Acute Stress Affects Cognition in Infancy
New research examines the effects of acute stress on cognitive functions in infants. Contrary to the idea that "a bit of stress is good for them", this research finds that stress inhibits flexible thinking.
New research examines the effects of acute stress on cognitive functions in infants. Contrary to the idea that "a bit of stress is good for them", this research finds that stress inhibits flexible thinking.
Going against the mainstream can be very hard, as mom and clinical counselor Fiona Griffin shares in her story of how she learned to find her own peaceful path in parenting.
When you talk about stress and sleep training, you often get two polarized views: Either the stress is so great it has to cause irreparable harm or it's fine or even beneficial. Yet neither really captures the whole story.
Having my baby boy has led to an exponential growth in love in our family, but it has also made me very angry. Not at him or anyone close to us, but at our society that continues to devalue family and children.
I get a lot of people angry that I speak out against extinction sleep training because it "worked" for them. I thought I'd start a post that allows me to respond publicly to these criticisms so I don't have to repeat myself over and over.
Parents often worry that their child isn't getting the magical number of hours of sleep. New research suggests we can ditch the idea that there is a magical number for it doesn't seem to influence outcomes at all.
"In some ways, I wish I didn’t have the story to even share, but the fact that it happened can’t be changed and I hope that by sharing, I’ll encourage other families to listen to their instincts and to their babies."
"Gentle" parenting or sleep training is making the rounds as an "it" thing, but is all of it actually gentle? Sadly there are too many wolves out there dressed up as sheep and it's up to us to identify the real gentle help from the pretend stuff.
Knowing your baby can't be done by reading books or hearing what other people think of how to parent. Knowing your baby means spending time with your baby and believing s/he is an individual. All parents need to do this.
Recent research suggests that "sleep problems" at 18 months carry a higher risk for later emotional and behavioural problems. What can we take from this research? Is it valid? Does it support things like extinction sleep training?