Blog
Controlled Crying: What does the research say?
Mouths of Mums has published my article "Controlled Crying, the truth, mostly the truth, and some opinion": Ever felt like a bad Mum for trying controlled crying? Or not doing controlled crying, but leaving you and your child constantly sleep deprived? Me too. Here’s...
Daycare: When to start? Are there risks to starting too early?
Have you heard that when mothers return to work within the first year of life, sending their child to daycare, this can result in later attachment issues, disobedience, and aggression? Don't panic. It is not that straight forward. I began researching this based on a...
When work is play and play is work
"I'm sorry, I can't play, I have to get breakfast ready/ get you dressed/ pack your bag..." I hear myself say this phrase way too often, and I want to change it. I was sick on Tuesday, too sick to do any of the things I usually do, and I learned two very important...
Liebster Award – an opportunity to show appreciation for fellow bloggers
Liebster Award I've been nominated for the Liebster Award! Thank you very much to Cindy from www.yourkidsot.com for nominating me! Cindy is an occupational therapist who provides creative ways to engage kids in learning and development through play. Please check out...
Potty training tips and tools from experience
I went into potty training armed with the research into physical aspects of potty training and theory behind the motivation. I have come out with practical potty training tips and tools that for us, worked really well. This is a bit of a different post, because it is...
Stress in children – Making big problems small and small resources big
When a child feels upset, angry, frustrated, or scared, our response to that emotion transmits an important message. Our response effectively communicates how to think about and deal with problems that are stressful. As children grow, so do their responsibilities and...
Why children ask why
Alex is just entering the "why" phase. His version is "Mummy tell you what that means" (he hasn't quite got pronouns yet). Like many parents, I have started to wonder why children ask why, and what answer are they looking for? I have heard Psychology referred to as...
How to potty train without the power play
I realised that in my last potty training post I focused on the physical aspects of potty training and neglected the psychological, motivational aspects - which is silly given that is one of my areas of expertise. Apart from the sickness that put Alex in hospital for...
PR-P003: 5 Research-based Sleep Training Methods
Cry it out and controlled crying are commonly recommended for addressing sleep problems. There are alternative sleep training methods. Mindell and colleagues (2006) reviewed research on 5 approaches (including cry it out and controlled crying). They concluded that...
Kind and Firm, Consistent and Responsive, is it possible?
A big challenge for me is when parenting values conflict. I want to be consistent and responsive, but sometimes they seem to guide me in opposite directions. I started thinking about this because of bedtime routines. On one side we have people who argue that...
Hi, I’m Nicky
Hi, I'm Nicky,
A PhD/Masters registered Psychologist, researcher, coach, and Mum. I am using my skills in research to better understand this new, exciting, and sometimes baffling adventure of parenthood. I hope to gain insight, skills, and company along the way.
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