I recently had a chance to interview Colleen Cunningham, Owner of Child Mind Consulting, about the benefits of working with a child development consultant.
Why did you originally decide to study child development and psychology?
Working with young children has always been a passion and gift of mine. Since I was a little girl, I have been around babies in my family and neighborhood. I started as a mother’s helper at age 7 and I’ve been working with children ever since. I took child development classes in high school and knew that this needed to be a focal point in my life. Understanding [psychology has given me the knowledge to deal with my own learning disabilities and mental health conditions. Knowledge is power and it has allowed me to better understand myself and therefore also the children I work with.
Why can it be helpful for families to work with a professional when it comes to raising their children?
Raising children is really hard work. It is a 24/7 job with no breaks or timeouts. Families do not get to hit the refresh button and have a bias view, that is why it can be helpful to bring in a professional. Having a professional with education and firsthand experience come in with fresh eyes is needed to fix small issues causing big disruptions.
What are some common areas that families might seek out additional support for?
Families reach out to me for developmental support. I help families strategize and implement individual plans to assist in the areas of adaptation, physical, cognitive, communication, and social-emotional.
What are some often overlooked areas that families may not realize they could get support?
An area that is often overlooked in seeking support is teaching children how to self-regulate. Self-regulation is the process of monitoring and managing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Together we can model and help the child find positive ways to work through their emotions.
Colleen has been a child development consultant with a deep passion for helping young children and families for 20 years. She has her bachelor's degree in Child Development & Family Relations with a minor in Educational Psychology. Her background includes early intervention services, nannying, teaching, camp counseling, babysitting, and coaching. In addition, Colleen has her Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED certification, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Certification, and State and Federal clearances.
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