“There are no perfect parents, and there are no perfect children, but there are plenty of perfect moments along the way.” With this quote from Dave Willis in mind, today's guest Kim Hughes teaches us how to savor the perfect moments in playful ways with our kids. But what are the best ways to do that? And does playing with children include playing with infants? For any parent who craves a bond with their kids, you won't want to miss this season finale of the Raising Young Children in Wake County Podcast.

Kim Hughes is the Founder of Conscious Connections LLC, a behavior management and educational consulting firm serving teachers, child caregivers, nurses, and parents who seek to build highly effective, positive relationships with those in their charge.

Raising Young Children in Wake County is brought to you by Project Enlightenment Foundation, hosted by Dr. Emily King, and produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• K&L Gates
• Empire Gives Back Foundation and Empire Eats
• BHDP

Dr. Mary-Cassie Shaw hears a lot of the same questions from parents, and they usually center around food and sleep. So today she answers questions like:

• How much sleep should a child be getting really?
• When should they start eliminating naps?
• What are the first foods that should be introduced?
• What should you do if your child is a picky eater?

Let's find out on today's episode.

Dr. Mary-Cassie Shaw, MD, is an Adolescent Medicine specialist at Oberlin Road Pediatrics in Raleigh NC.

Raising Young Children in Wake County is brought to you by Project Enlightenment Foundation, hosted by Dr. Emily King, and produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• K&L Gates
• Empire Gives Back Foundation and Empire Eats
• BHDP

As a parent of young children, do you find yourself thinking:

"Why can’t we ever find all the shoes?!?"
"Why can’t my child go potty, brush teeth, and put on PJs without being asked?”
"How do we always forget the backpack?!”

Sound familiar? Well today we're talking all about routines and how young children - especially children who aren't old enough to read yet - can use visuals to improve those daily functions that can sometimes cause parents to pull out their hair.

Kristen Balhoff is a Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor, working with young families in the Triangle, especially those with autistic or neuro divergent children like hers.

Raising Young Children in Wake County is brought to you by Project Enlightenment Foundation, hosted by Dr. Emily King, and produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• K&L Gates
• Empire Gives Back Foundation and Empire Eats
• BHDP