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| Introduction | |
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| School | |
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| Choosing an Early Childhood Program | |
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| When to Start | |
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| Learning About Schools | |
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| What to Look For | |
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| The Application Process | |
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| Making Decisions | |
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| What Is Preschool? Orienting Yourself and Your Child | |
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| The Curriculum: What Children Learn at School | |
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| Home-School Communication: Speaking with Your Child's Teacher | |
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| How Parents Can Participate in School | |
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| Separation: Easing the Way | |
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| Before School Starts | |
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| Saying Good-bye: Feelings, Styles, Techniques | |
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| The Adjustment Period: When Problems Arise | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| The Social Lives of Children | |
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| How Children Socialize | |
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| When Problems Arise | |
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| Playdates | |
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| Birthdays | |
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| Overscheduling: Afterschool Activities and the Importance of Downtime | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Understanding Your Child's Development: What to Look for and When to Intervene | |
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| Developmental Benchmarks: Physical, Language, Social, and Emotional | |
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| Problem Behaviors | |
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| When to Seek Professional Intervention: Working with Special Educators and Therapists | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| The Transition to Kindergarten: Getting Ready | |
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| Choosing the Next School | |
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| How to Apply: School Visits, Interviews, Testing | |
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| Making Decisions | |
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| When Preschool Ends: Feelings and Closure | |
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| Home | |
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| Day-to-Day Family Life | |
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| Routines | |
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| Transition Times: Mornings and Evenings | |
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| Bedtime and Sleep Issues | |
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| Mealtimes | |
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| Manners | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| The People in Your Child's Life | |
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| Setting Priorities in Family Life | |
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| You and Your Partner | |
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| Grandparents | |
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| Caregivers | |
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| New Babies | |
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| Siblings and Sibling Issues | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Discipline: Setting Limits, Saying No, and Accepting No | |
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| Why Is It So Hard? | |
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| How to Set Limits | |
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| Avoiding Conflicts | |
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| Discipline Tactics | |
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| Typical Problem Behaviors: Name-Calling, Bathroom Talk, Tantrums | |
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| When to Seek Professional Help | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Developing Morals and Ethics in Children | |
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| Guiding Your Child Toward Ethical Behavior | |
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| What Do Children Understand? | |
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| Lying, Stealing, and Cheating | |
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| Developing Empathy | |
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| Volunteering as a Family | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Self-Help Skills and Independence: "I Want to Do It Myself!" | |
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| Supporting Your Child's Growing Independence | |
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| Toilet Training | |
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| Blankets, Pacifiers, Bottles, and Sippy Cups | |
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| Washing, Dressing, Eating, and Drinking | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Play: Why, What, and How? | |
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| How Parents Can Support Play | |
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| Tips for Toy Shopping | |
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| Toys, Games, Materials, and Activities | |
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| How Children Play: Independent Play, Play with Others, Play with You | |
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| Play and Gender | |
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| Superhero Play | |
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| Screen Time: TV and Computers | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Talking About Difficult Topics | |
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| Transitions and New Experiences | |
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| Moving | |
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| Sex | |
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| Divorce | |
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| Illness: When You or Your Child Need to Go to the Hospital | |
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| Death | |
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| Recommended Books | |
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| Time Together: Weekends, Holidays, Traditions, and Vacations | |
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| Places to Visit and Things to Do | |
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| Holidays: Making Traditions and Finding Meaning | |
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| Family Vacations: Where to Go and What to Do | |
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| A Final Word: This Time Together Is Shorter Than You Think | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Index | |