Latest From The Blog
Conquer Yelling & Overcome Anger: Part Two
Do you feel like screaming when your toddler takes too long to put on his shoes? Do you worry that your child is still hitting at school, or that your preteen just declared she’s going on a diet?
Most of us are triggered by our children multiple times a day. And it’s often our own behavior that makes things worse.
when parents need a time out
You can tame your tantrums. Here are eight things you can do when you’re in the grip of anger and need a time out.
Conquer Yelling & Overcome Anger: 2-Part Blog Series
Do you feel like screaming when your toddler takes too long to put on his shoes? Do you worry that your child is still hitting at school, or that your preteen just declared she’s going on a diet?
Most of us are triggered by our children multiple times a day. And it’s often our own behavior that makes things worse.
when parents need a time out
You can tame your tantrums. Here are eight things you can do when you’re in the grip of anger and need a time out.
Scared Out of Our Minds: What To Say When a Child is Afraid
There are many things that can scare a child: a loud noise, an angry parent, a barking dog, a hospitalization, witnessing violence. Sometimes we know children are afraid because they tell us so, but at other times, it comes out in their behavior. They act out, they...
Put A Lid On It
Good listening is the cornerstone to good parenting. But so often, we find ourselves:
interrupting, negotiating, instructing, criticizing, or correcting our children.
Good listening doesn’t mean you have to give in to your child’s demands. You can set limits, and, in fact, limits are vital for children. But once you’ve set a limit, you don’t need to say much. You can briefly explain why they can’t have a bag of gummies in the check out line, but don’t get into a full blown argument with them, especially when they’re upset.
when parents need a time out
You can tame your tantrums. Here are eight things you can do when you’re in the grip of anger and need a time out.
Taming Parent Tantrums: 8 Keys to Quieting the Storm
Although our children notice when we yell, scream, or grab too tight, they are not at fault. As psychologist Laura Markham notes, “…no one ever really ‘triggers’ you. They’re your triggers, from your own childhood, from other traumas, or from your current stress. Your child has simply unearthed them and is giving you the opportunity to heal them.”
when parents need a time out
You can tame your tantrums. Here are eight things you can do when you’re in the grip of anger and need a time out.
“No, We Can’t Send Her Back”: Five Keys for Preparing Your Family for the Birth of a Sibling
Two days after my son was born, his five-year old sister carefully and quietly carried his bouncy chair to a room in the back of the house that wasn’t used much. When I walked back into the living room and found him gone, she said, “He has gone to the baby dungeon,...
The Secret to Helping Your Baby’s Brain Grow
Although we parents might feel like we spend every moment with a new baby, our days are also filled with the work it takes to run a family. There is laundry to be done, meals to prepare, diapers to change, showers to slip into when we have a moment, and errands to run when we can. And so we get busy around our babies. Even when we’re with our babies hour after hour, sometimes 3:00 p.m. rolls around and we haven’t actually connected with them yet.
There is More to Sharing Than Taking Turns
Sometimes children love to share. A child passes out a cupcake to each friend at a party; offers his baby sister the toy he knows she’ll love; or asks grandma to buy something for her siblings in addition to her own gift when they are at the toy store together.
But sometimes…children are not so generous or loving. All children have trouble sharing at times. A child might hoard all of the “best” sandbox toys for herself, or run to snag the best seat in the car before his siblings get there.
Your Fear Toolkit: How to Help Your Child with Fear and Anxiety
When children are afraid, they can be inflexible, stubborn, aggressive, or timid. You might remember being in a similar state, yourself…
Contradicting the “Mama’s Boy” Myth: Strategies to Support Your Son as He Grows
Messages about how to parent your son are everywhere: “Don’t coddle him.” “Push him out into the world.” “He’s being a crybaby.” “You better let him go.” Feeling a cultural pressure to disconnect with their sons, many mothers feel conflicted about how to stay close,...
The “do-nothing-say-nothing” Challenge
OK, that’s it! Time out! And no more screen time for the rest of the week! Have you tried time outs, punishments, or rewards lately? The problem with these parenting techniques is that they tend to increase your children’s anger and resentment. Your kids are actually...
Avocado Throwing Fit and 4 Other Times to Use this Sanity Saver Tool
Did it take your kiddo forever to get his pajamas on last night or did she flat out refuse to brush her hair in the morning? Or maybe he always puts up a fight when it’s bath time. Wouldn’t it be great to have a ten minute tool that can turn your child’s worst...
Ten Minutes of Special Time Can Change Everything
What if I told you that with ten minutes of your undivided attention: Your child will be more cooperative—more likely to pick up the toys when you ask them to or get their pajamas on at night. You’ll build trust in your relationship with your kid so they rely on you...
What Everyone Should Know About Being a Grandparent
Becoming a grandparent can be one of the sweetest things in life. Grandparents often have a rejuvenating glow when they talk about their grandchildren. Usually the joys of grandparenthood come without the same stresses of parenting. In fact: The worries that burden us...
Grocery Store Meltdown Part II—When the Sh*%t Hits the Fan!
You’ve tried everything to ward off the tantrum at the grocery store (see this post if you haven’t): You connected through Special Time before you left the house, You kept that yummy connection when you got to the store, and You tried some playful moves when they were...
