My mom died yesterday. While I'm spending this week remembering and grieving, I hope you'll forgive the silence here on my site. And if you have a question that you are struggling with just now about kids or parenting, try the search bar above. If the answer isn't there, shoot me an email. I'll be back to work Dec 8 and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can. In the meantime, … [Read more...]
Kids, Greed and Giving
All this advertising and buzz around Black Friday sales is making my head hurt! I'm worried that my kids will only think about material items this holiday season. Is there any tangible way to teach my kids the holidays aren't just about Xboxs and toys, and to show them the value of going good? Zack, in PA Kids want stuff. That is the absolute truth. And there is nothing wrong … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Gratitude: How Kids Can Learn to Appreciate What They Have
"Mom! I want..." Do your kids have lots of wants? Do you sometimes despair of helping them appreciate what they already have? Wanting is an entirely normal function of childhood (just like saying "No" is an entirely normal function of parents!). Teaching kids to quiet the "I want" voice long enough to notice the "I already have" voice is an important part of raising children … [Read more...]
Kids and Self-Esteem – Use Birthday Power
Do your kids’ birthdays make you feel nostalgic? Mine do. I’m not much for reliving the birth story - good news for my boys I think. That’s probably because I turned into a weeping lunatic for about the first solid week after each of my sons was born. Not my best moments. Birthdays make me think of growth and possibilities. I spoke to a friend recently on the ninth … [Read more...]
Should Parents Prank Kids on Video?
Ever had the urge to laugh at your child's meltdown? This is a normal urge! Rather than get completely enmeshed and feel terrible every time our child is upset, it is helpful to see that this too shall pass. It is healthy to separate enough from our kids that their stress doesn't have to be our stress every single time. Parent Prank Videos can be so funny! Is your Facebook … [Read more...]
