Top 7 Halloween Tips For Parents
Halloween can either be fun and exciting or become a Halloween Horror night. Getting as much candy as you can seems to be the goal of the night. Although fun, it can often leave our families feeling...
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Do You Want More Teamwork in Your Family?
"Kids today aren't that motivated today," I often hear people say. We blame today's kids. Little do we realize that we are the ones who train kids to believe they are honored guests in the home, rather...
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Parents: No Need to Feel Guilty
One thing that saps our energy the most is feeling guilty. We feel guilty that we don't spend enough time with our kids, that we didn't get the laundry done, that we didn't bring homemade cupcakes to...
View Article5 Quick Tips to Deeply Connect with Your Child
What happens when we don't connect with our children on a regular basis? I have found that kids misbehave more often, they have lower self-esteem and tension builds up in the family. My personal...
View ArticleCreative Ways to Say "No" To A Child
Saying "no" to your child can be difficult. Sometimes we end up feeling like a broken record that says "no" all the time. Sometimes our kids just wear us down. Yet saying "no" is a necessary ingredient...
View ArticleAre You a Transparent Parent?
"Mommy, are you ok?" asks her daughter. Mom lies, "I fine, honey."Do you try to mask your feelings from your children? Your spouse? We often hide our feelings because we want to protect our children....
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6 Tips to Get Your Child/Teen/Spouse to Listen
Have you found yourself thinking or saying, "Are you listening to me?" I know I did. Did you know that listening is not an innate skill? It is a skill that must be learned. Guess where children learn...
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3 Steps to Teach Your Child Self Advocacy Skills
As my daughter interviewed the Dean of the Athletic Training Department at a potential college choice, I found myself uncomfortably looking down at the table, at the floor, or out the window. I was...
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4 Parenting Mistakes a Mom Inadvertently Made with Her Daughter
I was at a friend's house listening to her 9-year-old daughter play the piano. Her mother piped in and announced that she was going to play the other part of the duet. Her daughter raised her hand and...
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9 Ways to Teach Your Child Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is the art of doing something that you don't want to do but know that you need to do for a long-term benefit. It also involves stopping behaviors that do not lead to the end you hope to...
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11 Crucial Questions Questions to Ask Your Child to Teach them Self-Reflection
As this year is coming to an end, I find myself self-reflecting and wondering how this year has gone by so fast! I am begining to think on what can I do to improve myself, my family, and career next...
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8 Tips to Letting Your Child Fail Gracefully
It was the morning after Thanksgiving and my daughter volunteered to make organic, honey buttermilk pancakes for the family. Everything started well until Brianna put her first pancake into the frying...
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When Your Child Wants to Quit
What parent hasn't struggled with knowing what to do or say as they watched their child feeling frustrated and wanting to quit? Research shows that kids who persist and excel recognize that success...
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10 Creative Ways to Say "No" to Your Child
"Mom, can I go to the mall with Andrea?" asks Sara."No, honey you can't," answers Mom."Pleeeeeeease," begs Sara."No! And that's final," Mom retorts."Mom why? All my friends get to go to the mall?"...
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Is Your Child a Good Friend?
Kids need friends. In fact, this is so important that parents should make it a priority to make sure their child is a good friend. Pay close attention by watching your child play with others and by...
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6 Tips for Raising Joyful Children
Most parents want their children to be happy, however we may experience bickering, demanding, and self-centered behaviors from our children. Here are 6 tips for raising children that are joyful.1. Have...
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8 Steps to Deescalating Your Tween/Teen's Emotional Surges
Does your tween or teen have emotional out bursts? It rare to hear of one who doesn't so you are not alone! Have you ever felt completely inept as to how to handle the situation? I know I did may...
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When is the "Right" Time to Talk with Your Tween/Teen?
"Timing is everything!" I am sure you have heard that before. However, this concept is imperative when talking to your tween/teen. An ineffective time to talk is during or right after an incident like:...
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Why Most Moms Get Grumpy
We Micro manage. We wake them up, we make sure the brush their hair, brush their teeth, get a good breakfast, dressed appropriately, pack their lunch, make sure homework is ready to turn in, settle at...
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How to Get Your Tween/Teen Out of Their Room
I surveyed the teen boys in my husband's fencing academy with the question, "How can your parents get you out of your room?" The saddest answer: my parents are never home so it doesn't matter. The...
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How to Get Your Tween/Teen to Clean Their Room
When I was a teenager, my Mom frequently harped on me about cleaning my room. One day, I went into my room and found that my Mom had taken everything out of my drawers and dumped it all over my room. I...
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Is Your Kid Entitled?
"Get me a drink of water," demanded the seven-year-old girl on the couch. A few minutes later the sibling chimed in with, "Bring me some chips!" The please and thank you manners were painfully missing....
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Why Are Dads So Important for Tween/Teen Daughters
Our daughter, Brianna, was laying on the couch with her ear buds on doing the typical teenage "thing." Brian, my husband started pestering her about something she hadn't done. Brianna rolled her eyes...
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How Not to Raise an Entitled Kid
Ten-year-old Amy's job is to clean the bathroom. She gets frustrated after giving little effort and says, "Why should I have to clean the bathroom, it's not fair!"Jason's job is to mow the lawn. He's...
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Help! My Kids Are Fighting!
"My kids are fighting so often I just want to pull my hair out!""They are supposed to love each other. I just don't get it.""I feel like I could be replaced by a recording yelling, STOP FIGHTING! (Not...
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When Your Teen Says, "Get Out".... "Get In"
James, a student in our Redirecting Children's Behavior parenting class, grimaced as he told the group that he felt he was loosing his fourteen-year-old daughter, Brittany. He continued, "She either...
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Tips to Create Happy School Drop-offs and Pick-ups
"Mommmmm! Don't leave me," pleads Amy, as Mom tries to peel her daughter from her leg at school. "Honey, I have to go or I will late for work," Mom tries to explain but to no avail. Sound familiar?...
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Worried About Your Teenager?
When my daughter was a teenager, I could make it through the day. But at night time, when my head hit the pillow, in the dark is when it would begin. I would toss and turn, worried about my kid....Who...
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A Character Building Riddle
P a r e n t i n g P r a c t i c eA Character Building Riddle to Ask Your Family at Dinner TonightAsk your family to answer this riddle:"There is one thing that is common to every individual,...
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Bully Proof Your Child
Tears drip through hands that cover his reddened face. Shoulders slumped and lip quivering, he shuffles his way home. This is not his first altercation with this bully. He has been victimized several...
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The NUMBER ONE Best Question to Ask Your Kids in the Morning
Most of us ask our kids, "Did you brush your teeth? Do you have all of your homework done? Do you have your shin guards for soccer?" These are all important questions to help your child be prepared for...
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What Distracts You From Love?
Pause....I mean seriously. PAUSE! Take a moment from your busy schedule and reflect on this question.What distracts you from love? Is it the shopping, wrapping and taping? The throngs of people,...
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12 Do's & Don'ts to Get Your Tween or Teen to Talk to You
"I haven't talked to my mom, I mean really talked, in six months," a twelve year-old confided in me. "Oh, why is that," I asked gingerly. "My mom laughed at me when I told her I had a boyfriend." We...
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7 Ways to Raise a Passionate, Powerful, Confident Girl
Do you ever worry about your daughter being too shy or too mean? Now more than ever, we need to teach our girls how use their voices effectively. Here are 7 ways to do just that:1. Prepare her. Some...
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Do you cave after setting a limit?
Have you ever made a plan and promised yourself you were going to stick to the limits you set and then you caved? Boy do I know what that feels like!Sometimes we cave because: we're too tired.we've set...
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How to say it so they GET IT!
Have you ever said something to your kids and you thought you were clear BUT something totally different from what you said or requested happens? Or WORSE YET, they say, "You didn't tell me that!" Here...
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The gift of NO
If you are a person who is naturally open-hearted and generous, no can be an unnatural stretch. If you are one of those who really longs to be liked, it's more than a stretch!It may be tough to dish...
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8 Key Elements to Building a Strong Father-Son Relationship
My father was very stoic, insensitive and used force to make us behave. My father was pretty typical of that era. But now things have changed. We no longer want a man that is forceful and has a "father...
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How Do You Handle Your Anger?
Thirteen year old Anthony told his parents to pick him up in front of the school at 4 because he was staying after to finish a project for school. When mom arrived several minutes early, she found...
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When In A Power Struggle, Ask This Question
My son Tyler was 3. I had put him in the shopping cart hoping to contain him because I needed to rush in and rush out of the grocery store. (Bad idea. Rushing always creates tension that often leads to...
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3 S's Of Successful Parenting
3 S's Of Successful ParentingSelf-Reflection - Most therapists and coaches tell us it is impossible to change someone else.(Lord knows I have tried in vain many times!) This road only leads to...
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Quick Tip to Ease Tension Quickly With Your Spouse
Quick Tip to Ease Tension Quickly With Your SpouseThere was a bit of tension between my husband and I as we walked hurriedly to get some holiday shopping done. I noticed an old woman gesturing to me...
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How to Get Out and Stay Out of Power Struggles!
If you are feeling challenged, like your authority is being threatened, you want to make your child do something... you are in a power struggle.Being in a power struggle with your child is absolutely...
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