Good Growing

Celebrate Your Unique Child

Take a moment to think about how your child is truly unique: their personality, temperament, behaviors, strengths, challenges, physical appearance and much more. Each child is a wonderful mix that’s all their own. Here’s some inspiration as you appreciate and celebrate your one-of-a-kind child.

Honor their individuality. It’s normal for kids to feel they must conform to fit in with their peers. Help your child understand that their unique qualities are their strengths — point them out! Find video clips of their favorite celebrities talking about how insecure or ‘weird’ they were as kids. Talk with your child about people you both admire, and the qualities that make them unusual or special.

Support their interests. Kids develop specific interests at a surprisingly young age. Whatever lights them up, go with it! Ask them to teach you their favorite game, visit a dinosaur museum, share in the music they love, take a train ride, learn the starting lineup of their favorite team, and attend their games, concerts and other events. Help them explore their passions through lessons — in music, dance, sports, language or handcrafts.

Encourage and reward curiosity. Talk with your child in a way that opens them up and fuels their curiosity. Great conversations start with openers such as “What do you think about…” and “What would you do if…” and “I wonder why…”. Family meals and car trips are ideal for these explorations. Encourage them to ask their own questions and form their own opinions.

Focus on their efforts. Especially for kids, the effort is more important than the result. For kids to be willing to try new things, they must be confident enough to take risks and embrace their failures. Real progress often involves a steep learning curve and plenty of mistakes. Help them get comfortable with their discomfort.

Avoid comparisons. Resist comparing a child to their siblings or friends. Some kids are love-to-stay-home bookworms and others are always-on-the-go extroverts. Also respect that your child is growing and changing; don’t compare them to their younger self. Avoid comments like “You used to be…”. or “I wish you were still…”.

Model self-love. Your child is watching you more than you realize, and you’re their biggest influencer. Treat yourself well, both physically and emotionally.

Work toward a healthy, balanced life. Pursue your interests. Speak kindly about yourself and others. Let your child see you as the genuine person you are. Your child will face challenges all through their life. Embracing their own uniqueness is key to their self-esteem — and it will help them stay strong, optimistic and resilient.

Learn more about supporting your child or teen’s mental wellness.

Keep Moving, All Through Winter!

Don’t let winter weather slow your child down — be sure they’re getting their daily dose of active play. Toddlers and preschoolers need at least 3 hours of physical activity every day, or about 15 minutes for every hour they’re awake. Kids 6 and older need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week.

Dress for the weather (including waterproof footwear and warm socks) and go outside. Stomp in puddles, romp in the snow or take a family walk through a scenic park or neighborhood — or find a covered outdoor playground near you. Bring along hot drinks in a thermos, plus healthy snacks to keep everyone fueled.

Seek out inside activities, too. Explore free or low-cost indoor play options like community centers and swimming pools. School sports, whether indoors or outdoors, are ideal for both exercise and social connection.

Whatever you do, have fun and keep moving — it boosts both your physical and mental health!

Seizures in Kids

About 1 in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime. Caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, a seizure involves a sudden change in a child’s consciousness (awareness), motor activity or physical sensation. We may think of seizures as being dramatic and involving many muscle groups. But they can also be subtle, causing a child to suddenly freeze and stare into space. A seizure can be an isolated, one-time event. When someone has more than one seizure without a clear trigger, this is called epilepsy.

Different things can cause a seizure, and doctors can’t always pinpoint the exact cause. Brain tumors, strokes, genetic disorders and metabolic disorders — although uncommon — can be causes. Head injuries, including concussion, may cause seizures. Sometimes, seizures are triggered by a temporary problem such as a high fever, infection or exposure to poisons including alcohol or some medicines.

Certain conditions can look like seizures but are not. Migraines, sleep disorders, stress, mental health issues or a sudden drop in blood pressure can all trigger symptoms that can be mistaken for seizures.

For kids and their families, a seizure can be very scary to have and to witness. If a child has even one seizure, they need an evaluation by a pediatric specialist to decide if they need treatment — and if so, the right amount of treatment. Learn about Seattle Children’s First Seizure Clinic.

Chores for All Ages

When kids do chores, it helps them develop important life skills while bonding them to the family. Age-appropriate chores help even the youngest children build their listening skills, motor skills, common sense, self-confidence, independence and much more.

Very young children can put away their toys, books and clothes, and help with laundry, pet care and garden chores. As their strength and coordination improve, kids can advance into carrying in groceries and putting them away, helping with meal preparation and cleanup, caring for houseplants, vacuuming, doing their own laundry and tackling heavier yard work. Tweens and teens can take on adult chores and errands, especially once they’re driving.

To help ensure a kid’s success, parents must be patient and hold realistic expectations. Parents can also offer clear instructions, positive reinforcement, and of course role modeling. When your child sees you do your own chores carefully and with a cheerful attitude, you’re setting an example that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

Find resources on Parenting and Development.

Cold-Weather Car Seat Safety

In cold weather, be sure your child’s clothing allows them to fit snugly and securely in their car seat. Kids should not wear bulky or puffy clothing, because it can make the harness straps fit improperly. In a crash, the material suddenly flattens from the force, creating extra space under the harness. A child can slip through the straps and be thrown from the seat.

Instead, start with thin, warm layers (such as fleece and leggings) to be sure the harness fits snugly. Add a hat, gloves and cold-weather footwear for warmth when needed. After your child is buckled in, you can then lay a coat or a blanket over the harness to keep them warm and safe.

Learn more about car seat safety or find a car seat check in your area.

Here’s Why Antibiotics Often Aren’t Needed

When your child or teen is sick, you want them to feel better — fast! And when you take them to their doctor, it can be tempting to request antibiotics. It may feel like that’s the best way to help them. But often, antibiotics aren’t needed and shouldn’t be given.

Not all infections can be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to help treat infections caused by bacteria.

If your child is sick from a virus (colds and stomach illnesses are usually caused by a virus) antibiotics won’t help.

When do antibiotics help? For infections caused by certain bacteria — such as strep throat, urinary tract infections, certain skin infections and bacterial pneumonia — antibiotics are likely to be prescribed.

Lab tests may be needed before antibiotics are given. Your child’s doctor may take samples of your child’s blood or urine, or other samples, to run lab tests that look for bacteria. These tests can show if your child needs an antibiotic at all — and if they do, which one will work best.

Ear infections can be tricky. Ear infections can be caused by either viruses or bacteria, and either type can cause pain and a fever. At least half of all ear infections go away on their own, without antibiotics. Your doctor may recommend that you simply treat the pain for a while; if things don’t improve, antibiotics may be given.

Antibiotic resistance is a serious, growing problem. This happens when ‘bad’ bacteria mutate (change) and no longer respond to antibiotics. This can make it very difficult and sometimes even impossible to treat some infections. Taking antibiotics when they’re not needed, or taking them incorrectly, worsens this problem. Work with your child’s doctor. No matter what causes your child’s illness, talk with their doctor to find a solution. The best treatment may or may not include antibiotics.

Visit our Prevent and Treat Illness page for help with preventing illness, knowing what symptoms to watch for, when to care for you child at home and when to seek help from your child’s doctor.