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A Parent's Guide to Child Development

Annamarie von Firley

Let's face it—nobody ever went to college to learn how to raise a baby. Everyone is just making it up as they go along. "A Parent's Guide to Child Development" is your lifeline to expert wisdom. Learn about the most important information that you didn't know existed.

Hosted by Annamarie von Firley from Fledglings' Flight, this podcast gathers insights from experts in child development such as pediatric OTs, speech language pathologists, child psychologists, lactation consultants, & more, delivering practical tips & actionable advice to help optimize your child's development.

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  • 35 episodes
  • Avg 18 min
  • English

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  • Friday · 1 min

    Telltale Signs Your Child is Breathing Poorly

    How can you tell if your child is a mouth breather or just has allergies or a cold? Dr. Hana Khan, an airway-centered dentist, shares the telltale signs of poor breathing to look for in your child: 👂 Frequent ear infections, such as two to four a year 😮 How they swallow 🗣️ Mumbling or speaking with the mouth barely open 🧍 Hunched, forward posture 🦷 Tooth spacing. Check their baby pictures. Dr. Khan says healthy young kids have gaps between their teeth, about the width of a nickel.Watch the full episode of A Parent’s Guide To Child Development with Dr. Hana Khan 🎧 Timestamps: 0:00 Is mouth breathing a long term issue? 0:15 What symptoms should you look out for to see if your child isn't breathing properly? This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please talk with your child’s healthcare provider about any concerns.A UCLA School of Dentistry graduate, Dr. Khan's clinical focus is holistic, whole-body health—with particular emphasis on airway- centered dentistry and the connection between breathing and oral development to the overall health. Dr. Khan completed the Mini Airway Residency and further completed orofacial myology training, providing structured myofunctional therapy programs tailored to each patient. She has completed courses under numerous top airway specialists in addition to two myofunctional therapy programs. Her unique approach combines all the tools and techniques from these great minds to give you the very best care. She is focused on wholistic care that treats the airway while creating beautiful smiles. Contact info:website: drhanakhan.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr._hana_khan_dds/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drhanakhandds#mouthbreathing #PediatricSleep #airwayhealth #childdevelopment #parentingtips #parentingpodcasts #shorts About Annamarie von Firley:After 20 years of owning and running her own fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie von Firley returned to her toy design roots. With a BA in Wooden Toy Design & Construction and a BFA in Furniture Design, she took her knowledge of child development and expertise in play to found Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In the Summer of 2020, it became apparent to her that pandemic lockdowns were going to have a profound effect on the development of babies born after 2018. About Fledglings' Flight:Fledglings Flight understands that every child is unique & deserves the best opportunities for growth & learning. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of play-based exercises specifically designed for children from birth to 3 years of age. These exercises are carefully curated to stimulate their cognitive, motor, & social-emotional development. Follow us:Fledglings’ Flight: www.FledglingsFlight.com App: app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram: / fledglingsflight TikTok: / fledglings.flight Facebook: / fledglingsflight LinkedIn: / fledglings-flight Pinterest: / fledglingsflight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • Wednesday · 2 min

    What is Executive Functioning?

    Have you ever wondered the learning process for a young adults mind when it comes to their functionality? Today we're getting a rare kind of preview. Our guest works with teenagers and young adults who are still struggling with the very foundations most of us assume kids just “pick up” along the way— starting tasks, managing time, regulating emotions, and following through with things. Diana Pellicano is the Director of the College Success Program at GrowNow where she works closely with students and families to build internal executive functioning skills necessary for independence, self-regulation, and long-term success. Diana specializes in supporting high school students preparing for college and college-level students with ADHD and executive function delays Topics discussed: • Self Awareness • Executive Functioning • Room Reading • Self Regulation • Delayed Gratification • Self Motivation Timestamps: 0:02 Does Executive Functioning mean? 0:25 How your child becomes self aware of there own issues?00:43 How young adults adapt to more pressure in a classroom? 01:25 How motivated is your child to do unwanted tasks?02:15 Is your child self reflecting when struggling? 02:45 Does your child take accountability? Contact Diana: https://www.grownowadhd.com/ https://www.instagram.com/grownowadhd/?hl=endani@grownowadhd.com Mike@grownowadhd.com About Annamarie von Firley:After 20 years of owning and running her own fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie von Firley returned to her toy design roots. With a BA in Wooden Toy Design & Construction and a BFA in Furniture Design, she took her knowledge of child development and expertise in play to found Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In the Summer of 2020, it became apparent to her that pandemic lockdowns were going to have a profound effect on the development of babies born after 2018. About Fledglings' Flight:Fledglings Flight understands that every child is unique & deserves the best opportunities for growth & learning. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of play-based exercises specifically designed for children from birth to 3 years of age. These exercises are carefully curated to stimulate their cognitive, motor, & social-emotional development. Follow us:Fledglings’ Flight: www.FledglingsFlight.com App: app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram: / fledglingsflight TikTok: / fledglings.flight Facebook: / fledglingsflight LinkedIn: / fledglings-flight Pinterest: / fledglingsflight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • October 23 · 1 hr

    Why ADHD, Autism and Anxiety Overlap -Guest: Emily Roper

    A diagnosis can feel like an answer and a brand-new set of questions at the same time. It tells you what your child is struggling with, but not why, and it rarely explains why so many kids end up with more than one label. In this episode, Emily Roper steps back from the individual reflexes to look at the whole picture of ADHD, autism, anxiety, and dyslexia: what a diagnosis does well, what it leaves out, and where early development fits in. Host Annamarie von Firley sits down with Emily Roper, Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist, certified Midwife's Assistant, and founder of Early Roots, to talk about why diagnoses overlap, what the research does (and doesn't) say about retained reflexes, and why a diagnosis is information, not a verdict. Emily is clear that this is correlation, not causation, and that the nervous system stays adaptable at any age. What We Cover: • Why Emily looks at diagnoses through a developmental lens • Why so many kids carry more than one diagnosis • What the diagnostic system captures well, and what it misses • Diagnosis as relief, the stigma around it, and medication as one tool among many • What the research shows about retained reflexes and ADHD, autism, and dyslexia • Genetics and experience: why it's never one or the other • How early differences show up, and why many appear at school age • Sensory processing, anxiety, ADHD, and dyslexia • How Emily works with families, and whether it's ever too late • What pediatricians and schools should be screening for Resources :The full primitive reflex series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7wZqosqBUM&list=PLIpwFJP6Hyuo About Emily Roper: Emily Roper is a Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist and certified Midwife's Assistant, and founder of Early Roots, a specialized therapy and education practice for children with developmental delays. She has spent over a decade supporting children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, dyslexia, sensory challenges, and other developmental difficulties.earlyrootstherapy.cominstagram.com/earlyrootsfacebook.com/earlyroots About Annamarie von Firley: After 20 years of owning and running her own fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie von Firley returned to her toy design roots. With a BA in Wooden Toy Design & Construction and a BFA in Furniture Design, she took her knowledge of child development and expertise in play to found Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In the Summer of 2020, it became apparent to her that pandemic lockdowns were going to have a profound effect on the development of babies born after 2018. About Fledglings' Flight: Fledglings Flight understands that every child is unique & deserves the best opportunities for growth & learning. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of play-based exercises specifically designed for children from birth to 3 years of age. These exercises are carefully curated to stimulate their cognitive, motor, & social-emotional development. Follow us: Fledglings’ Flight: www.FledglingsFlight.com App: app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram: / fledglingsflight TikTok: / fledglings.flight Facebook: / fledglingsflight LinkedIn: / fledglings-flight Pinterest: / fledglingsflight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • October 16 · 2 min

    The Addiction Your Toddler Doesn’t Know They Have

    Screens are addictive — and it’s by design. In this clip, pediatric occupational therapist Melanie Batista pulls back the curtain on what’s actually happening in your toddler’s brain when you take the screen away and the meltdown starts. It’s not random, and it’s not “bad behavior.” It’s a learned pattern.Every time a tantrum results in the screen being handed back, that outcome gets reinforced. The child’s brain registers: this worked. A neural pathway gets laid down — I want this, this is what I need to do to get it — and the more that pathway fires, the stronger and more automatic it becomes. What might start as a 3- or 5-minute tantrum at age one can turn into hours-long battles by the time a child is older, simply because the behavior has been rewarded again and again. Melanie compares the pull of screens to other addictive substances — not to be dramatic, but because the underlying brain chemistry is genuinely similar. Screens are engineered to release the same reward chemicals that keep us coming back, and children have even less capacity than adults to regulate that pull on their own. That’s why she’s such a strong advocate for setting firm boundaries early, before the pattern has a chance to take hold — because the longer a family waits to get a handle on screen time, the harder (and longer) those battles tend to get. Timestamps: 0:18 How screen time for children can be like crack 0:50 Are children demanding technology and causing addictive behavior? 1:54 How getting older can have parents lose control of screen time use 🎥 Watch the full conversation, "What Screens Are Actually Doing to Your Toddler's Brain," with Melanie Batista: ▶️ https://youtu.be/uk9pKL_LrSY Melanie has over 25 years of experience as a pediatric OT and is the founder of Growing Little Brains, where she helps parents and caregivers build healthy, connected childhoods in a screen-saturated world.🌐 growinglittlebrains.com📸 @GrowingLittleBrains on Instagram & Facebook#screentime #toddlertantrums #braindevelopment #screentimeforkids #earlychildhooddevelopment #childdevelopment #parentingadvice #toddlerparenting About Annamarie von Firley:After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie returned to her toy design roots and founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In 2022, she launched Fledglings’ Flight as an extension of that work. She now hosts A Parent’s Guide to Child Development, bringing parents conversations with experts in child development and psychology.About Fledglings’ Flight:Launched in 2022 by Adventuretown Toy Emporium, Fledglings’ Flight offers play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, supporting cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development, with a monthly exercise library and milestone tracking in our app. Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram & Facebook: @fledglingsflight Tiktok: @fledglings.flight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight

  • October 16 · 1 hr 4 min

    The Addiction Your Toddler Doesn’t Know They Have

    Screens are addictive — and it’s by design.In this clip, pediatric occupational therapist Melanie Batista pulls back the curtain on what’s actually happening in your toddler’s brain when you take the screen away and the meltdown starts. It’s not random, and it’s not “bad behavior.” It’s a learned pattern.Every time a tantrum results in the screen being handed back, that outcome gets reinforced. The child’s brain registers: this worked. A neural pathway gets laid down — I want this, this is what I need to do to get it — and the more that pathway fires, the stronger and more automatic it becomes. What might start as a 3- or 5-minute tantrum at age one can turn into hours-long battles by the time a child is older, simply because the behavior has been rewarded again and again.Melanie compares the pull of screens to other addictive substances — not to be dramatic, but because the underlying brain chemistry is genuinely similar. Screens are engineered to release the same reward chemicals that keep us coming back, and children have even less capacity than adults to regulate that pull on their own. That’s why she’s such a strong advocate for setting firm boundaries early, before the pattern has a chance to take hold — because the longer a family waits to get a handle on screen time, the harder (and longer) those battles tend to get.Timestamps: 0:18 How screen time for children can be like crack0:50 Are children demanding technology and causing addictive behavior?1:54 How getting older can have parents lose control of screen time use🎥 Watch the full conversation, "What Screens Are Actually Doing to Your Toddler's Brain," with Melanie Batista:▶️ https://youtu.be/uk9pKL_LrSYMelanie has over 25 years of experience as a pediatric OT and is the founder of Growing Little Brains, where she helps parents and caregivers build healthy, connected childhoods in a screen-saturated world.🌐 growinglittlebrains.com📸 @GrowingLittleBrains on Instagram & Facebook#screentime #toddlertantrums #braindevelopment #screentimeforkids #earlychildhooddevelopment #childdevelopment #parentingadvice #toddlerparenting About Annamarie von Firley:After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie returned to her toy design roots and founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In 2022, she launched Fledglings’ Flight as an extension of that work. She now hosts A Parent’s Guide to Child Development, bringing parents conversations with experts in child development and psychology.About Fledglings’ Flight:Launched in 2022 by Adventuretown Toy Emporium, Fledglings’ Flight offers play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, supporting cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development, with a monthly exercise library and milestone tracking in our app.Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.comInstagram & Facebook: @fledglingsflight Tiktok: @fledglings.flight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight

  • October 15 · 1 min

    Can Too Little Touch Cause Anxiety Later?

    Can a baby’s early experience of being touched, held, and moved affect whether the Moro and Fear Paralysis Reflexes integrate? Annamarie von Firley shares a personal story about her husband, who had an allergic reaction to a shot as a baby that left his skin too raw to be handled. Moro integration is often helped along by the repetitive picking up and putting down that happens during diaper changes and feedings, and he missed out on much of that.Emily Roper, Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist and founder of Early Roots, explains why the brain develops through movement, experience, and use. When a baby isn’t handled or doesn’t move much, early brain function can be affected. Emily also describes the children she has worked with who were adopted from overseas after spending long stretches in orphanages, often confined to cribs. These children need a lot of support to go back and fill in what they missed. Timestamps0:22 How the amount of time that a baby is handled can cause a lifetime of anxiety? 1:00 How can adoption can affect children and their Moro reflexes? 🎧 Full episode on the Fear Paralysis and Moro Reflexeshttps://youtu.be/dhCaBJ59bBA#MoroReflex #FearParalysisReflex #PrimitiveReflexes #RetainedReflexes #ChildDevelopment #ParentingTips #BabyDevelopment #FledglingsFlight #EarlyRootsAbout Annamarie von Firley: After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie returned to her toy design roots and founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In 2022, she launched Fledglings’ Flight as an extension of that work. She now hosts A Parent’s Guide to Child Development, bringing parents conversations with experts in child development and psychology. About Fledglings’ Flight: Launched in 2022 by Adventuretown Toy Emporium, Fledglings’ Flight offers play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, supporting cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development, with a monthly exercise library and milestone tracking in our app. Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram & Facebook: @fledglingsflight Tiktok: @fledglings.flight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight

  • October 10 · 52 min

    Is Mouth Breathing Causing Your Child's Tantrums? - Guest: Dr. Hana Khan

    Is your child prone to tantrums? Do they wet the bed, struggle to focus, or get frequent ear infections? These may not be a random collection of problems. They can share a root cause: how your child breathes, especially while they sleep. Host Annamarie von Firley sits down with airway-centered dentist and myofunctional therapy provider Dr. Hana Khan to explain how mouth breathing develops, how to spot it, and why she believes it is so often overlooked. Dr. Khan also shares what she would ask before agreeing to antibiotics, ear tubes, or tonsil and adenoid removal, and what a thorough airway assessment should include. Topics Discussed: - Why the nose is built for breathing, and what nasal breathing does for the air, lungs, and blood vessels - Why Dr. Khan believes crowded, crooked teeth can signal a small mouth and a breathing problem - How to tell mouth breathing apart from allergies or a passing cold - Signs to look for: tooth spacing in baby pictures, swallowing, speech, posture, and restless sleep - How poor breathing can keep a child in “fight or flight” at night Why airway problems can look like ADHD, and why Dr. Khan says airway should be ruled out first - How deep sleep supports growth hormone and the brain’s overnight “clean-up” - The link between poor breathing and bedwetting - How mouth breathing may contribute to recurrent ear infections - What adenoids and tonsils do, why they can regrow, and the one question to ask before agreeing to removal - Deviated septum's and the in-office test Dr. Khan uses to decide whether surgery is needed - What a full airway assessment and treatment plan can look like - What parents may notice first after treatment, and how to coach kids through old behavior patterns - Why Dr. Khan recommends baby -led weaning for infants and toddlers Timestamps:1:34 Why is breathing through the nose instead of by mouth so Important? 6:33 How can parents tell the difference between mouth breathing and allergies or a passing cold that force a kid to breathe through their mouth? 8:23 How does mouth breathing affect a child’s sleep? 11:40 For a child who's been labeled as having ADHD, what would it look like if the real driver turns out to be their airway? 22:37 How does mouth breathing affect the ear? 28:07 Should Parents be asking before getting ear tubes? 31:30 What tests are used to determine if tonsils or a deviated septum need to be treated?33:50 Do tonsils grow back? 34:26 If tonsils need removing, what are some questions parents should ask? About Dr. Hana Khan: Dr. Hana Khan – A UCLA School of Dentistry graduate, Dr. Khan's clinical focus is holistic, whole-body health—with particular emphasis on airway-centered dentistry and the connection between breathing and oral development to the overall health. Dr. Khan completed the Mini Airway Residency and further completed orofacial myology training, providing structured myofunctional therapy programs tailored to each patient. Contact Dr. Khan: website: drhanakhan.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr._hana_khan_dds/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drhanakhandds About Annamarie von Firley: After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie von Firley returned to her toy design roots. With a BA in Wooden Toy Design and a BFA in Furniture Design, she founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016.About Fledglings' Flight: Fledglings' Flight offers play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, designed to support cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development. Our app gives parents a monthly exercise library, milestone tracking, and — for Premium Members — a personalized developmental profile. Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram/TikTok/Facebook: @fledglingsflight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Pinterest: @FledglingsFlight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • October 6 · 2 min

    How Your Infant Processes Language

    Have you ever wondered how infants begin to understand language before they can even speak? In this video, we explore how babies process sounds, recognize patterns, and begin developing the foundations of language from an early age. Lois Kam Heymann, M.A. CCC-SLP, is a Speech and Language Pathologist with over 30 years’ experience working with children with listening, hearing and learning challenges and their parents. She is the leading authority of Auditory Processing Disorder This is a great introduction on how your baby learns to talk and evaluate language as a whole • Topics Discussed • Infant language development • How infants process language • Speech perception • Language learning • Sound recognition • Vocabulary development • Cognitive development • Brain development 0:02 How does the brain process language? 0:52 How does sequencing and constant verbal communication help your baby learn to talk? Follow us:https://www.FledglingsFlight.com App: https://app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram: fledglingsflight TikTok: fledglings.flight Facebook: fledglingsflight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Pinterest: fledglingsflight

  • October 5 · 2 min

    What Montessori Gets Right That Schools Don't | A Parent's Guide to Child Development Podcast Short

    In this video, Marsha Familaro Enright discusses the Montessori approach to education and how it can shape the way children learn and develop. She explores the ideas behind Montessori schooling, child-centered learning, independence, and the educational environment that makes the Montessori method unique. Whether you're a parent, educator, student, or simply interested in alternative approaches to education, this video offers insight into the principles behind Montessori schooling and its approach to child development. 🎓 Topics discussed: • Montessori education • Child development • Montessori vs. traditional schooling • Independent learning • Child-centered education • Montessori philosophy 0:11 How does Montessori teach writing letters? 1:02 How is Montessori different than other schools? Follow us: https://www.FledglingsFlight.com App: https://app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram: fledglingsflight TikTok: fledglings.flight Facebook: fledglingsflight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Pinterest: fledglingsflight

  • September 24 · 1 min

    The 'Stress Hormone' Your Newborn Needs | A Parent's Guide to Child Development podcast short

    Cortisol has a bad reputation — but your newborn actually needs a spike of it right at birth. Emily Roper, Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist and founder of Early Roots, explains why: your baby goes from having everything done for them in the womb to suddenly running their own body, and that cortisol spike is what triggers the reflex behind their very first breath. 🧠 About Annamarie von Firley:After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie returned to her toy design roots and founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. In 2022, she launched Fledglings' Flight as an extension of that work. She now hosts A Parent's Guide to Child Development, bringing parents conversations with experts in child development and psychology.About Fledglings' Flight:Fledglings' Flight is an app and customized subscription box for parents of children 0-3 years old to help them optimize their child's development with play-based exercises, milestone tracking, resource library, and monthly "Toolbox" with skills-based toys tailored to each child's unique developmental needs whether they are delayed, on-track, advanced, or asynchronous.Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram & Facebook: @fledglingsflight TikTok: @fledglings.flightLinkedIn: fledglings-flight

  • September 18 · 52 sec

    Does Your Partner Have Postpartum Depression? Look for This | A Parent's Guide to Child Development short

    "I'm fine" is the answer everyone gives — even when they're not. Perinatal mental health expert Lynn Ingram McFarland explains the real question to ask a new parent, and the everyday signs (sleep, eating, routines) that say more than words do.🎧 Listen to full episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/157Uj6YKfSvZNlSidF4a8L?si=5WIA5RZ3Rgml5pHnKfgomgFollow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.comInstagram & Facebook: @fledglingsflight TikTok: @fledglings.flight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight#postpartumdepression #maternalmentalhealth #warningsigns

  • September 11 · 1 hr 16 min

    How Birth Shapes Your Baby's Nervous System for Life - Guest: Emily Roper | A Parent's Guide To Child Development

    Most parents spend months preparing for labor & almost no time preparing for what happens the moment it's over. But the hours right after birth are doing more developmental work than nearly any other stretch of your baby's 1st year — quietly shaping everything from feeding to sleep to how safe their nervous system feels in the world. In this episode, Emily Roper — who has personally attended over 600 births — walks through with Annamarie von Firley exactly what's happening in that window, & why it matters far beyond the delivery room. Time Stamps: 00:00 Why the immediate window around birth matters so much for development 05:40 Why birth complications are the highest risk factor for child development delays? 08:27 How labor & delivery optimizes baby’s brain and body functions after birth 10:50 Why babies born via C-sections need more developmental support? 13:50 How birth trauma & maternal support shapes mom’s mental health 16:03 Link between baby’s & parent’s mental health 18:05 The biggest misconception parents have about birth 20:00 What's happening in a baby's nervous system during labor & delivery 21:10 How babies actively participate in their birth 22:36 Why labor & delivery cause reflex retention 24:02 How vaginal birth prepares a baby differently than a C-section 29:43 What families can do after a C-section to support baby’s gut health 33:06 How inductions, epidurals, vacuum, & forceps affect the baby 39:53 How the birth environment itself affects the baby 42:35 How a long or difficult labor affects a baby differently than a fast one 44:30 What happens physiologically in the first hour after birth? 47:46 What happens when the golden hour is interrupted 50:56 How delayed vs. immediate cord clamping affects newborn 54:30 What is the ideal length of time to delay cord clamping? 57:36 What's happening hormonally for mom & baby in first hours after birth 58:58 Why establishing feeding matters beyond nutrition 1:00:57 How difficulty breastfeeding affects baby’s nervous system regulation 1:04:17 How a mother's nervous system & stress affect the baby 1:06:18 What happens when a baby is separated from mom early on 1:07:36 How to minimize the impact if mom-baby separation is medically necessary 1:09:06 What matters after the first 24 hours postpartum 1:10:06 How mother's postpartum recovery affects baby 1:10:42 What is the role of family, partners, & doulas in protecting the golden hour 1:12:15 Signs a baby didn't get what they needed postpartum 1:13:20 What to know if your birth didn't go the way you hoped 1:14:10 Why the choice your OBGYN or birth provider has the biggest impact on mom & baby About Emily Roper: Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist, certified Midwife's Assistant, and founder of Early Roots. Emily has attended over 600 births and has backgrounds in psychology, midwifery, and neurodevelopmental delay, spending over a decade supporting children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, dyslexia, sensory challenges, and other developmental difficulties. instagram.com/earlyroots facebook.com/earlyroots About Annamarie von Firley: After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie returned to her toy design roots & founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. About Fledglings' Flight: Play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, supporting cognitive, motor, & social-emotional development, with a monthly exercise library & milestone tracking in our app. Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram/Facebook: @fledglingsflight TikTok: @fledglings.flight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • August 28 · 55 min

    Why Some Toddlers Become Disorganized Teens - Guest: Diana Pellicano | A Parent's Guide to Child Development

    A toddler's tantrum & a teen's missing homework look like different problems. They're not. Host Annamarie von Firley talks with Executive Function Specialist Diana Pellicano about tracing one line from the high chair to high school — & what parents can do now to change where it ends up. You'll learn: • What executive function really means • What delays look like in toddlers & preschoolers • Why unstructured play matters • A visual routine-building strategy • Whether screen time makes delays worse • How delays connect to ADHD, anxiety, & autism Time Stamps: 0:00 Why do toddler tantrums predict your child's future? 2:50 What is executive function? 4:30 Are humans the only species that can stop, pause, & think to change their behavior to achieve a certain outcome in the future? 4:48 What do good executive functioning skills look like in children? 5:34 What do good executive functioning skills look like in adults? 8:16 What is the difference between verbal & non-verbal working memory? 8:32 Is an executive function delay the same as ADHD? 8:52 How does verbal & non-verbal working memory affect executive functioning skills? 9:34 Is talking to yourself out loud help with verbal working memory? 10:59 How parents who model executive functioning skills & strategies impact children's ability to self-regulate themselves 11:50 Why is self-awareness a part of executive functioning skills? 12:30 Why is self-regulation a part of executive functioning skills? 13:14 Why is self-motivation a part of executive functioning skills? 14:00 Why is self-evaluation a part of executive functioning skills? 15:05 Why is self-language a part of executive functioning skills? 15:20 What are the 5 pillars of executive functioning? 16:14 What age do executive functioning skills start developing? 16:45 How many years behind their classmates in development are children with ADHD & executive functioning delays? 17:34 Why isn't executive function talked about like language milestones? 18:56 What do executive function delays look like in toddlers & preschoolers? 19:38 When is the best time to start teaching executive function strategies & how do you do it? 23:39 Why using real-life visuals help kids build executive functioning skills? 25:20 Why you should not give-in to a child who is throwing a tantrum? 27:22 Does pretend play build executive function skills? 30:05 What is the predictions review model & how does it help with executive functioning & emotional regulation? 31:08 How much should parents help vs. let kids struggle? 32.37 What strategies should parents whose families have a history of ADHD use with their children to help with executive functioning? 33:25 What is a "morning map" & how do you build one? 36:59 Does screen time cause executive function delays? 37:22 Are people with ADHD more prone to screen addiction? 39:29 Does household routine affect a child's self-regulation? 40:26 Do early executive function delays cause struggles in college? 41:56 Why is it important to let your child fail? 43:45 What is the #1 indicator of long-term success? 44:49 What do executive function delays look like in elementary, middle, & high school? 45:24 What is it important for kids & teens to practice social skills in the real world? 50:17 Why parents of an only-child or children who have social anxiety should sign them up for activities & clubs? 51:04 Does executive function delays overlap with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or other conditions? 52:40 Why parents should not do things for their kids that they are able to do on their own? Subscribe & share with a parent who needs this. Guest: Diana Pellicano, Executive Function Specialist & Director of GrowNOW's College Success Program. grownowadhd.com IG @grownowadhd Fledglings' Flight offers play-based exercises for kids birth to age 3. FledglingsFlight.com App.FledglingsFlight.com IG/TikTok FB @fledglingsflight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Pinterest @fledglingsflight

  • August 21 · 39 sec

    1 in 5 Moms Get Postpartum Depression? Try 1 in 2. | A Parent's Guide to Child Development podcast short

    The number you've probably heard for postpartum depression — 1 in 5 — might be a serious undercount. Lynn Ingram McFarland, a certified perinatal mental health professional and three-time survivor herself, explains why the real number may be closer to 1 in 2, and why "common" and "normal" are not the same thing. 💛 Full episode on postpartum depression and perinatal mental health — link in below https://open.spotify.com/episode/157Uj6YKfSvZNlSidF4a8L?si=5WIA5RZ3Rgml5pHnKfgomg

  • August 19 · 2 min

    Kids Held Back a Year Get Fewer ADHD Diagnoses | A Parent's Guide to Child Development Podcast Shorts

    Something most parents don't think about when it comes to the kindergarten cutoff: age isn't the same as readiness. Emily Roper — Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist and founder of Early Roots — explains why kids, especially boys born right at the start of the age cutoff, may be significantly less likely to get an ADHD diagnosis if they start school a year later.🎧 Full episode on Attention & Regulation — link in below. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Qlem5gufu0OI2ufhMz4lG?si=bIjdaQ7CTqyr1KUnhzlFBw

  • August 15 · 47 min

    Why Your Kid Can't Focus, Sit Still, or Calm Down - Guest: Emily Roper | A Parent's Guide to Child Development

    In this episode, Emily Roper returns to unpack the primitive reflexes most closely tied to attention & self-regulation, & why so much of what gets labeled ADHD, defiance, or a "difficult" temperament may actually be a nervous system that never finished developing the way it was supposed to. Host Annamarie von Firley sits down with Emily Roper, Neurodevelopmental Delay Therapist, certified Midwife's Assistant, & founder of Early Roots, for a deep dive into the reflexes behind fidgeting, meltdowns, & the "lazy kid" label What We Cover: • Which primitive reflexes cluster together around attention & regulation • The difference between a child who's truly inattentive & one whose nervous system is in overdrive • How much of what gets called "ADHD" may actually be retained reflexes • The Spinal Galant Reflex — what it is, & its surprising link to fidgeting & bedwetting • Why C-section babies are more likely to retain the Spinal Galant • The STNR ("crawling reflex") & its connection to posture, focus, and sitting still • Why labeling a struggling kid "lazy" can become a self-fulfilling prophecy • How a retained Moro Reflex keeps the nervous system on constant high alert • Why sensory overload & attention difficulties feed each other • Why emotional regulation has to come before real focus • The surprising link between the kindergarten age cutoff & ADHD diagnosis rates • What a truly regulated nervous system looks like, & how to help a child get there 02:08 Which primitive reflexes are behind attention & regulation 04:03 Inattentive child vs. a nervous system working overtime 05:55 How much of "ADHD" is actually retained primitive reflexes 07:18 What is the Spinal Galant, & what's its job in infancy? 08:19 Why C-section babies are more likely to retain the Spinal Galant 09:37 What a retained Spinal Galant looks like in a classroom chair or car seat 11:14 The surprising link between the Spinal Galant & bedwetting 12:42 How teachers and parents misread a retained Spinal Galant 14:29 What is the STNR ("crawling reflex"), & what's its job? 16:10 How a retained STNR affects focus & sitting still 17:31 Why kids with a retained STNR slump or wrap their legs around chair legs 19:37 Labeling kids "lazy" & the self-fulfilling prophecy it creates 20:35 How STNR connects to reading, copying from the board, & attention 23:56 How a retained Moro keeps the nervous system on constant alert 26:08 Why a heightened baseline makes focusing on schoolwork so hard 27:35 How sensory overload & attention difficulties feed each other 29:10 Why emotional regulation has to come before real focus 31:51 What happens when multiple reflexes are retained together 32:54 What a truly regulated nervous system looks like 34:37 Typical childhood wiggliness vs. a reflex that hasn't integrated 38:42 For kids already diagnosed with ADHD, is reflex work still worth it? 40:42 Does the classroom itself work against normal development? About Emily Roper: Emily Roper is a Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist & certified Midwife's Assistant, and founder of Early Roots, a specialized therapy & education practice for children with developmental delays. instagram.com/earlyroots facebook.com/earlyroots About Annamarie von Firley: After 20 years running her fashion house, reVamp, Annamarie von Firley returned to her toy design roots. With a BA in Wooden Toy Design & a BFA in Furniture Design, she founded Adventuretown Toy Emporium in 2016. About Fledglings' Flight: Fledglings' Flight offers play-based exercises for children birth to age 3, designed to support cognitive, motor, & social-emotional development. Our app gives parents a monthly exercise library, milestone tracking, & — for Premium Members — a personalized developmental profile. Follow us: FledglingsFlight.com app.FledglingsFlight.com Instagram/TikTok/ Facebook: @fledglingsflight LinkedIn: fledglings-flight Pinterest: @fledglingsflight Music: Purple Planet Music

  • August 6 · 45 sec

    Why Your Kid Comes Home from School Exhausted | Emily Roper | A Parent's Guide to Child Development Short

    Ever wonder why your kid comes home from school completely wiped out — even on days they "didn't do anything"? In this clip from our episode on ATNR and learning challenges, Emily Roper, Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist and founder of Early Roots, explains why a nervous system that's constantly fighting an unintegrated reflex is doing invisible work all day long, even while sitting still. Hear the full conversation on primitive reflexes, reading, handwriting, and school struggles in our episode "Why Your Kid Struggles to Read, Write, or Focus in School."

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