A list of wishes for the little people in our lives.

A new year is about to arrive. I have started to make peace with a tumultuous 2009 – a tumultuous past decade, actually. A new year always makes me think of HOPE and WISHES.  So I surveyed some of the coolest parents I know and asked them what they wished their kids should be able to do, learn or achieve in the future. Here are my top 20 picks. Hoping you will be inspired by their words….

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Look what I made!

Your kids have a good opportunity to get arts-and-crafty over the holidays. You could ask them to make their own presents for grandma and grandpa, or they could help you decorate the house and make it feel more festive.

My kids love using their hands and feel really accomplished once their work is done. And this is typical of most children. So take advantage of your child’s natural inclination to explore art materials and create, create, create! Children learn a lot from using their hands and expressing their creativity. I have a few ideas for holiday art projects you can do with your own kids.

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Start polishing up on politeness… especially near the Holidays.

When can we start teaching kids some manners? As soon as they can talk would be a good time. Developmentally, they may not be ready to master the entire Emily Post rule book, but there are some basics we can start teaching as early as 2 or 3 years old. At this age children can already follow directions and can tell the difference between nice and not nice… so let Etiquette 101 lessons begin.

We have a simple, doable list of manners 2-5 year olds should be able to manage. These reminders will come in extra handy over the holidays – with all the get-togethers and meeting new people. Take advantage of all those teaching moments!

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A fool-proof guide to age-appropriate toys and gifts.

Gift shopping for kids entails some knowledge and research. Child development experts tell us, “play is the work of children” – and this makes toy shopping serious business. The wrong toy can bore your babe if it’s too easy. Too advanced, and it can frustrate him.

Give a child the right toy and you’ll be giving him hours of fun, exploration and learning. Before you start shopping, check out our age-by-age gift guide.

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Surprising suggestions for Santa and you.

With Thanksgiving just ahead, Christmas isn’t far behind. If you have kids, you would probably want to get a headstart on shopping for holiday toys. I try to get this out of the way by December to ease up on last-minute holiday stress. The toy stores get pretty busy, and I don’t like getting caught in a Christmas stampede.

A doctor and professor has some good advice on what you should be getting those tots and toddlers on your list. If you’re shopping for your own preschoolers, now is the time to set the trend for a taste in quality toys that make them play, imagine and think. Read more for our good-toy guide.

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