Predictability is the Cousin of Control
Sure, I would like to control all the messy little loose ends of my life, like: preventing Christmas family drama, or Uncle Jimmy's tendency to argue about politics, etc, but ever since I misplaced my magic wand, I just can't.
Who’s driving this bus?
Happy Holidays! I hope you are having peaceful, loving times with your kids while they are out of school. (at least some of the time, anyway!) ;^) For some people, the holidays mean that both parents are home and more highly involved in parenting than usual. This can be great, and... it can also cause difficulty when parents have different [...]
Books Recommended in Beyond Birds and Bees
In my workshops, I love to recommend books. I also frequently get emails asking for book recommendations--for both kids and parents. The most common request is for books about sex. If I had to pare down the options to just three, this is what I would choose.
Surviving the holidays with your family ;^)
Surviving the Holidays with your family... ;^)
5 Tips for going back to school
1. Plan ahead for the morning. Revert back to the school-day bedtime & wake-up schedule a few days in advance. Get a little extra sleep a couple of days before (you and your child!) Lay out the first day's clothes the night before, pack the backpack and lunch the night before... whatever you can do to have fewer 'must dos' [...]
Emotions & Coping Skills
Note: I'm on leave for the summer. While I'm out, I'll be reposting some of my more popular posts. See you again in the Fall. Teaching Kids About Emotions. A beginning guide to fostering basic emotional intelligence in kids. Coping Skills for Kids part 1: What is a "coping skill" anyway? (Knowledge that we adults can sometimes take for granted!) Coping [...]
Children and Funerals
# You are the best person to talk with your child about what has happened. You don't need a professional to break bad news--your child would rather hear it from his parents. (although YOU might feel better if YOU talk to someone first--practicing what you're going to say is a great idea.) # Don't hide the truth, and don't delay too long before telling your child pertinent details. # Regarding funerals, there are a lot of good reasons to allow your child to attend the funeral, including:
Free Parenting Resources–part two–online help
I often receive phone calls and emails from parents who want my services, but for a variety of reasons, can't come in. A mom wrote recently asking if I knew of a way she could receive parent coaching for free. Unfortunately, my favorite parenting resource in Austin (Family Connections) has recently shut down, so I didn't really have a referral for [...]
Free Parenting Resources, part One–BOOKS!
This post is intended to be a resource for anyone who would like to learn & focus on their parenting via FREE methods. :^)
Recommended Books about Death or Grief & Loss
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 about how hard it is to separate or say goodbye. That's certainly a related theme when we are talking about [...]
