Search the Archives:

search by category

communication | sibling rivalry | discipline | emotions | positive parenting

When you keep yelling at your kids (but really want to stop)

“Get in bed! NOW!” you scream at the top of your lungs. Any intention of staying calm went right out the window. Along with any amount of patience or rational thinking. Your kids scramble into their beds and you finally have a chance to breathe. It doesn’t take long for

Continue Reading
If you've ever wondered, "What am I doing wrong?" Become a student of your child using these 5 questions, and watch your child thrive!

5 Questions to Help your Unique Child Thrive

Special thanks to April Finley for guest posting this week! Read more about her in the bio below. My diaper bag was packed according to the list I’d written before I’d given birth; it was well stocked with clean clothes, burp cloths, washcloths, pacifiers, receiving blankets, diapers, and any number

Continue Reading
It's not your job to stop your child from having a tantrum. It's your job not to have one.

It’s not your job to stop a tantrum, it’s your job not to have one

It happens in an instant. Your child is refusing to brush their teeth. Is begging for the newest video game. Or is picking on their sister (again). Then yelling begins — complete with name calling, sarcasm, and eye-rolling. Except it’s not your child. It’s you. And you hate it. BONUS

Continue Reading
You know your acting out, melting down child needs your attention, but what about the siblings? How do you support your kids when their siblings struggle with big emotions?

It’s not fair, and that’s ok. Supporting your children when a sibling is struggling.

The tantrum has been in full force for at least 20 minutes and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. While you’re doing your best to manage the situation, you glance over and see two sets of wide eyes peering at you from across the room. You’re torn.

Continue Reading
Kids off school for summer vacation? Use these tips from moms who've been there to make your summer break a success!

Moms share their secrets to a successful summer break

School’s out for summer! Which means summer break is here. (If it’s not, it will be here soon.) Have you started panicking yet? Or are you organized and calm, ready to embrace the chaos? As a work-from-home mom, my days are about to get complicated. So, I turned to you

Continue Reading
Waiting for your child to manage big emotions or self-regulate can be a long process. Look for glimmers of hope and maturity along the way.

Finding a glimmer of hope when your child struggles with self-regulation

I was digging through a random junk drawer when I finally found them. The colored pens I use to keep my schedule organized. I had been looking for them for days. I mentioned this casually to my kids, “Huh. Did you guys know these pens were in here?” My daughter

Continue Reading

Why your kids need you to step-up (but it’s not what you think)

Battle lines are drawn. Your child is not giving up without a fight. As they dig in their heels, you feel pressured to stand your ground. Panic sets in, “If I lose this fight, he will never do anything I ask ever again!” You start to yell. Threaten. Punish. Anything

Continue Reading

Where is your parenting village?

My parents live 5 hours away. My best friends live 30 minutes away. In two different directions. I’m a transplant to the area, so I still don’t know the best playgrounds, the popular mommy-and-me groups or the sought-after babysitters. In other words, if I want support, I have to create my own

Continue Reading
Tired of yelling? Want to learn how to stay calm with your kids? Try this calm-down plan for parents.

A Calm-Down Plan (For Parents)

A quick scroll through your Pinterest feed displays cool-down games, feeling-face posters, and jars of glitter floating gently through brightly-colored water. All with the goal of helping your kids calm down. This is a great goal. Kids need to learn how to manage their emotions and stay calm under pressure.

Continue Reading
Are you frustrated with your kids' behavior. Tired of all the arguments? Maybe it's time to zoom out. To look at your parenting through a different lens.

Looking at parenting through a wide-angle lens

Remember those nights, shuffling around the nursery trying to calm the shrill cries of your newborn? Or, jingling skittles in a  jar to encourage your child to actually make it to the potty chair this time? When you’re going through these stages it feels like life is standing still. Like

Continue Reading