Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

Solve toddler challenges with eight key mindshifts that will help you parent with clarity, calmness, and self-control. In Why is My Child in Charge?, Claire Lerner shows how making critical mindshifts—seeing children’s behaviors through a new lens —empowers parents to solve their most vexing childrearing challenges. Using real life stories, Lerner unpacks the individualized process she guides parents through to settle common challenges, such as throwing tantrums in public, delaying bedtime for hours, refusing to participate in family mealtimes, and resisting potty training. Lerner then provides readers with a roadmap for how to recognize the root cause of their child’s behavior and how to create and implement an action plan tailored to the unique needs of each child and family. Why is My Child in Charge? is like having a child development specialist in your home. It shows how parents can develop proven, practical strategies that translate into adaptable, happy kids and calm, connected, in-control parents.

From a leading US authority on a subject more timely than ever—an up-to-date, all-in-one resource on gender-nonconforming children and adolescents In her groundbreaking first book, Gender Born, Gender Made, Dr. Diane Ehrensaft coined the term gender creative to describe children whose unique gender expression or sense of identity is not defined by a checkbox on their birth certificate. Now, with The Gender Creative Child, she returns to guide parents and professionals through the rapidly changing cultural, medical, and legal landscape of gender and identity. In this up-to-date, comprehensive resource, Dr. Ehrensaft explains the interconnected effects of biology, nurture, and culture to explore why gender can be fluid, rather than binary. As an advocate for the gender affirmative model and with the expertise she has gained over three decades of pioneering work with children and families, she encourages caregivers to listen to each child, learn their particular needs, and support their quest for a true gender self. The Gender Creative Child unlocks the door to a gender-expansive world, revealing pathways for positive change in our schools, our communities, and the world.

Individuals with complex communication needs who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) frequently encounter barriers that limit their ability to achieve their full potential in communication and in life. These barriers include access barriers (limitations in the current capabilities of the AAC user or the communication systems that they use) as well as opportunity barriers (e.g., policy, practice, knowledge/skill, and attitude barriers that extend beyond the AAC user). It is essential to consider both access and opportunity barriers when designing systems and supports for individuals who use AAC. However, often the emphasis of research and practice is on addressing issues related to access barriers with far less attention to opportunity barriers. Supporting Individuals Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Breaking Down Opportunity Barriers is the first book to focus specifically on practical strategies for breaking down opportunity barriers experienced by individuals who use AAC. The text is divided into four sections, with each section devoted to a frequently encountered opportunity barrier (knowledge/skill, practice, attitude, and policy). Within each section, readers will (a) develop a deeper understanding of the impact of the barrier through the eyes of individuals who use AAC or their families, (b) acquire knowledge based on current research and recommended practices related to addressing the barrier, and (c) learn how professionals have successfully addressed the barrier via case examples from the field. The final chapter provides readers with information (as well as tools and examples) about how to go “beyond the book” and actively address the unique opportunity barriers they encounter. Key Features * Includes in-depth interviews with individuals who use AAC and their families * Identifies evidence-based and promising practices for addressing opportunity barriers * Provides tips, tools, and resources for addressing opportunity barriers * Illustrates successful strategies for addressing opportunity barriers through case examples and step-by-step guidelines for implementation * Includes contributions from professionals in the field who have successfully addressed opportunity barriers in home, school, workplace, and community settings Who Should Read This Book This book is designed to support those who find themselves frustrated by the opportunity barriers experienced by individuals who use AAC and are searching for ways to break down those barriers, including people who rely on AAC, speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, family members, university students, faculty in higher education, and other professionals in school, healthcare, and community settings.

Providing Support at Home for Children and Young People who have Complex Health Needs discusses elements of providing support in the home, which influence the quality of provision. This includes: the rationale for providing support at home, the child being central to the provision of support, taking into account the needs of the whole family, working closely with parents, working in the family home, choices and rights, supporting adolescents, team working, ethical issues, political and organisational issues. Case studies are used to illustrate the points raised.