Helpful Tips for Parents

• Children need connection before they can accept correction. A child who feels genuinely heard and loved is far more receptive to limits than one who feels disconnected.

• Natural consequences (the consequence that actually flows from the behavior) are more powerful teaching tools than imposed consequences, because the learning is inherent rather than arbitrary.

• Preschoolers cannot reason during a meltdown — the rational brain goes offline when the stress response is activated. Wait for calm before problem-solving or discussing the behavior.

• The quality of parent-child interaction matters more than the quantity of time. 20 minutes of full-presence play is more connecting than 3 hours of distracted co-presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare my preschooler for a new sibling?

Honest, developmentally appropriate preparation: tell your child when the pregnancy is visible (around 4–5 months), use correct vocabulary for pregnancy and baby care, involve the child in preparations (choosing baby items, helping prepare the room), read books about siblings, and discuss both positive and challenging aspects honestly. After the birth: maintain as much routine as possible, protect special one-on-one time with the older child daily, allow full expression of difficult feelings about the baby, and avoid rushing "love" of the new sibling.

Related reading: See also our preschool sleep guide and our social skills guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 😊 Emotional Security — A child who feels emotionally secure — whose needs are met consistently by a loving adult — develops the confidence, curiosity, and resilience that enable learning and healthy risk-taking in every domain.
• 🧠 Self-Regulation Skills — Children whose parents respond to big emotions with empathy and calm guidance learn to regulate their own emotional responses — one of the most important predictors of school success and long-term wellbeing.
• 🤝 Social-Emotional Development — Secure parent-child attachment provides the emotional safe base from which children confidently explore the world, form friendships, and develop the social competence that every other developmental milestone builds on.
• 📚 Early Literacy Foundation — Daily shared reading, access to books, and language-rich environments at home are the most powerful predictors of reading success — and parental reading habits shape children's reading identities for life.

Valentine’s Day and Preschoolers - Lessons In Love

From before they were born, our children were loved. So the shock to doting parents as they witness their preschool children turn from cuddly babies into biting toddlers (whose favorite word becomes a very loud NO!) can be somewhat severe.

Although it helps to know that nearly all children of preschool age experience similar stages of development and parents comfort each other with a very tired rendition of 'this too shall pass' (as they scurry their own kids safely away from yours), teaching kindness and acceptable behavior becomes more important than ever. Parents of course model behaviors and reactions every moment, but there are times when explicit and repeated direction is necessary.

Teaching Kindness To Preschool Children

Valentine's Day is a great time to teach preschool children about love and affection, with traits such as generosity and kindness being the goal. The lead-up time to February 14 can be as long as you wish, and you can always depend on the stores to have their decorations out in good time for your child's interest to be aroused.

Most of Valentine's Day at the preschool level is based on making things: decorations for the house; cards to be mailed and others to be given to family members and little friends. Playgroups and play dates can and do plan craft activities , and the times when preschoolers are working (separately but in groups) provide natural opportunities for lessons in helping and sharing.

Store-bought Valentine's Day cards aren't necessary at this age. In fact, the more things that are homemade, the more time you get to spend with your preschooler. These blocks of time, when your child is calm and receptive, are great teaching moments.

Valentine's Day Crafts That Teach Love

When your child paints Valentine's Day pictures to be put in the mail for grandparents who live far away, you help teach the power of love as it reaches across distance and years. When you help him make a heart decoration, gluing cut-outs of little bones or fish, you can remind your enthusiastic preschooler that all pets need 'gentle' love.

Focus on a behavior in your preschool child that you'd like to see change. It can even be very specific. For instance, if she's bitten another child at her preschool, perhaps she can deliver her Valentine sun catcher with a hug and a promise to 'use her teeth for food' from now on.

The Greatest Valentine Of All For Your Preschooler

It's up to you as to what you'll give your preschooler on Valentine's Day, although thankfully this is not really another gift-centered holiday. And whatever you choose will pale in comparison with that most important gift of all, which you give to your child every day of your life: love.

Happy Valentine's Day.

I'm Stephanie Olsen , the Preschool Parenting writer for PreschoolRock.com. As a mom of two and a freelance writer, I enjoy writing about parenting as well as exchanging ideas and opinions with other parents. If you have any suggestions or questions about this site, please contact me .

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