How the words we use with our children send POWERFUL messages.
I was walking to my car the other day and passed by a mother with her child of 2-3 years. They were sitting at a table finishing up what appeared to be their lunch. When I was a few yards away, the child quietly asked the mother for something, to go somewhere. The mother's reply: "If you're good, then we'll do that." She not only said it once, but for some reason (perhaps at the child's insistence) repeated herself a couple more times.
Bypass confrontations with kids when you react and respond more positively.
“You’ve got to accentuate the positive.” (Song by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer, 1944)
A positive attitude (or even a less negative attitude) has the potential to change lives. This old song lyric came to mind while reading The Roller-Coaster Years – Raising Your Child Through the Maddening Yet Magical Middle School Years (Gianetti & Sagarese). This is a fascinating book for parents of 10-15-year-olds, and for parents who want a gl
Separation anxiety can be heartbreaking for parents--it is for me.
This morning was heartbreaking. (To read about my complete meldown, click here.) It all started with a morning cuddle, my 6-yr old climbing into bed, sharing sweet nothings about life. 20 minutes later, when I told him we had to get up and get ready, he started to cry. He begged me to let him skip school, told me he had a fever, and then that he had a headache. He moved slowly, protesting every step of what is normally a functional and easy morning routine. By the time we got in the car
A look at why sex and alcohol are so much more appealing than childcare.
In a recent study, participants ranked sex first and alcohol second on a list of things that make them happy. Meanwhile, childcare came in fifth place, begging the question: Why do people prefer sex and booze to kids?
Raising a child isn't easy, especially on your own!
Which type of partner-less parent are you? Single or solo?
In my opinion, there are two basic types of partner-less parents: single parents and solo parents. I've been both, and I can tell you that there are good things and bad things about each situation.
How can moms help their daughters grow up with a healthy body image?
Teaching my daughters to have a healthy body image has made me see myself in a whole new light.
As a woman, body image issues have drifted in and out of my life for as long as I can remember. They're that little albatross I can't quite shake: Every time I squeeze into a pair of jeans or put on my swimsuit for my daughters' Saturday morning lessons, every time I turn sideways to see my reflection in a mirror or compare myself to someone beautiful. They're the questions that tumble around in my head: Am I old? Am I fat? Am I pretty? When my daughter started asking the same questions, I knew it was time to break the cycle.
I usually ask them to clean their room but this question changed how I look at motherhood.
Last week I asked my children, “How can I be a better mom to you?” I got the idea from a friend who had asked her daughter the same question. Her daughter, who is in high school, said “Can we read together at night?” How great is that? I was sure that my children would ask for things like more screen time, less rules, messy rooms, and more spending money. Many moms that I talk to don’t think they are doing a good job as parents. They are sure that they are ruining their children in some dramatic fashion and that othe
When do your responsibilities as a parent take a backseat to your own happiness?
Question: My question is a little unique. I am considering remarriage to a wonderful man, however; I have a daughter who is legally blind, and she has a beautiful 3- year-old daughter. If I remarry, I would be moving out of state. My daughter is not anywhere near being self sufficient and I am not going to just abandon her. My fiancé has said that he would wait as long as it takes for me to help my daughter become independent. Neither my fiancé nor I have plans to break up if this process does not move as fast as we had hoped.
What do you do when you hit a 'brick wall'? Go from being stuck to accomplishing your goal. (EXPERT)
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. It’s a phrase worth considering at every brick wall we encounter, and at every disappointment. It’s a reminder that failure is not just acceptable, it’s often essential.” Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
Want to raise a spoiled brat? You've come to the right place.
Most parents really want to be good parents, but since most parents don't take parenting classes, they inadvertently get a lot of things wrong. This tongue-in-cheek article is designed to help you avoid the pitfalls parents have made since the dawn of time.
Your kids will achieve more when expectations are raised, one notch at a time.
What does raising the bar look like for you? What expectations do you have for your children? Setting high expectations is a good thing, as long as the bar isn't out of reach.
Some of the students I teach have trouble with organization and keeping track of assignments. Meetings with parents of middle schoolers and guidance sometimes result in a long list of things the child is supposed to accomplish or master.
