The First Five Years

The Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education has made bold recommendations to improve Maryland’s public education system. Maryland Family Network knows that investing in young children offers a significant return on investment. Baltimore’s own Sage Policy Group agrees. Listen now to learn more.

Over the last twenty years the opioid epidemic has exploded across America. From 1999 to 2013, the number of women in the U.S. with an opioid use disorder while giving birth has quadrupled. How we address this crisis affects everyone.

What’s the deal with hiccups? According to a new study, it just might be babies practicing their breathing. Listen now to learn more.

Bonding with your newborn doesn’t always come naturally to new moms. For some it is instantaneous, while for others the process takes time. This has nothing to do with your ability to parent. Instead, it has to do with the seismic transition that women go through when becoming mothers. And, it’s quite normal.

Parenting feels like a state of constant fatigue--  over-exhausted, over-worked, and over-stretched in both your personal and parenting obligations. It is hard to schedule time for self-care when more than half of all married couples with children have two parents working full time in America. But self-care is vitally important, for both parent and child.

Parenting can burn more than 50,000 calories per month. Who knew having a baby would also provide you with your very own personal trainer? Learn more.

It takes a village to install a child’s car seat appropriately. There’s a lot more to car seats than meets the eye, and knowing what to look for and how to use them as instructed can literally save lives. Here are some important things to keep in mind.

New research from Vanderbilt University shows very young children may be captivated by screens, but they are not able to learn from them. When it comes to learning, that time is better spent talking to your child.

Research from Johns Hopkins University finds that babies may be able to count...sort of. Even though they can’t yet say words like one, two, or three, the babies studied seemed to understand that counting indicates quantity.

Moms, you are enough. Don’t let the internet tell you any different. Listen now to learn more.

A panel of scientists recently released new nutritional guidelines for children. According to these guidelines, for the first five years children should avoid sugary drinks and consume primarily milk and water. Listen now and drink up the knowledge!

The U.S. has the largest population of incarcerated people in the whole world. Accordingly, there are approximately five million children in the U.S. who have a parent in jail, prison, or on parole. When a person is imprisoned the impact is vast; it is felt by their family, their community, and, sadly, their children.

Most parents are aware that communication with their infant influences how the child learns. What’s less known is the impact that infants have on their parents. Researchers at Cornell University’s B.A.B.Y. Laboratory found that babies’ babbling effects the ways in which parents communicate with their infants.

Young children’s brains and bodies develop faster during the first five years than at any other time. They need healthy food to power that growth. But food insecurity is still a major issue facing many American families. Listen now to learn more.

Does your child suffer from nyctophobia? Probably. Even though it sounds alarming, nyctophobia is known as “afraid of the dark.” Typically, children develop a fear of the dark between the ages of two and four, when children begin to use their imaginations, ask lots of questions, and become anxious about the unknown. It’s important to recognize this phenomenon and to respond accordingly. Listen here to learn more.

Transitions can be hard. At four years of age, imagine how scary it would be to enter school for the first time! Having a clear plan to prepare for pre-kindergarten at age 4 or kindergarten at age 5 is not only helpful to you, but also a major benefit to your child. Listen here to learn more.

When that second child comes along it can be hard for an older sibling. After all, who wants to share the spotlight? But, don’t lose hope. Here are a few strategies to help ease your child’s transition to becoming a big brother or sister.

Do you have to go potty? Are you sure? Listen now for a few tips to make potty training go smoothly.

Divorce is difficult, especially for children. If shared custody is involved, there’s an extra layer of complexity. Yet millions of parents successfully share custody with their children. Listen here for tips on how to help your family adjust to some of the daily changes that come with divorce.

Wouldn’t you like to get together with other parents to share ideas, learn about resources, and have a dialogue about common challenges? Well, you’re in luck. Parent Cafés provide comfortable, confidential opportunities for parents and caregivers to engage in conversations about maintaining strong families. Listen here to learn more.

A Pew Research Center survey of American grandparents found that spending time with grandchildren can be not only a necessity but also a joy. Indeed, over half of American grandparents believe having more time with family, and specifically grandchildren, is the best part of growing older. Listen here to learn more.

According to the World Health Organization, ageism is more ingrained around the world than either racism or sexism. Researchers at Cornell University believe that age-related prejudices can be overcome through intergenerational interactions. Listen now to learn about the benefits for both children and elders.

While in the womb, some children hear as much as five hours of language per day, according to a study from the University of Illinois. Yet others will hear far fewer. During pregnancy and during the first five years of life, the brain is developing more rapidly than at any other time. Talking with children, a lot, during that time builds the brain architecture needed later to support communication, reading, and other skills needed throughout life. Listen now for more.

Researchers from Stanford University examined a Swedish law that allows fathers to take up to 30 days, as needed, in the year after a birth. Since the law was enacted, there has been a 26 percent decrease in anti-anxiety prescriptions and a 14 percent reduction in hospitalizations for new Swedish mothers. Meanwhile the United States is the only industrialized country with no paid leave required by law for either parent. It’s time for a change. The time for paid family leave is now. Listen now to learn more.

Summer’s here and the time is right…for swimming! And that means it’s time to stay vigilant when your child is in or near the water. Drowning happens in a matter of seconds and is the leading cause of injury-related deaths of children one to four years of age in the United States. Listen now to learn more about water safety.

When America was founded nearly 250 years ago “child care” would have meant spending the day on the farm or in the fields. We’ve come a long way since then. The Maryland General Assembly recently took another step toward making child care available to more families. For the first time in 20 years Maryland’s Child and Dependent Tax Credit was expanded. Listen now to learn more about how this legislation benefits us all.

While the importance of outdoor play is well known, results from a study done in the UK reveal that children today are spending much less time outdoors than is recommended. Listen now to learn more.

The push for paternity leave continues to intensify. Research shows the benefits of paternity leave to both newborns and families. What are the implications of this, and how does it affect child development? Listen here to learn more.

Toddlers’ brains are like sponges, soaking up the vocabulary and mannerisms of those around them. Researchers at Ohio State University and Purdue University studied children’s learning habits and concluded that children learn new words best from their peers. Listen now to learn more about the implications of these findings.

Little ones are full of energy, excitement, and inquisitiveness. Directing that energy into productive play and safe activities can be challenging. Here are three tips to keep in mind to help you do just that. Listen here to learn more.