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.
Don't make kids say “I'm sorry” Part 1
Lots of times children will spontaneously apologize--without being asked to. They know that they hurt someone, and saying, “I’m sorry” is the polite thing to do, so they say it. Happy ending! But what if a child doesn’t say, “I’m sorry” when you think he should? Do...
Handling Holiday Feelings–a Survival Guide for Parents
Your kids are at home on winter break. Your in-laws are coming to town or you’re visiting them. You’ve still got cooking, laundry, and house cleaning to do. Your child’s emotions are amplified from the norm--he’s so excited he can’t sleep, she’s scared of Santa Claus,...
Why I hate “Elf on the Shelf”
Hello there, I don’t know so much about folks in different countries, but here in the US we’ve had “Elf on the Shelf” for a few years. It’s a cute stuffed elf that you’re supposed to hide around the house, on your mantle or shelf. This elf then “sees” if the kids in...
How to practice and teach gratitude: 6 things our family does
Hi there! I was having a cup of tea with a girlfriend the other day and she was talking about how her kids just don’t really seem to appreciate what she does for them. She said it’s not always like this, but there are times when her daughter will look at a closet full...
4 Topics: How to Talk to Kids about Halloween
Howdy! Halloween is in a few days. In the rush of getting all the costumes ready, buying candy, and carving the pumpkins it’s easy to forget to prepare your “parent-child relationship” for the night. There are 4 quick but really important conversations to have BEFORE...
Screen time and limit setting with kids
Yesterday, Jason and I were presenting at a parenting conference for one of the local charter schools, and we landed on a hot topic--screen time and limit setting. The parents asked: How do you set limits around computer use? How do you let a child use the computer...
How to Build Kids’ Confidence and Self-Esteem
One of the kids in our classroom was like a puppy dog. As a three year old, he ran with joy all over the playground. He was excited to be in school, hang with his friends, jump around and dance. But his coordination was still developing and he hurt himself sometimes....
How to Motivate Kids Without Bribes and Threats
When Jason and I teach workshops we get strange looks from people when we start talking about parenting without bribes and punishments. Understandably, parents get concerned, “How will I get my children to do things they don’t want to do?” “How will my kids learn to...
How To Listen To What Kids Mean, Not What Kids Say
In our family and in our classroom, we don’t take what kids say seriously. Why not? Because, we take what kids mean seriously. Kids (actually people) say things in the best way that they know how. But kids don’t have the life experience, or vocabulary that us adults...