The pandemic taught us a lot of things, like how to properly wash your hands and the importance of social distancing to avoid spreading germs. But for kids born during the lockdown, they didn’t get the chance to learn important social skills that help humans make friends.

Now that the pandemic is over, it’s clear that there is some catching up to do. Yet “the opportunity to learn and practice social skills in a group setting is especially important for newborns born during the pandemic,” Daniel Adams of Still Water Wellness told Mom.com. Here’s what you can do to help.

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There’s no question that the pandemic had far-reaching effects on the entire world. It changed every aspect of our daily lives; from how we worked and did business, shopped for groceries, and celebrated milestones with our families. Schools across the nation went virtual, childcare facilities were closed, and mommy-and-me play groups disbanded while entire families retreated to the safety of their homes. As a result, babies born during the pandemic had few opportunities for socialization and enrichment. Caregivers are now tasked with preparing pandemic babies for preschool.

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April is Autism Awareness Month, and with 1 in 36 kids being on the autism spectrum, it’s vital that all understand what autism spectrum disorder is and how it affects children.

With ASD becoming more prevalent in today’s society, children of all ages who are neurotypical — those who do not have a neurodevelopment challenge — must gain a keen understanding of what the world is like for those who have autism. Any child who feels different fears not being accepted by their peers, and on that note, parents feel that same fear for their children.

So, let’s shut down the fear and create a more inclusive society. Here are ways that parents can effectively explain autism to a child that will foster more acceptance of differences within our communities.

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I thought I was being a smart mom. The other day, I took my almost-kindergartener and her three older siblings to the school playground. I figured this would be a fun way to introduce my youngest to her recess wonderland a month prior to school starting.

The experience was fun enough. She hung from the bars, tried out the balance beams, and went down the slides. When we were walking hand-in-hand to the car, she proclaimed it was “so much fun.” But in the few days that followed, she was a mess — clingy, cried easily, and easily angered. It hit me that no matter how our typically easygoing, excited kids are, if they’ve spent much of their childhood sheltered at home during the pandemic, school is going to be a harsh reality check.

The post Hold On, Mamas, Starting Kindergarten Is Going To Be Rough For Our Covid Kids appeared first on Mom.com.

“Hey kiddo, it’s time to go to Target,” I reminded my 8-year-old. My son curled up into the tiniest of balls against my request. I’d seen this plan of his to become invisible before and it was almost a good idea but ultimately unsuccessful. Foiled again by the fact that I know our couch isn’t ticklish, his toes gave him away. Through his giggles, he reminded me why he didn’t want to leave the house — “for forever.” After two years of sticking close to home, my kid doesn’t want to go out ever again.

After quarantine and a year of remote learning, plus this last year of basically only doing school-related stuff, my son’s happy place is now our living room. Oh, I get it. Over the past couple of years, all his major life events have gone down in here: virtual learning, holidays, and, of course, months’ worth of Encanto watching. I’m grateful my son felt content at home while the world was figuring out how to navigate a health crisis, but now that life outside our living room is safer, he wants none of it.

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This is the first year both of my kids will be in school full-time. So my emotions are ranging from, “Mah babies! No!” to “Drinks are on me!” These last days of summer, especially, are getting a little … rough, shall we say? (If you aren’t nodding, please tell me your secret.)

But while I’m looking forward to having a regular routine again (and a regular writing schedule), I will miss the long, lazy days of summer with my kiddos. (No, really, I will! In a few weeks.)

What I dread most about back-to-school season is constantly feeling rushed and unprepared. There is a saying that goes, “Start as you mean to continue,” and it’s one I’ve followed since my kids were babies. So in the interest of starting the school year off on the right foot, here are my back-to-school hacks to make my life (and hopefully theirs, as well as their teachers’) a little easier. With preparation (and a little luck), this school year will be a great experience for all of us.

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When Cheryl, mom of two, noticed that something was different about one of her kids, she felt lost. No one could answer the question “What is going on?” Her child began demonstrating what was deemed as extreme shyness, and perhaps some sort of speech disorder, once he started kindergarten.

The post If Your Child Is Too ‘Shy’ To Speak, They Might Have Selective Mutism appeared first on Mom.com.

I used to have this friend. We’ll call her Christina. We would get together several times a month with our kids — at the park or at our houses. Christina and I both had children with special needs, but there was a big difference between us. I was fighting with everything I had to get answers, find resources, and demand my child’s needs be met. Christina, on the other hand, was the total opposite. She didn’t want anyone to “label” her child. She also became increasingly intolerant of one of my children who was already in the midst of medical evaluations for what I already knew: my child had ADHD.

The post There’s Nothing ‘Wrong’ With My Child Who Has ADHD appeared first on Mom.com.

In a year defined by a global pandemic, 2020 was also a time when the social justice movement came front and center once again. The last two years have challenged our normal and brought to a head the injustices, racism, and inequities many have been fighting so hard for all these years.

It seems that finally these pleas are no longer falling on deaf ears and for families wishing to incorporate social justice into their homeschooling lessons, the following resources are ideal for a variety of ages.

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According to a recent report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there were over half a million unhoused people in the United States in 2020. With the numbers steadily rising, it is now more important than ever to initiate conversations with our children that we may perceive as difficult or uncomfortable.

It’s natural for children to be curious about the world, and what they see, hear, and experience in the community, on television, and at school can make an impact on them. If you’re looking for ways to talk to your kids about our nation’s unhoused population, here are some ideas to help get you started.

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