At age four, conflicts can emerge as children learn to play together. They are learning how to take turns, share materials and share ideas. They may also experience (or experiment with) verbal conflict such as name-calling or put-downs. Emotions can run high when kids face social challenges both children's emotions and parents' emotions! But there are concrete skills that will help kids learn how to collaborate, cooperate, communicate, negotiate, self-advocate and respect others.

For most of us, life feels anything but normal right now with the COVID-19 pandemic, schools closed and working from home. But you can create a new normal for your family by having consistent routines.

When my daughter was young, it took a lot of mental energy , creativity and time to come up with new ways to get our energy out inside, especially during bad weather days, extended weekends or even as part of our every day routine. Physical activity is important for children and adults alike. Getting regular exercise helps keep our bodies healthy, sets up positive long-term habits, supports restful sleep and helps children be prepared to learn.

Grit involves sticking with something until you succeed. It’s another word for perseverance and resilience, and it gives us the strength to try, try, try again. Grit supports a “growth mindset” – a belief that our intelligence and skills can grow with effort. Kids with a growth mindset thrive on challenges and view failure as part of the learning process. For a seven-year-old, grit might look like sticking with a task at school, even when it seems difficult; identifying skills they want to develop and practicing them; and continuing when they encounter setbacks.