You're SO tired of reminding your daughter to feed the dog. Every day. The reminders. The nagging. The same argument. And, to make matters worse, you usually end up feeding the dog! You wish she would just take some responsibility; figure out a way to remember. To just do it without having to be asked! Help Your Child Become a Critical … [Read more...]
Bridging the Gap: Improving Communication with your Teen
Sitting with a teenage client and her family in my therapy office, she declares: "My parents just don't understand!" Digging a little deeper, I ask, "What would help you feel like they understood you?" She snaps back, "If they would just listen to me!" On the defense, her mom responds, "What do you mean?! I listen to you all day … [Read more...]
50 Ways to Say “Good Job” (Without Saying “Good Job”)
There was a time when parents were told to praise their child's every move as a way of building their self-esteem. Not knowing exactly how to do this, many parents resorted to the phrase "good job." This generic phrase has long lost its motivating incentive. Unfortunately, many parents and teachers continue to use this phrase with their … [Read more...]
How to respond when your child says, “Mom, Can We Talk?”
Sometimes, it's the simplest words that are the most important. "I'm going to throw up." "The kitchen is on fire." "Mom, can we talk?" They are important, significant, meaningful words. While you would probably immediately respond to the first two statements, the third is often overlooked, minimized, or ignored. You don't mean to … [Read more...]
Beyond “I’m Sorry:” Teach Your Child To Apologize
You heard the smack from the kitchen. Followed by wailing. Entering the room, you demand, "Tell your sister you're sorry." "Soorrry." It reeks with sarcasm. "Say 'sorry' like you mean it," you prompt again. "I'm not sorry!" he yells back. What?! How dare he say that. Teaching your child to apologize. You are probably all too … [Read more...]
Is it time for your parenting to grow up?
You focus so much on milestones when your kids are babies. Are they walking yet? Talking in complete sentences? Using the potty? After the toddler years, you stop tracking milestones. And unfortunately, many people stop changing the way they parent. Suddenly, you're having huge battles with your grade school age child and wondering why … [Read more...]
Parenting Regrets? It’s not too late to make a change.
"I'd like to do things differently, but my kids are almost teenagers, it's too late to make a difference." "You can't believe the things I've done - I've yelled, spanked, even swore at my kids - I'll never be able to change." Sometimes, our own thinking keeps us trapped. We start to believe that there is no hope for us. No room for change. No … [Read more...]