As a parent, "caution" is my middle name. I am concerned about my children's safety and do what I can to keep them out of harm's way. That being said, I also believe that children should be exposed to certain experiences in order to keep them safe. That's why I introduced kitchen knives to my children at an early age. Yep, I'm talking … [Read more...]
101 Ways to Say “I Love You”
Saying, "I love you" is nice, but do you feel like your children are wanting more? How can you be sure that each of your children is feeling loved? According to Dr. Gary Chapman, Author of the 5 Love Languages of Children, there are 5 ways each of us can experience love. The 5 love languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, … [Read more...]
Help Your Child Become A Critical Thinker and Problem Solver
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...]
Tired of Being an Angry Parent? 6 Tips to Control Your Anger
Do you find yourself making threats, inflicting punishments, or screaming in anger? Do you feel overwhelmed, tired or stressed, and unsure how to handle your anger differently? Do you feel like a horrible parent? You are not alone. Many parents struggle to control their anger. If you are tired of being an … [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...]
7 Ways to Help Your Anxious Child
Once again, your child is refusing to go to bed because there might be a spider in their room. You've checked every corner of the room – no spiders. You've reassured him that there probably won't be a spider. Finally, you run out of options and allow him to sleep in your bed, again. You want this cycle to change, but you are not sure … [Read more...]
Don’t Cancel Christmas! 5 Tips to Relieve Holiday Stress
It's a miracle that the tree is actually still standing. Between the impromptu pillow fight in the living room and your toddler's never-ending interest in rearranging the ornaments, it's still in pretty good shape. Still, you have your doubts that it will last until Christmas. Unfortunately, the tree is only one of your concerns right now. … [Read more...]