Your newborn will grow and change more in their first year of life than during any other time, making it an exciting (and at times anxiety-producing) age, particularly for first-time parents. Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs we’ll ever do, filled with joy, along with stress and anxiety, not only about managing […]
We are living in a moment of extraordinary technological acceleration. Axios recently reported that more than 40 million people are turning to ChatGPT every day for health information—and that’s just health care (Axios, 2026). For families and educators, AI can feel like relief: faster answers, easier planning, more efficiency. But childhood isn’t meant to be […]
With Black Friday this week, many parents are searching for the perfect gifts for their children. Toys and books are a great way to celebrate this joyful season, and Housman Institute Founder, Dr. Donna Housman, recently had one of her six ECSELent Adventures children’s books featured in the New York Post’s “32 best Christmas gifts […]
As an author with more than 35 years of experience as a psychologist in the field of child development and early childhood education, I know firsthand the impact stories can have on young minds. Through storytelling, we can often help children understand and face difficult emotions in a safe and engaging way. My latest […]
There is no faster time of brain development than from zero to three, and some of the most formative experiences that have lifelong consequences occur in early childhood. Because of this period of expedited development, babies’ and young children’s needs vary during these early years. That’s why I’m going to focus on age-by-age information during […]
I’m thrilled that we’ve released the fifth book in the ECSELent Adventures series, “Franklin’s World Takes a Turn.” Each book in the series addresses topical developmental issues by helping children explore their emotions, relationships, and the world around them. Each book is designed with support to scaffold learning around familiar topics children encounter while also […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month where we raise awareness about the importance of mental health and ways to support mental well-being. At Housman Institute, emotional well-being and mental health are central to all of our efforts. In my last blog post, we took a look at a New York Times article that explored chronic absenteeism […]
I recently spoke with Dr. Melissa Rampelli who writes for Psychology Today about the importance of bibliotherapy, or “the use of books as a form of treatment,” to improve emotional well being and mental health in children’s development. Melissa had seen Housman Institute’s work and cited the necessity of causal talk, conversations about emotions between adults and children, […]
As a parent, you want to give the best to your children – the best food, the best toys, the best environment, and the best childcare. With the growth of full-time working parents, the demand for childcare is rising and even exceeds the supply of providers nationwide1. Selecting the right childcare center can be a challenging […]
Infants’ and toddlers’ mental health has suffered significantly over the past several years. Emotions are universally babies’ first language and way of experiencing the world. As such, we have an opportunity to respond empathically to infants and young children and to connect with them in order to support their emotional well-being. Related: The Ultimate Guide […]
EdSurge recently reported on the negative impact of the past few years on toddlers’ and infants’ mental health. I agree wholeheartedly that much has been reported on older groups of children and teens, but there hasn’t been as much focus on very young children – including infants and preschoolers. As Meghan Schmelzer, senior manager of infant and […]
EdWeek recently ran an opinion piece, “What Districts Need When Investing Their Funds.”1 The authors identified multiple areas, such as tutoring, summer learning, and core instruction. They noted toward the end that emotional and mental health supports should be prioritized. As a psychologist with more than 35 years in the field of child development and […]
It is back-to-school season, and stuffed inside all those new backpacks and lunchboxes are lots of jitters and emotions, especially as we send off our littlest learners for the very first time. Our so-called “Covid Generation,” children born right before or during the pandemic, are carrying all the usual excitement, worries, and questions; however, they […]
What makes for good teaching? And what makes a teacher great? Liz Willen posed those questions in a recent Hechinger newsletter as she highlighted Jill Barshay’s article Proof Points-The Paradox of Good Teaching in which Barshay acknowledged that “deciding what constitutes good teaching is a messy business.” No doubt that it is, but I’m sure we can all […]
Play is a child’s work. ~Dr. Donna Housman Play is the Key to Children’s Socialization, Learning, and Brain Development Happy Summertime! We all wait for this special season to kick-back, relax and spend more time with the children in our lives. To many, it may seem like it’s just one big continuation of what young […]
Welcome back to our series on the Power of Reflective Practice. Previously, we explored what Reflective Practice is and learned about one early childhood educator’s personal experiences with Reflective Practice within the begin to ECSEL program and how it affected her work and life. In this segment, we will look at how Reflective Practice can go beyond […]
