Yelling at your kids? Anger and yelling are both issues that often come bubbling up to the surface in parenting as sleep deprivation, stress, exhaustion, and a hundred tiny frustrations through the day all mix together. Nothing forces us face down our demons quite like becoming a parent. Everything that you are, good and bad,… Continue Reading
For me, Attachment Parenting is simply this; treat your kids how you want them to grow up and treat you and others in their lives. Is this type of parenting easy? NO! Is this hard in the face of the predictable intense and challenging moments of parenting? Yes!
But parenting isn’t for sissies, it’s hard, but our kids are worth our efforts. Continue Reading
How to discipline children in a way that is positive and effective without using bribes, threats or rewards. Getting children to cooperate can be tricky at times. Especially when you have more than one child and busy schedules. It’s not unusual to turn to quick fixes like threats and bribes to get children to listen… Continue Reading
Tragedies and difficult moments are tough to understand for children and for us adults. Watching our children be upset, fearful or confused is not easy at all. We can’t undo what happened, we cannot keep our children from feeling upset but we can be supportive and loving and open to all the questions, and grateful, very grateful for every day we have together with our wonderful children, friends and family. Keep striving to be kind, positive and compassionate. Here are some ideas to help your family cope with difficult events: Continue Reading
One morning my four year old daughter and I were getting ready to leave the house when she suddenly yelled “Idiot!” Right at me. As I processed the word, I saw my little girl’s cheeks flush. Tears streamed down her face as she half whispered – half yelled “you are an IDIOT Mama.” Total silence… Continue Reading
It’s something you’ve been looking forward to with a lot of excitement. And yes, an equal amount of anxiety. Introducing your new baby to your toddler. You know from experience that the first few months of having a baby are the hardest. And yet, you are committed to not neglect your older child in the… Continue Reading
Positive parenting educators and mental health therapists talk a lot about empathy. When when parents want to know how to respond when their kids are angry or anxious, I suggest responding with empathy first. I tell parents to think of empathy as “finding the feeling” in what their child is saying or experiencing. If your… Continue Reading
The Importance of Quality Time With Kids It’s easy to think that video games, new clothes and ice cream cones are the way to a child’s heart. Parents often mistake a child’s longing for toys or begging for snacks as their way of saying what’s important. Some kids act out, whine or cry, other kids… Continue Reading
Positive Parenting essentials for setting limits on your child’s behavior The other morning at playgroup, a little boy kept running up to his mom and punching her. It was a light, somewhat playful punch. Repeated over and over again it seemed quite annoying too. All this mom really wanted, was to have a conversation with a friend. You’ve been… Continue Reading
Does your child fidget with everything, chew on their shirt sleeves, bite their nails, make noises with their mouth? It is challenging to know how to address these problems without making your child feel embarrassed or defensive about their behavior. My daughter is a chewer. She chews on everything — shirt sleeves, blankets, markers,… Continue Reading