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
A toddler has a melt down at the store. Later, he takes a cookie without telling you and spits on the ground. A preschooler throws his toys, refuses to help with clean up and later will not brush teeth or put on pajamas. A tween shouts no, rolls her eyes and bangs the door,… Often when… Continue Reading
Skip time out and other hurtful “discipline” techniques: Children learn right from wrong, not because they were sent to the corner alone, but because they begin to understand expectations and situations, and because they have enough information that will ultimately help them make better decisions. Continue Reading
How to Mindfully Recharge your Parental Empathy Bank Parenting has the potential to deplete us of all energy and form, leaving us feeling fatigued, confused, frustrated and overwhelmed. There are days when parenting can deplete us so profoundly that it becomes exceedingly difficult to see past our immediate day to day needs. During times like… Continue Reading
Driving back from the second day of school, my two boys started to tease each other and bicker. Determined not to yell at them and having just spotted the recycling center parking lot, I pulled into that lot, took out my book and started reading. Within seconds and without prompting, they had stopped, apologized… Continue Reading
The “I can’t” stage is a tough one. Parents often feel torn about how to handle these two words. Some parents feel that they should step right in and help because it is their parental duty. Others feel that those two words are unacceptable and that their child must at least “try.” The optimal way to… Continue Reading
Power struggles between parents and children happen most often when the parents’ expectations and abilities of the child in that moment are out of sync. So often, your job as a parent is to keep a certain amount of order in your home. This helps the whole family feel safe and well. That also means… Continue Reading
Most parents have great intentions when they come up with limits and boundaries. Which rules to set and why they are important are usually clear. The power struggles and negotiation start when parents find that keeping those limits, following through, just doesn’t go so well. While most children will not actually admit to wanting or… Continue Reading
Consider this. Your child chose C because it is his job. His job to practice being in charge of himself as often as possible. Her job to test you, to let you know HER preference, to state loud and clear “I am the boss of ME!” And your child is right. He IS the boss of himself, and as the boss, he gets to ultimately decide what choice he will make. This is truly evidence of just the kind of self-directed, independent soul you (most of the time) want to grow. Someone who is in charge of themselves.
Okay, but you still need to get out the door. To continue to support your child in their quest to be independent it is important to respect their choice. How does this look and still get out the door–maybe on time? Continue Reading
Do you ever feel badly that a parenting tool everyone thinks is oh so great isn’t working for you? Or just frustrated in general that a tool you would like to use doesn’t seem to work? No matter how great a parenting tool may seem, in truth, parenting tools are not one size fits all. Sometimes… Continue Reading