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communication | sibling rivalry | discipline | emotions | positive parenting
It’s bedtime. Or, at least it should be. Instead, Lillian is running circles around her bedroom, asking to play dress-up and negotiating for another story. You’re exhausted. You’ve been trying to get her in bed for over an hour now, and nothing is working. Creating a bedtime routine can
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To say that it’s been a long day would be putting it mildly. The power-struggles have been endless. The whining has been constant. And, of course, there was the “I’m-not-leaving-the-store-without-a-toy” meltdown in aisle 9. No matter what you do, it seems that your child’s main goal is to make
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We knew there was a storm brewing from the moment my daughter woke up. Crabby isn’t the right word. We’ll call it “off,” just not right. It was a walking on eggshells kind of day. Still, we had errands to run, so we headed out to the mall, hoping things
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At preschool pickup, the teacher pulls you aside. She has some concerns about your child’s behavior. She reminds you that there is a zero tolerance policy for biting and aggressive acts like kicking and hitting may result in suspension. You’re a little shocked to hear the news, but you know
Continue ReadingCheck out my latest post on Positive Parenting Connection: As a mom to three girls and as a child therapist, I’ve read piles of parenting books. My parenting philosophy has changed dramatically over the years. When I landed in the realm of “Positive Parenting,” I was hooked. I knew instinctively
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There’s old parenting advice that tells us to give attention and praise when our kids do something good. Unfortunately, going overboard with “Good Job” may be making things worse, rather than better. Learn why it’s OK not to praise your child for every.little.thing. My kids love to color. They can
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Out of the blue, my daughter announced: “Ashlyn and Tyler don’t talk to me on the bus.” Shocked and caught off guard, I accidentally made a great parenting decision: I didn’t say anything. She continued, “I know I’m quiet. Maybe they don’t hear me talk, but I feel left out.”
Continue ReadingCheck out my guest post on Positive Parenting Connection: “Kelsey wanted to play house at recess, but Fiona wanted to play tag.” My first grade daughter is talking a mile a minute about the drama that unfolded at recess today. “Fiona said that anyone who plays house is a baby.
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The house is a mess. There are toys everywhere. The garbage needs to be emptied. The dishes are piled in the sink. And there are your 3 kids. Watching TV, playing on their phones, coloring. Absolutely not helping around the house. You’ve tried chore charts, you’ve tried bribing, you’ve tried
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Another day, another fear. Spiders, making a mistake on a math test, wearing the wrong socks. If you live with a child who suffers from anxiety, you know this all too well. Some days it feels exhausting. Some days you feel like yelling, “IT’S NOT A BIG DEAL! GET OVER
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