Dr. Walter Gilliam, associate professor of child psychiatry and psychology at Yale University, visited Phoenix earlier this month to keynote at the First Things First Early Childhood Summit and also hosted a question-and-answer session focused on preschool expulsion with Southwest Human Development staff. Gilliam is the foremost expert in preschool expulsion,...
Play is not just fun, it’s good for children! Adults might view play as a distraction from their jobs, chores and errands. Dictionaries even define play as activities of “leisure” or without “practical purpose.” Anyone who’s seen a group of rowdy 4-year-olds playing knows there’s nothing leisurely about play. But...
Your child can become more confident in their abilities with the right guidance! A balance of encouragement, support and patience will go a long way in nurturing independence in your young child. Here are some ways you can help build their independence at each stage of development: Ages 0-2 As your baby...
Parents want their kids to have friends! But learning how to make friends does not come naturally to young children, who are not always known for their social skills. Parents and caregivers can help children build friendships. Here are some tips: Arrange playdatesSee if preschool classmates or family friends are willing...
We focus on early childhood development because we know that the earliest years of a child’s life are crucial to life-long success. One well-known study is the Perry Preschool Project, which launched in the 1960s to see if high-quality preschool would lead to higher IQ scores. While the children's IQ...
A story of compassion has been making the rounds on the internet this month, as an airline passenger showed kindness to a boy with autism traveling alone for the first time. Seven-year-old Landon Bjornson was flying solo from Las Vegas to Portland to visit his dad. Landon has high-functioning autism and...
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the important role that dads play in their children's lives. For a long time, fathers were seen as “secondary” parents, while mothers stereotypically handled most nurturing and parenting duties. But parenting research and shifted gender expectations have led to a growing appreciation for...
The Educare Arizona, Southwest Human Development and Balsz School District families were saddened to learn about the passing of John Whiteman. John had an enormous impact on early childhood education in Arizona and on the well-being of children in our state as a whole. John was an advocate for ensuring...
Kids love the freedom of summer break — no school, no homework, more playtime! But all that energy coming back home can be stressful for parents. Don’t worry — there are plenty of fun, engaging activities you can do with your children this summer! Here are some of our favorites: Go...
Southwest Human Development, Arizona's largest nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development, has hired Jeanette Ramos as the agency's new chief financial officer and Kecia Blackson, JD, MS, as its vice president of Family Support Services. “We are thrilled to welcome Jeanette and Kecia to our agency,” said Ginger Ward, chief executive...