Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in silicon valley, CA

Congratulations to Nicole Basham --  you've won a DVD from Global Wonders!  Please email Beingsavvysiliconvalley@gmail.com with your mailing address within the next 5 days so we can get the DVD sent out to you.  We're sure you (and any other parent) will find it to be a great tool for teaching your children about other cultures. 

Speaking of parenting tools, today we're looking at some of our favorite parenting books of all time.  Heidi Murkoff's What to Expect series were my bibles from pregnancy through the early years (What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Expect: The First Year, and What to Expect: The Toddler Years). Elizabeth Noble's "Having Twins and more" proved to be indispensible as a frazzled, nervous new mother of twins. And I still use Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, as a first aid and illness reference guide. 

Click here, here and here to see which books other Savvy city editors love.  They're all great, but I've found that when it comes to parenting, a real live person beats a book almost any time.  There's nothing like turning to someone who has been there, done that, or someone who's going through the same thing, for a word of advice, a kind word, and a shoulder to lean on.  So here are some great local parenting resources:

Parents Place provides help for families with kids of all ages, from infancy through adolescence. Programs include parenting classes, special workshops, individual counseling, drop-in playdates and peer support groups.  I love their staff of friendly, knowledgeable parent education experts.  Oh, and their awesome playroom.

1) First Five is a state-sponsored initiative providing services for young children and their families.  Visit First Five San Mateo and First Five Santa Clara for free New Parent kits, hotlines, classes and other programs.  It's an especially great resource for lower-income families.


2) For parents of children with developmental delays and other special needs, information and support is twice as important -- and twice as difficult to find.  We became concerned about our twins' speech at around 14 months; thanks to Santa Clara's Early Start program, they were quickly assessed and placed with a wonderful speech therapist. (The Early Start program is for children under age 3; for children ages 3-4, Santa Clara offers the Head Start program). 

4) Check out your local parent clubs -- they're a valuable resource for parents and kids alike.  Most clubs offer kids activities, playgroups, parties, moms night out events and more.

5) Finally, don't forget another important parenting resource: friends, family and grandparents. You may not always agree with their advice, but you can always ignore it anyway.  They're a great, ready-made adoring audience for your kids, and they do make great babysitters.