Always & Forever, by Alan Durant, is reviewed in detail here. It is one of my favorite books about grief for kids. Highly recommended. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn isn't about grief or loss, but it is a book [...]
No parent wants to use the words "child" and "death" in the same sentence. But life doesn't always honor our wants. In the best circumstances we can introduce children to death gradually.
Ever ask your kid why they did some (dumb, unwanted, whatever) thing? Yeah, me too. But! When I'm running my parenting "A" game, I try not to--for at least 2 good reasons.
I hate to do it, because I LOVE hearing from real people (!) but the sp*m comments have gotten pretty overwhelming lately, so I'm going to turn off comments for the next few months. When I have a little more [...]
We parents often say things like "She needs to understand that no means no" or simply "He doesn't listen!" Behind these complaints is often a big ugly truth that just happens to have a Latin description: sometimes what we parents say isn't what we actually do.
The MOST important thing for a parent to do in ANY difficult conversation is simply to be & stay open to communication.
Four year old Max isn't very good at picking up his toys.
Clients of young children often tell me that their kids say things to them like "I hate you" or "You're the worst mom in the world," or even the milder but still related: "I'm not going to do that!" It's these "strong statements" that often leave parents feeling guilty or worried or challenged by seeming defiance.
File this one under 'simple techniques, that, when taught & role modeled 1000 times, will produce life-long benefits for your child.' The scene: your 4 year old is upset because you have brought her the pink shoes instead of the purple ones. (How could you?!) Whining, crying, yelling and more fun stuff are starting to rear their heads.
Question: My child keeps unbuckling his carseat, what should I do? Answer: This is a great opportunity to fabricate a teachable moment. Make sure to do these things ahead of time:
I believe family is the foundation of who we are as people and as a culture, and helping improve family lives is my calling and my passion. My top priority is helping you manage behavior more effectively while preserving your parent-child relationship, either with one-on-one coaching or through my online offerings.
