September 1964: The mid-morning sun shone on the uniform lawns on Juniper Street. The area, in an affluent Sacramento suburb, was lined with brick houses and bordered by two large bushes, marking its separation from the outside world.  To Martha Baxter, this was the place those with materialistic desires loved to call home. At eleven ...

Brother and sister are playing together at home. They both want one specific Lego piece, and sharing is not an option. The six-year-old gets angry, stomps around, and throws toys across the room. The five-year-old runs to the corner, silently crying with tears streaming down, and they sulk. These little ones have two drastic reactions ...

A family on a stroll stumbles upon a dessert shop. They all decide to grab one ice cream cone each. Dad chooses strawberry, mom picks vanilla, and the three-year-old settles on cookies and cream with sprinkles. The little one is looking forward to enjoying this tasty treat. She runs out to the bench and trips. ...

Imagine a nine-month-old experimenting with his legs for the first time. His knees are wobbly like a newborn fawn. Splat. He lands on his booty; thank goodness he has all that padding from the diaper. Laughter ensues. “Great job!” shouts Grandma with excitement. “You’re almost there,” Grandpa says with encouragement. This depiction is a typical ...

Physical touch has never been my love language. I have not been a hugger, kisser, or cuddler. This sentiment did not change even after I became a mom. My oldest was born six years ago. Even when I met my firstborn, what I’ve heard described as the moment that makes all the pain, hardship, waiting, ...

I have the privilege of being both a pediatric nurse and a mom. With 11 years of hospital bedside experience in the pediatric intensive unit, I encounter a range of patients and families. Each meeting is unique and special in its own way. Something new I learn every shift, is how to foster resilience in ...

Little humans are almost like pets. They get antsy when I coop them up too long under a roof. Moreso when visiting the grandparents’ house for the holidays because it is a new environment, they don’t have their comfort toys, and routine is thrown out the window during holiday vacations. I must take them on ...

Humans communicate using words, actions, body language, tone, inflection, and volume. Small people may not be receptive to all these nuances. To them, spoken word is the gold standard. They are unable to appreciate sarcasm, puns, and figures of speech. What we articulate to children is what they believe. Cross Signals Youngsters receive conflicting messages ...

Flying with little humans can be challenging. Delays, waits, lines, quiet voices, and nowhere to go, makes my patience grow wary. Traveling adults experience anxiety and tension with getting to the airline on time, progressing through security, and keeping track of baggage. Add bothersome kids to that mix and it is chaos. Being a military ...

When does a grown-up learn to express themselves in a manner acceptable to society? Imagine me, a 33-year-old, enters a coffee shop, and screams, “I WANT COFFEE.” I continue to shout, “I WANT COFFEE” for 15 minutes. Fellow coffee drinkers scoot further away from me, in case I am mentally insane. Others stare, mouth agape, ...