The Blog

Our best advice when it’s tough with kids:breathe, laugh, dance, sing, hug, call a friend. Be gentle with yourself, you’re not done growing up yet. This won’t last and you are not alone.

The Most Important Parenting Advice

The Most Important Parenting Advice

Over the years, Jason and I have done over 250 interviews with top parenting authors, experts, and speakers. When people hear this, their first question tends to be: “What is your BEST piece of parenting advice?”  I’m happy to share with you exactly what I tell them,...

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Parenting A Child In Tough Times

Parenting A Child In Tough Times

We can’t prevent our kids from going through tough times, but we can do our best to be the kind of parents that our kids will come to for help when tough things happen. While our relationship with our children is certainly important, there are two other essential...

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Why time-outs don’t work – What to do instead

Why time-outs don’t work – What to do instead

Do you use ‘time-outs’ with your kids when they misbehave? Most of us intend for time-outs to be a gentle strategy that gives our children a break and helps them learn. Or maybe we only use a time-out when we’re at the “end of our rope”–we’ve already tried everything...

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Lonely Parenting? It’s not good for anyone

Lonely Parenting? It’s not good for anyone

As a parenting coach, I spend all day talking to parents of struggling kids. These parents frequently tell me how alone they feel.  In the depths of my own parenting struggles, I too have often said, “I feel so alone.” When we parents feel alone, it’s not good for us...

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The Art of Slow Parenting

The Art of Slow Parenting

I’ve been thinking about slowing down, ever since we got back from the Zen Parenting Conference in Chicago put on by our friends, Cathy and Todd Adams. I listened to Michelle Anderson and Lauren Massarella from the Sister Project give a talk about the benefits of...

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No-Cost Gifts That Make Your Family Stronger

No-Cost Gifts That Make Your Family Stronger

Some people enjoy buying Christmas gifts for their family, but for us it’s a task that often feels a little bittersweet. As early childhood educators, we’ve seen too many companies use dubious research to falsely claim that their toy will make a child smarter.  What...

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Practicing Self-Compassion in Parenting

Practicing Self-Compassion in Parenting

When your child is struggling, do you immediately go into self-blame mode? A lot of parents feel that they are to blame if their child is acting out or not listening.. We take our child’s behaviors personally and shame ourselves for not being a ‘better parent.’ We...

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