It’s easy as parents to try to communicate with all our children the same. And typically, we tend to communicate with our kids in the way we grew up. Some families look at communication as a way to make sure their kids are tough, resilient, and able to withstand whatever life sends their way. But […]
Parents often ask me if I think a specific consequence is appropriate for a given situation with their kids. They wonder if it is too harsh or too lenient or tied enough to the offense. Inevitably the conversation transpires into the “rules” that have been established and why they are there. The question I typically ask […]
Whether it be the lack of sleep during the infant and toddler years or the fear of what our kids are doing during the teen years or early 20’s, at some point in the journey we’re likely to feel overwhelmed as a parent. For many of us we’ve been conditioned to be energizer bunnies; “we keep […]
Anger is an emotion that most of us have to deal with from time to time especially when our tweens and teens push our hot buttons. Typically when this happens our real desire is to just make the situation go away. “Why did you do that? How dare you speak to me that way! […]
Most parents struggle with priorities. It doesn’t matter if you have one child or several kids, orchestrating a balanced life sometimes seems next to impossible. Juggling housework, job, kids, homework, activities, and a spouse is enough to make anyone’s life seem thrown off kilter at times. Add to that a kid who isn’t fairing well […]
Did you know that teenagers who seem to have the best success moving into healthy adulthood have a “community” of adults walking beside them? The first place to look for that community is obviously at home. Are both you and your spouse invested in your children in a positive way—daily? If not, find ways […]