People don’t talk about having an angry child (I mean a child who is very angry, very often.) At least I don't see it too often. In this piece, which I originally published in 2012, I'm sharing my experience as best I can, because it has been one of the most isolating experiences in parenting for [...]Continue Reading
healthy emotions
Emotional Well-being for Parents Series Kick-off
Emotions are a crucial part of our lives, yet are not taught in schools nor many families. They are more often repressed, avoided, numbed, fixed and generally misunderstood. Many of our biggest parenting challenges come from our difficulties working with our and our kids emotions. Thankfully, we [...]Continue Reading
The Emotions Bowl – teaching kids about emotions and how to regulate them
My brother was seeking a way to stay close to his kids during a very tumultuous time in his life and he asked the advice of a family counselor. She suggested the emotions bowl - this is a wonderful tool for teaching kids about emotions and helping families grow closer. Since then he and I [...]Continue Reading
Red Flag Words – How to understand what your child really needs
As the end of the school year neared, both of my sons struggled with final projects. It was exhausting to have evenings filled with arguments about why they couldn't possible get their work done. This was particularly bad one evening last week with one boy morosely sitting at the table not working [...]Continue Reading
My child gets on my nerves!! 5 Strategies to Help You Take Your Kid’s Behavior Less Personally
Maybe it's an innocent comment like, "Ewww, Mama,your breath stinks, don't kiss me!" or maybe it's an angry outburst - name calling and slammed doors. Some things are hard not to take personally. Do you ever find yourself thinking or saying any of the following? You are making me so angry [...]Continue Reading
How to Make Sure Your Kids Get the Physical, Emotional and Learning Benefits of Physical Play in the Early Years
The benefits of physical activity are not only related to physical health, but also contribute to psychological well-being, cognitive development (attention and concentration), social competence and emotional maturity (controlling emotions and behavior, self-esteem and self-respect). All of this [...]Continue Reading