“Your child has learned to fall asleep by themselves (and you think you’ve got it made!) then all of the sudden they are crying out that they are scared,” says Michael Cohen, MD. “Preschool drop-off goes well for several months, then for no reason, the clinging returns. Milestones that were well established melt away with regression. What is going on? Is this normal? Should I be worried about a serious problem?”
Parents struggle with working with their children to meet these all-important benchmarks. Not only is it so crucial for the children’s development, self-esteem and independence building, but it makes your life so much easier! Think of all of the time you gain in the evenings when bedtime goes smoothly or how calmly you drive to work when your child smiles and waves goodbye as you head out the door. These successes are yours as well.
But, what happens when you think you have it down and then they start to slide back to where they were before you did your happy dance? To learn about explanations for these occurrences, Dr. Cohen suggests the following article by Melinda Wenner Moyer in the NY Times Parenting Newsletter: “Wait, I Thought You Had Outgrown This.”
Our series of evening EVJCC parenting workshops, which begin in the fall, will cover these types of topics. The workshops, led by Dr. Michael Cohen, are a time for parents to learn from an expert and from each other. They will provide insight into the developmental levels of your children and offer guidance and support as you meet each day with your children with a smile.
These workshops are only open to families enrolled at the Early Childhood Learning Center at the East Valley JCC. They are included in your tuition and childcare will be provided for a small fee for the evening. Watch for registration information at the beginning of August.
Pam Morris, MSEd
Director, early childhood education
