Child Development Institute

Welcome to our website designed to provide the information and tools parents need to understand their unique child/children and to enable them to help each child develop into the successful human being they were meant to be.

Our philosophy is built on years of child development research which shows that while each child is “pre-wired” with certain traits, temperament and abilities, it’s the interaction with their environment, especially their parents, which ultimately determines how these characteristics are manifested as they grow and develop into competent adults.

Development is the result of “transactions” between the child and his/her environment.  Each transaction results in new learning which results in the development of skills and traits.  The right frequency, quality and intensity of interactions between children and their environment will result in each child reaching his or her full potential.

If you have ever observed the progress of a major building project, you have seen that scaffolding is put up first and is used to provide support while the structure is being built.  As the project reaches each stage of completion, the scaffolding is gradually removed as the building can support itself.  The parent’s role in child development is to provide the scaffolding for their child and gradually remove it as the child attains skills and abilities while they move from one developmental stage to another. By spending time in the Child Development section of our website and subscribing to our Newsletter and Blog, you will be able to provide just the right type and amount of scaffolding for your child.

Research has also shown that nurturing in the form of spending sufficient quality time with your child that is fun and enjoyable for parent and child leads to happy, healthy , successful kids.  Kids also need structure.  Parents are the key to helping children develop self-discipline and positive character traits.  Our Parenting section provides tips on how to enjoy your child while providing the leadership and structure to meet the unique needs of each child.

Parents should be each child’s first and favorite teacher.  Our Learning section provides guidelines and tools to enable parents to provide the input and activities children need at critical stages of development.  The timing and appropriateness are key to children learning important skills.  Children may have difficulty mastering certain developmental tasks or academic subjects.  We also provide suggestions on how to help kids when they are struggling.  We offer expert help for new readers or struggling readers including dyslexia, math, language plus help for study skills and homework. 

The Health & Safety section provides guidelines on how to keep your child fit and healthy as well as how to handle  issues such as sleep, weight management and common childhood illnesses.  Safety tips for parents of kids and teens are available including updates on product recalls.

Most parents will encounter a few bumps in the road as their child moves from baby to teen to adult.  The Child Psychology section provides guidelines and referrals to trusted resources for such problems as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD, Anxiety, Autism/Aspergers, Bedwetting, Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder - ODD, Shyness and more.  

Concerned about what your kids watching or listening to?  How about video games or internet activity?  Visit our Kids & Media section for guidelines and suggestions for age appropriate materials including books, music, videos, software and video games.

Finally.   Are you a New Parent or new to parenting Teens?  We have help for you as well.

Featured Articles

Back to School -How to Get a Good Routine Going Before you know it the school bells will be ringing and it will be time for children to head back to school. If you’re wondering about how to get a good routine going, consider the following ideas to help you create your own. Once you have a routine in place, the chance your family will be able to start the new school year on a bright and less harried note will be increased. Don’t wait too long to set up your back to school routine. The longer you wait to get the children into the habit of going to bed at a set bedtime, the harder time your children will have getting up for school in the morning. Of course, if you can help your children get into the routine of going to bed earlier, choosing their clothes for the next day and being sure everything is in their book bag the day will start much better.

Stop the Kids from Fighting; Ways to Take On Sibling Arguments  All the signs of the halfway point of summer are here - you've taken the kids to the library at least a couple of times, you've almost fulfilled your promise to limit video game play time, the fireflies light the evening sky, and the sound of siblings bickering and arguing rises over everything else.  Are they doing it because they're bored?  Are they dehydrated?  A more likely explanation is that the arguing and bickering in your home has multiple causes and triggers.  Certainly there is more face-to-face time when school is out during the summer, but more likely, the underlying tension that starts the flare-ups has been present all year.  Maybe instead of looking at the situation as a recipe for premature hair loss, we can seize the opportunity with the extra summer hours available to actually do something more substantial about kids' fighting at home. 

Children are Little Scientists: Encouraging Discovery Plan  Children have an inbuilt drive for discovery. Encourage your child to observe the world and to feel a sense of wonder for everything in it. Maria Montessori believed that all children behave like "little scientists" in that they are eager to observe and make "what if" discoveries about their world. Infants and toddlers test the environment to see what happens when, for example, they drop a toy out of their highchair or play with the water in their bath. This drive for discovery continues to develop as they grow and become more adventurous in the things that they try out, from making mud pies in the garden to starting a worm farm in the living room. Children are born with marvelous imaginations and a keen desire to explore the world. Encourage this in your child and help her to discover the beauty and wonder of everything around her.  

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