Moving house, starting a new school, the birth of a sibling or any other changes and transitions can be very challenging for some children. Change can bring on tears, fears, anxiety, worry and even “misbehaviors” or “acting out.” While parents often see the importance of helping their children through big transitions, such as the birth of a… Continue Reading
When children lie, taking a break to cool off before addressing the situation can help you first find the emotional space and the right tools to move forward. An effective way to deal with lies is to remember the TRUTH: Traps, Respect, Understanding, Time Off and Honesty. Read on to find out more… Continue Reading
Snooping or Shaming Teens Will Not Give You More Control or Respect: Here is What Will. Teens…One minute they want all of our attention, and the next they want nothing to do with us. What happened to my open, sometimes clingy son? He used to share everything with me. He became secretive and elusive. My questions… Continue Reading
Let’s think about the challenging moments of parenting. You know, the frustrating moments that make you wonder why you ever had kids in the first place. Here is an example: For the past few weeks we have been having daily battles over socks. Yes. Socks. My 5 year-old daughter whines and complains that she “hates… Continue Reading
We all need to make the choices that are right for our family, that fit with our values. Kids have to be at least 13 to be on social media. I know this isn’t really an enforceable rule and that loads of kids under 13 are using social media – but it is something I am going to choose to hold on to over here. I want my kids to practice integrity when they are online.I want my kids to be creative and expressive when they are online. I want my kids to value privacy. Continue Reading
The most important lesson in back talk is to help children realize that it’s not effective, polite or a respectful manner to communicate. It’s important to teach our children how to communicate their needs well. The aim in stopping back talk shouldn’t be to take our children’s opinions and needs out of the picture. Much to the contrary, it should be to help them instead learn how to politely disagree and make their needs known. Continue Reading
What was the most helpful parenting article you read in 2014? I couldn’t pick just one, so…. Here is a collection of the most helpful parenting articles of 2014 from fantastic parenting writers and educators covering topics like yelling, power struggles, behavior, picky eating, marriage, divorce, anxiety, smart phones, cyberbullying, and more, plus some of the most… Continue Reading
Have you ever had a day or a moment when you find youself far too angry to respond in a positive, calm, warm way to your child? Even if you know that yelling at your kids is not a good solution, you just feel on edge? Maybe you feel far too angry to deal peacefully… Continue Reading
Many parents I work with confess to yelling at their kids upwards of ten times a day. Parents say they do this most of all because they want their children to listen but they get zero cooperation. When promises, pleading and threats no longer work, yelling can feel like the only option. Especially if time is… Continue Reading
Emotionally intelligent parents raise emotionally intelligent children. And the more often you practice it, the better results you get. Making it a communication habit is key! Also, research tells us that by instilling emotional intelligence in our children, we set them up for academic success, social success, and life success. It’s every parent’s dream come true! Continue Reading