mystery of pregnancy – the ultrasound technician who proposes “yes, I think that’s an arm.  Oh, and there’s the baby’s spine”.  Last night this seemed just like the necessary assessment that precedes rearranging the blankies.  “Yes, here’s her wee head.  There’s her feet …”  And I snuggle her back up and shuffle back to bed, willing us both to stay asleep.

Anyway, before I return to that lovely slumber, here are some LINKS.

This is from UNICEF, it’d seem they are getting into the neurodevelopment swing o’ things .   Welcome.

A couple of parenting resources: Radical Parenting, providing tips for parents of adolescents and teens from a kid’s perspective, and I love this from Hand in Hand parenting, about the value of a Good Cry.  I’m sold: boo hoo!

Here is a cool cardboard play space from Australia, an urging to introduce babies to veggies early and often, and a write up of some health research examining gender differences in placenta.

And I just don’t even know what to say about the notion that we are all more stressed at home than at work.   A convo for another time.  Bed beckons (as she always does mmmmm)

and more links

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Many interesting and varied things, in no particular order …

I LOVE this, from Scientific American, about creativity.  I used to teach a College class called “Fostering Creativity”, back in the day, and at the time I went to a meeting where a woman disdained teaching creativity to children, saying “I don’t want my kids to be artists …”.  At the time I was all goldfish mouthed and hopeless, but if I had my wits about me I’d briefly defend the artistic life, and then remind her that scientific and technological breakthroughs are going to depend upon a creative approach to whatever.  The quote I love from that Sci-Am article back there:

As it turns out, creativity is just as important in medicine and engineering as it is in journalism.

 

Now, THIS pdf, from www.childtrends.org, will take a while to download but you will be so glad you did it.  It is full of amazing maps that show various trends in child & family well being, all around the world.  You’re welcome.

Other stuff: The abstract to some research about families who use corporal punishment, and how what they do differs to what they SAY they do.  I like it when non-brainiac sources talk neuroscience, like this from Wired mag.

Here is a piece about infant memory,  this is a description of findings about maternal depression (*peaking when children are four years old … implications, anyone?) and … REALLY?  Too much internet is bad for children?  Ya don’t say!

Last one, then I got to go read Scarry to my girl.

Please check out this super cool initiative from Australia – I have not known of such a funding scheme before but ME LIKEY.  Ten20 provides ten years of funding and support for 20 communities working to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

Super cool.