Imagine that your oldest kids are fighting...again. Or, your youngest just spilled his juice box on the floor. Or, your daughter is whining that life is "not fair." What's your knee-jerk reply? Are you a yeller? Do you criticize? Overreact? Maybe you ignore, walk away or throw up your hands in … [Read more...]
9 Communication Tips to End the Grunts, Groans, and Eye-Rolls from Your Kids
Do you ever feel like talking to your kids is harder than it has to be? You: "How was school?" Your Child: "Fine." You: "So, what did you do?" Your Child: "Nothing." You: "Come on, I know you did something." Your Child (rolling his eyes): "Come on Mom. Leave me alone." Ugh. Round and round you go, and it always ends the same … [Read more...]
How to Mend a Broken Relationship With Your Son or Daughter
You're arguing constantly and rarely talk anymore. You're not sure when things started drifting, but your relationship has definitely changed. Thankfully, you can still repair the relationship! These 7 tips will help you learn how to mend a broken relationship with your son or daughter, even if it seems impossible. I know it's bad, but I don't … [Read more...]
5 Things to Check Before You Correct a Child
Correcting starts early... "That book's upside down" or "Your shoes are on the wrong feet." As our kids get older, it seems that there are more and more things to correct. "2 plus 3 equals 5, not 6!" "Pour the juice with both hands!" One of our jobs as parents is to guide our children and help them make good … [Read more...]
11 Mixed Messages Parents Send (And How to Stop)
Recently, I was struck by the number of mixed messages parents send to their kids. I believe that most of these are unintentional, and would probably go unnoticed unless someone pointed them out (in a blog post, maybe?). However, some of these are common sources of tension between parents and children, I hear about it from the families I … [Read more...]
7 Questions to Ask Your Kids Instead of “Why?”
You walk into your child's room. Toys are EVERYWHERE. Your son forgot the book he needs for his homework...again. Your daughter refuses to go to her school dance. After you bought the dress. A very normal response to these infuriating situations is to ask: "Why?!?!" "Why did you take out every single toy you own?" "Why did you forget your … [Read more...]
Simplify Your Parenting: Focus on the Relationship
Lately, I've been feeling like parenting information has been swirling around me like a tornado. It's very easy to start doubting our decisions..."I'm using time-out, but some people don't, am I scarring my child for life?" Beating ourselves up when we feel that we've failed..."I just yelled at my kids, AGAIN! Why can't I just keep … [Read more...]
The key to making a good parenting decision
Your toddler is having a tantrum in the middle of Target. Or, maybe your tween is having a tantrum in the middle of Target. You look around. People are starting to stare, most are actually glaring. You feel judged. You feel like a horrible parent. In desperation, you plead with your child to calm down, but they just ramp … [Read more...]
Let Your Children Feel Their Feelings
There is nothing better than hearing the sound of children laughing. Seeing your son confidently climb the ladder to the tallest slide. Getting a giant bear hug from your daughter. Ahh...the joys of parenting. Unfortunately, with the joy, there are also the hard times. Arguments, yelling, conflict and competition. Failure, disappointment and … [Read more...]
Parents: Master the “10-Second Lecture” in 4 Easy Steps
Your child comes home from school with a note from the teacher listing 6 missing assignments. This is the first you've heard of the missing homework, so your parenting brain probably decides: "This is a great time for a lecture!" You sit your child down at the table and engage them in an hour long talk including the following key … [Read more...]