Resilience & Child Development
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress, failure, or adversity. And it isn’t something you’re born with — it’s a skill developed through experience.
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that resilience is one of the most protective factors for long-term mental health. By learning to work through challenges instead of avoiding them, children gain the confidence and coping skills they’ll use throughout life.
Resilience is not about ignoring feelings or telling kids to “suck it up.” It’s about helping them understand that difficult situations can be worked through. Toughness often means suppressing emotions, while resilience teaches kids healthy ways to process emotions, face challenges, and problem-solve.
Give kids the chance to handle age-appropriate challenges and work through them. That might mean letting them take small risks, encouraging problem-solving instead of stepping in right away, keeping boundaries in place, and helping them name their emotions without judgment. You won’t be perfect every time—but consistency and intention go a long way.
Want to read more about supporting resiliency throughout your child’s development? Read our blog post on building resilience in kids.
Outdoor play supports physical health, builds social skills, and encourages problem-solving and creativity. It also supports healthy growth, reduces stress, improves mood, and provides opportunities for active movement that are hard to replicate indoors.
Learn more by looking at the resources we’ve put together and checking out our posts on movement in childhood, effects of outdoor play on the brain, and physical activity and academic success.
Unstructured play allows children to use their imagination, practice decision-making, and develop independence. It’s also important for building social skills, resilience, and problem-solving abilities, which are critical for emotional and cognitive development.
We found some great sources with the science to back it up. Check them out on our Resources Page!
Excessive screen time is linked to sleep problems, behavioral issues, reduced physical activity, and slower cognitive development — especially in young children. Setting limits, encouraging tech-free family time, and balancing screens with active play can help mitigate these effects.
Learn more:
Head over to our Resources Page for links to reliable sources so you can look at the data for yourself.
Supporters of cell phone bans point to improved academic focus, fewer distractions, and healthier social interactions. Research shows that even the presence of a smartphone can reduce focus and performance, while teachers report fewer discipline issues when phones are removed from classrooms. Some schools also see a decrease in bullying and an increase in face-to-face communication when devices are limited.
Read our blog post where we talk about this more (hint: there’s good research linked throughout so you can decide for yourself!).
Vitamin D supports strong bones by helping the body absorb calcium and phosphate—key minerals for strong bones and teeth. It also supports immune function, muscle strength, and overall health. Deficiency can lead to rickets, higher risk of respiratory infections, and delayed growth.
Learn more:
Social Posts: Let’s Talk About Vitamin D Part 1 | Let’s Talk About Vitamin D Part 2 | Let’s Talk About Vitamin D Part 3 | Let’s Talk About Vitamin D Part 4 | Missing From Breastmilk? | How Much Vitamin D You Need
Vitamin D comes from three main sources:
- Sunlight — The body produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to direct sunlight, especially in the middle of a summer day.
- Foods — Fatty fish (like salmon or mackerel), fortified dairy or plant-based milks, egg yolks, and fortified cereals provide dietary vitamin D.
- Supplements — When sunlight and diet aren’t enough, daily supplements of 400 IU for infants and all the way up to 4,000 IU for older teens are often recommended by healthcare providers.
Learn more:
Social Posts: Missing From Breastmilk? | How Much Vitamin D You Need
Parental Rights & Medical Decisions
Yes. Parents have the legal and ethical right to decline any non-emergency treatment, procedure, or intervention offered to their child, as long as the decision does not place the child in immediate, life-threatening danger. This includes vaccines, medications, and diagnostic tests.
Learn more: Know Your Rights: You’re the Decision-Maker in Your Child’s Health Care
It means having clear, complete information about all medically appropriate options for their child, including benefits, risks, and alternatives. It also means feeling empowered to ask for second opinions, explore lifestyle-based approaches, or delay non-urgent treatments before making a decision.
Parents have several key rights that protect their role as decision-makers in their child’s care:
- The right to refuse care for any non-emergency treatment or procedure.
- The right to privacy and control over who can access their child’s medical records, under HIPAA.
- The right to equal respect and care free from discrimination or pressure.
- The right to know all options, including benefits, risks, and alternatives to recommended treatments.
- The right to choose what’s best for their child, in line with their family’s values, when the child is not in immediate danger.
These rights are supported by medical ethics, federal law, and patient protections, giving parents the authority to make educated, confident decisions without coercion.
Learn more:
Social Posts: Your Rights as a Parent | Patient’s Bill of Rights Explained
Parents can request the manufacturer’s insert from their child’s doctor, which lists all ingredients. If there are specific concerns about what’s in a vaccine your child is scheduled to get, it’s on parents to do the research, and come to a decision for themselves. There’s a lot of information out there, but it’s important that parents are armed with knowledge before ever stepping into the doctor’s office.
A good place to start your research is our Resources Page. There, we have all of the vaccine information in one place, and even link to the manufacturer inserts for each.
Want to learn more about what ingredients make up a vaccine? Read our blog post where we break it all down.
Infants’ airways and immune systems are still developing during the first year of life. They have narrower upper airways that can become blocked more easily, rely heavily on nasal breathing, have softer chest walls with fewer respiratory muscle reserves, and an immature immune system. These factors make it harder for babies to handle inflammation, mucus, and infection, increasing the risk of severe illness from viruses like RSV, the flu, and whooping cough.
Learn more: Understanding Your Baby: Why the First Year Matters More Than You Think
Vaccine & Immunization
No. The CDC does not mandate vaccines. It issues recommendations based on scientific data, compiled into what’s known as the immunization schedule—a suggested timeline for when certain vaccines can be given. While states and schools may have their own vaccine requirements, the CDC itself does not enforce mandates.
Learn more:
Social Post: Myth vs. Fact
The CDC schedule is both a health guide and an access tool. It helps determine which vaccines are covered by insurance or provided through programs for families who might not have a primary care doctor or access to regular care. Inclusion on the schedule ensures more families, regardless of income, can access vaccines at low or no cost.
Learn more:
Social Post: Myth vs. Fact
Yes. Parents can follow the schedule as written, or adjust it to their child’s needs or their family’s values. The CDC’s recommendations are intended to inform, not replace, parental decision-making.
Learn more about the schedule and vaccines in general by heading to our Resources Page. We have resources you can use to help you make educated decisions for your family.
A recommendation is guidance from organizations like the CDC and is meant to inform parents and healthcare providers about the timing and use of vaccines, but does not carry legal force.
A requirement is a state or school policy that can determine eligibility for school attendance or certain activities. Requirements vary by location, while recommendations are national guidelines.
Want to take a deeper dive into the schedule, recommendations, and requirements? Head to our Resources Page. We have some go-to resources linked to assist you in your journey in being an educated and empowered parent!
A case-by-case approach means doing your research and evaluating each vaccine individually rather than following the full schedule without changes. Some parents choose to follow the recommended schedule, while others delay, space out doses, or decline certain vaccines based on factors such as timing, ingredients, and family health considerations.
This approach prioritizes parental empowerment and educated decision-making over a one-size-fits-all plan, and is often rooted in a desire for transparency, education, and medical autonomy—not a rejection of vaccines altogether.
Learn more:
Social Post: Why More Parents Are Taking Vaccines One at a Time | How Do You Choose What’s Best For Them?
The CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule covers dozens of doses from birth through adolescence. Early childhood vaccines include Hepatitis B, DTaP, Hib, Polio, Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis A. Older children and teens may receive Tdap, HPV, and Meningococcal vaccines, along with an annual flu shot. These recommendations are based on disease prevention data and public health research.
Read up on the recommended vaccine schedule and what you deserve to know as a parent by visiting our Resources Page (we give you some great links to start your research), Vaccine Information Table, and reading our blog post.
Parents have the right to ask questions, request Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) before any vaccine is given, and choose the schedule that aligns with their family’s values and their child’s health needs. State laws vary on medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions, so it’s important to know what is allowed where you live.
Learn more: What Parents Deserve to Know: A Clearer Look at the Childhood Vaccine Schedule | Know Your Rights: You’re the Decision-Maker in Your Child’s Health Care
Before approval, vaccines go through three phases of clinical trials.
- Phase 1 tests safety and dosage in a small group of volunteers.
- Phase 2 evaluates effectiveness and continues safety monitoring with several hundred participants.
- Phase 3 expands to thousands of volunteers to confirm effectiveness, detect less common side effects, and compare outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
Learn more:
Social Posts: How Vaccines Are Approved Part 1 | How Vaccines Are Approved Part 2
Yes. After FDA approval, vaccines enter a post-marketing phase where they are monitored in real-world conditions. This includes tracking side effects, assessing effectiveness in specific populations, and studying long-term safety. Systems like VAERS, V-safe, the Vaccine Safety Datalink, and the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project collect and analyze safety data from across the country.
Learn more about what goes into monitoring vaccines by checking out our Resources Page, or reading our blog post.