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An excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

As parents, we get so much feedback about what we can do to enhance our baby’s development. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember one of the best parts—playing together! In The CuddleBright Parenting Guide, we learn about the many benefits of play to early child development, the parent-child relationship,

Children thrive when they are provided with a predictable, structured environment.  Routines provide a sense of safety and security, as well as foster healthy emotional and physical development.  Here are some healthy routines to consider: Provide regular bedtimes and mealtimes Engage in predictable activities before lights out at night, such as reading

Just think of how much time babies spend in routines of one kind or another: sleeping, bathing, feeding, and diaper changing, not to mention dressing, getting in or out of a carseat or stroller…and the younger the child, the less time they spend doing much else! These activities require the

From the moment your baby is born many of the things you are naturally doing as a caregiver such as smiling at your baby, rocking your baby, and trying to detect why they are crying are laying important foundations for your child’s self-regulation. Helping your child develop their ability to

You may be surprised to learn that the process by which children learn to regulate their body, emotions and behaviors starts from the minute they are born.  Those first tender and calming cuddles and smiles you offer your baby are laying the groundwork for them to one day regulate on their

It’s hard to wait! It can be hard for adults, and it’s even harder for young children. Psychologist Walter Mischel and colleagues have spent decades researching children’s capacity to delay gratification. Often referred to as the “Marshmallow experiments,” Mischel’s studies vividly illustrate how hard it can be for young children

All relationships experience moments of miscommunication or conflicting intentions and expectations; these are known as ruptures. No matter how good a parent you are – no matter how sensitive, attuned, and attentive– ruptures between you and your child will occur now and then. In fact, Dr. Ed Tronick’s research suggests that as

Young children must find their own space and place – physically and emotionally – in their homes and in the world. To do this, they need clear limits. Limits are guidelines for what is okay and not okay to do in a given environment. Limits are like the guard rails

Neuroscientists have found that music promotes brain development in early childhood, strengthening language and motor skills, as well as the capacity to regulate emotions and relate to others. Music solidifies the brain-body connection. Before babies are verbal, they can demonstrate response to music through movement. The neural pathways that are

Almost 50 years ago, researchers Alexander Thomas and Stella Chess studied 100 babies from early infancy to adulthood and identified 9 temperament traits, including persistence, intensity of reaction, activity level, and adaptability. Since that time, scientists have been able to refine our understanding and focus on five qualities of temperament,

How can we improve the fit between ourselves and our child, and between our child and their environments? Goodness of fit is how well an environment—and the people in it!—match a child’s temperament. Just like that beloved toddler toy, the shape sorter, we can imagine that every child’s temperament has

Every child is unique. We are each born with a special combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits that influences how we approach the world. Temperament is like a one-of-a-kind blueprint for each child.   We all recognize aspects of temperament in our children, often from very early on:  Kylie

Like the child’s Lovie, the job of the CuddleBright Keepsake Heart is to be a transitional object, providing the parent with something tangible to touch and hold during times of separation and transitions. Nestled within the pages of A Cuddle Before I Go, the Keepsake Heart is a visual and

Your child probably has many toys or cuddly stuffed animals to play with and connect to. So what have we done to make the CuddleBright Lovie different from the rest? In the CuddleBright system, we assigned the Lovie the job of being your child’s transitional object by becoming their special

The Parenting Guide contains 18 short and digestible chapters on parenting topics, and is informed by child development theory, years of clinical experience, and neuroscience research. It gives parents an overview of the development of the whole child from birth to 5 – social, emotional, cognitive, and physical, all of

The CuddleBright Experience includes the delightfully-illustrated and rhyming A Cuddle Before I Go board book, which is the sequential story of a Goodbye and Hello routine between a parent and baby. The job of the board book is to provide parents a model for establishing a consistent and reliable routine

Attachment is a deep, enduring emotional bond connecting one person to another across time and space (Bowlby, 1969). For a parent and child, it can start well before birth, but the real work of developing healthy attachments starts once baby arrives—ready to connect, observing the world around him, with you

Routines are consistent ways to do daily tasks. They provide structure, consistency, and predictability. Routines are welcome comforts in your baby’s ever-changing world. The repetition of routines establishes order for your baby, which helps him navigate his day and makes it easier for you to guide him.  Rituals are meaningful

Fathers often find it challenging to connect with their newborn.  Before becoming a parent, most men have had little contact with infants. Furthermore, they play a secondary role in the birthing process. When baby arrives, dads can be tentative, awkward, and unskilled interacting with the newest member of the family.

The term “transitional object” was originally coined by Winnicott (1951, 1953) to describe the soft, clingable objects infants and young children become attached to (e.g., soft blankets or teddy bears).  These object attachments decrease distress and anxiety while providing comfort and security for young children during separations from the parent.

Like Charlie Brown’s best friend Linus and his blue security blanket, children often find comfort in the familiar, soft touch of a lovie or cuddly toy. These items are called transitional objects. Research indicates that a transitional object can be used as a source of comfort and as a way

Download Mix Up Fix Up.  © Simms/Mann Institute 2022.  Written and Performed by Jacqueline Rafii.  Produced by Daniel Raijman and Jacqueline Rafii.

Download CuddleBright Rockabilly.  © Simms/Mann Institute 2018, 2022.  Performed by Jacqueline Rafii and Marcus Feldman.  Produced by Daniel Raijman and Jacqueline Rafii.  Words and Music by Kira Rappaport.

Download CuddleBright Lullaby. © Simms/Mann Institute 2018, 2022.  Performed by Jacqueline Rafii.  Produced by Daniel Raijman and Jacqueline Rafii.  Words and Music by Kira Rappaport.

The Dial Up and Dial Down Model “The better I self-regulate as a parent, the better my child will self-regulate. The better my child self-regulates, the less stress I feel.” – DR. STUART SHANKER

Get to Know Your Child Better “The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” – KAKUZO OKAKURA

The Art (and Science) of Parent Talk “The world talks to the mind. Parents speak more intimately—they talk to the heart.” – HAIM GINOTT

Use Your Eyes and Ears “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” – RALPH WALDO EMERSON

It’s All About Healthy Bonds and Healthy Brains “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” – DR. SEUSS

A Routine to Connect “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – PAULO COELHO

A Routine for Separations “Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again.” – UNKNOWN

A Four-Step Feedback Loop “Loving a baby is a circular business, a kind of feedback loop. The more you give the more you get and the more you get the more you feel like giving.” – PENELOPE LEACH

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Adele Diamond, Ph.D. from the 2016 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the talk by Alicia Lieberman, Ph.D. at the 2017 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Adele Diamond, Ph.D. from the 2016 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Ruth Feldman, Ph.D. at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D. from the 2017 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Nathan Fox, Ph.D. at the 2016 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Adele Diamond, Ph.D. from the 2016 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Susan Kaiser Greenland at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

A talk by Dr. Stuart Shanker from the 2017 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

Learn how the CuddleBright® Experience was designed to grow with your family.

Excerpt from a talk by Alicia Lieberman, PhD at the 2017 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank.

Learn about all the components of the CuddleBright Experience and how they work together to connect, comfort, and calm you and your child.

Learn about the CuddleBright Goodbye Routine and how to make it your own!

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Jill Heinerth at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Arietta Slade at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Ruth Feldman at the 2017 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Soundbite from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Sonya Lupien at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Sonya Lupien at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Andrew Meltzoff, PhD at the 2018 Simms/Mann Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Andrew Meltzoff at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

An excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Pat Kuhl at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Pat Kuhl at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Pat Levitt at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Sonya Lupien at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Stephanie Carlson at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Ruth Feldman at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Pat Levitt at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Arietta Slade from the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Wendy Slusser at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Wendy Slusser at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Jodi Mindell at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Ruth Feldman at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from an interview with Dr. Assal Habibi at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Assal Habibi at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Jodi Mindell at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Jodi Mindell at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Ruth Feldman at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Satchin Panda at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Satchin Panda at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Susan Kaiser Greenland at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank

Excerpt from the behind-the-scenes interview with Susan Kaiser Greenland at the 2019 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank