Child(ish) Advice turns six this year. And as we gear up for a fresh wave of content, I find myself reflecting on where we began and how far the blog has come.

The idea for a blog took shape after my son was born three months early, prompting me to step away from my full‑time OT role to care for him. As a SAHM, I quickly realized that many new parents don’t have the developmental insight I have as a pediatric occupational therapist; from neck stretches to avoid torticollis to different holds to promote tummy time.

With the encouragement and support of Patti (my best friend since our college days), Child(ish) Advice came to life. My goal was to share child development information and practical activities from an OT perspective, giving parents tools to help them feel confident and capable. What I didn’t want was a traditional parenting blog. To be honest, the overly personal, day‑in‑the‑life style never resonated with me. I prefer resources that get straight to the point, tell me what I need to know and how to use it (very left brain).

However, after a few posts (and with Patti’s reassurance), I realized that readers really appreciated the personal parenting moments we shared. They made the information more relatable and showed that even those of us in the pediatric field don’t get it right all the time.

Since then, I’m not the same OT I once was. My work has always required me to uncover the why behind children’s behavior; whether it’s from sensory challenges, difficulties completing tasks, or trouble appropriately connecting with others. That curiosity pushed me to dive deeper into neural and brain development, sparking an ongoing exploration of how the brain shapes the way children grow, learn, and interact.

In the last six years, the blog has evolved into a living, breathing guide for real‑life parenting with the help of the 5 crazy kids between us. We also know that while some approaches sound great in theory, they can be much harder to put into practice. We want to offer accurate insight and practical strategies that fit naturally into everyday routines, with a bit of self-care, health and wellness, and millennial humor.

So to those who have been with us from the very beginning, thank you for your continued support! And to those just discovering us, welcome! We hope our child(ish) insights and content bring you clarity, a little fun, and hopefully make this whole parenting thing feel a little lighter.