Posts by Deborah MacNamara, Author at Motherly
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Deborah MacNamara

Deborah MacNamara, PhD, is a developmental counsellor and is on faculty at the Neufeld Institute. She makes sense of kids for the adults who are responsibile for them. Deborah is the author of Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (or anyone who acts like one), and Nourished: Connection, Food, and Caring for our Kids (and everyone else we love).

little boy playing with a toy guitar

How to ease your toddler’s separation anxiety: 5 tips to better attachment

Toddlers are highly dependent on others for caretaking, and staying close to you is one of their biggest jobs.

Updated Mar. 23, 2023

How to be your child’s safe space

Rest matters because it frees our attention. When we don’t have to look for love, we can start to figure out who we are.

Updated Oct. 14, 2021

Boys *do* cry—and parents must let them feel all their emotions

The more our children can feel, the more caring they will be. 

Updated Oct. 14, 2021
little toddler looking at camera

Want to raise resilient kids? Teach them to embrace their feelings

It is the emotional mending of what has been broken that paves the way to being able to thrive and bounce back.

Updated Oct. 28, 2022

What every parent needs to know about human emotional development

1. We often use the word emotion and feeling interchangeably, but they refer to different things.

Updated Oct. 12, 2021
mom taking a selfie with two kids

Kids not listening? They might be craving a deeper connection—to you

You cannot truly care for a child who has not given their heart to you.

Updated Feb. 10, 2022

Your independent child is evidence of a healthy parental attachment 

When children can take us for granted, they can leap into new surroundings of their own making.

Updated Oct. 12, 2021

Why timeouts don’t work for toddlers

When we get a young child on our side, it can prevent dealing with big reactions and upset in the moment.

Updated Oct. 13, 2017
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