Adoption Professionals

Join us on Friday, May 29 | 10am–12
3002 Afton Dr, Batavia, OH 45103

For a special Mobile Food Pantry supported by Nestlé Purina!

Families can receive:
✅ Free groceries
✅ Free pet food (while supplies last)

We’re proud to partner with Purina to support both our neighbors and their pets!

View our full mobile pantry schedule here: https://www.ipmfoodpantry.org/calendar

Download this free app and use it whenever you are outdoors with your children. It provides a picture of every bird that is singing while the app is open your children will love it! And so will you!

Here's my Bird of the Day - Tennessee Warbler Merlin Bird ID is a free app that helps you find more birds.

Follow @modernparentsguide for more neuroscience-backed parenting insights that actually explain what is happening inside the developing brain. Five minutes before bed can shape: ➡️ vocabulary ➡️ emotional regulation ➡️ memory consolidation ➡️ nervous system safety ➡️ attachment And most parents think it is “just a bedtime story.” The brain before sleep is highly sensitive to rhythm, tone, repetition, and emotional safety. That is why bedtime reading becomes more than literacy. It becomes regulation. Research shows: ➡️ father-led reading is associated with stronger language growth and verbal confidence ➡️ parent-child reading lowers cortisol and stress activation ➡️ consistent bedtime reading routines improve emotional regulation, attachment security, and sleep quality over time In a world of overstimulation, bedtime reading may be one of the last daily rituals that slows the nervous system down enough for real connection to happen. The Chaos to Connection Guide shows you how to build calmer routines, reduce bedtime battles, and create emotional safety without yelling, threats, or exhausting power struggles. Comment “CALM” and I’ll DM you the link. Follow @modernparentsguide This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, medical, or psychiatric advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician or mental health professional regarding concerns about your child’s well-being. #parenting #braindevelopment #neuroscience #childdevelopment #emotionregulation

Co-sleeping isn’t “spoiling” your baby… it’s biology. Before monitors, sleep training courses, and separate nurseries, babies slept next to their mothers. Not because it was trendy, because it helped them survive and regulate. When your baby sleeps next to you, their nervous system is literally learning how to feel safe. Your breathing → helps regulate theirs Your heartbeat → stabilizes their rhythm Your presence → lowers stress hormones This is called co-regulation, and it’s how a baby’s immature nervous system learns to self-soothe over time. Research shows that close proximity at night can: • Reduce crying and stress • Support more stable heart rate and breathing • Encourage longer breastfeeding duration • Promote attachment and emotional security And no, this doesn’t create “clingy” kids. It creates kids who feel safe enough to eventually be independent. BUT let’s be clear: safety matters more than anything. If you choose to co-sleep, do it intentionally, not accidentally on a couch at 3am. Some families co-sleep. Some don’t. But pretending exhausted parents won’t bring their baby into bed is unrealistic. Education > shame. Every time. At the end of the day, a regulated, supported parent + a safe, responsive environment is what actually helps babies thrive. 🤍

Just 160 minutes a week. That's all it takes for parents to literally help rewire their premature baby's brain. Researchers at Stanford found something incredible happening in the NICU. They observed that when parents read aloud to their premature infants for just over two and a half hours a week, it wasn't just bonding time. MRI scans revealed that these consistent reading sessions were actively shaping and strengthening the language processing centers in the babies' brains! Premature babies often face developmental challenges, but this simple, loving act seems to give their brains a powerful boost, helping to build crucial neural pathways that might otherwise develop differently or slower. It's a beautiful example of how early interaction can have profound, measurable impacts on brain development. 🤯 Isn't it amazing what a parent's voice can do? Share your thoughts on this breakthrough!

Our next session of FREE financial life skills classes will begin Wednesday, June 3rd. Call Holli to get signed up today @ (513) 753-4357.

Join IPM Food Pantry on Wednesday, June 17, from 4-6pm for a free Ice Cream Social at our Sandra Stewart Harris Pavilion (4623 Aicholtz Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45244). You won't want to miss this afternoon of community connection and summer fun!

I posted her adult picture, but when I look at her, this is what I will always see!