Because bedtime shouldn’t require a law degree, unlimited patience, and seventeen glasses of water. Dr. Deb Zupito There is a magical moment at the end of a long parenting day. The pajamas are on. Teeth are brushed. You’ve read the stories, given the hugs, answered the questions, and tucked your little one into bed. You quietly close the bedroom door, take a deep breath, and imagine yourself sitting on the couch for the first time in twelve hours. And then you hear it. “Mommy

Why allowing children to experience disappointment, with our support, may be one of the greatest gifts we can give them. By Dr. Deb Zupito Picture this. You are driving home after a long day when your child remembers that they wanted to stop for ice cream. You explain that dinner is waiting, and ice cream is not happening today. The crying begins. Then the kicking, the pleading, and the negotiations from the back seat. You try reasoning. You mention the ice cream in your free

Dr. Deb Zupito The first few weeks of preschool can be emotional, and not just for the children. There are tears, hesitant little feet, children wrapped around a parent's leg, and parents standing at the door wondering whether they should offer one more hug, one more kiss, or one more minute. Sometimes there is that heartbreaking little face looking back at you as if to say, You are seriously leaving me here? As parents, every instinct in us wants to make that discomfort go a

By: Dr. Deb Zupito There is something about the end of summer that signals change. Backpacks appear in stores, older siblings head back to school, classrooms begin new themes and routines, and suddenly everyone seems to be talking about what comes next. For many preschoolers, their actual days may not change very much. They may have attended preschool throughout the summer. They may still wake up at the same time, walk through the same doors, and see many of the same familiar

Dr. Deb Zupito Most parents never get to see what a preschool classroom looks like once the day is fully underway. If you could peek inside an hour after the morning begins, you would likely see children proudly creating colorful masterpieces, someone carefully building an impressive block tower, a teacher comforting a child who needed a little extra reassurance, while another patiently helps tiny hands learn to zip a jacket. Music drifts through the room. Children chatter wi

Why the Simplest Summer Moments May Be Shaping Your Child's Brain the Most Dr. Deb Zupito There is something magical about a popsicle on a hot summer afternoon. It begins perfectly frozen, bright, colorful, and full of possibility. Children race outside with excitement, taking big bites before the first drop lands on their hands. Then, almost without warning, it begins to melt. No matter how carefully you try to slow it down, summer sunshine always wins. Childhood melts away