by Cecilia Hilkey | communication, parenting
In our culture, we so often ask each other, “How are you?” And we so often give surface-level answers like, “I’m good” / “I’m fine” / “I’m busy”. As parents, we want to know how our kids are doing and feeling. Their feelings are a window into their soul, their deepest...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | communication, parenting
Cecilia here. In our family, I have a tendency to want to “fix” things. I’m a doer, a peacemaker, a nurturer, and sometimes I just can help myself. If someone is upset, I want to help them calm down. If there is an argument, I want to find a solution. If someone is...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | communication, parenting
What do you do when your adolescent is spending too much time on a screen? Or staying up too late? Or behind on homework? Or getting sucked into social drama with friends? Especially as our kids get older, how do we influence them while still maintaining our...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | communication, confidence, parenting
A few days ago, I was sitting next to our daughter at the DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles). She leaned over and said to me, “Mom, we should just go and talk to them.” I said, “No, people are scary. Let’s wait until our number is called.” She pointed to the counter said,...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | communication, parenting
When I was a kid occasionally my dad would lose his temper. I’m sure he had a decent reason for feeling upset, a long day of work plus maybe I was roller skating through the house, making a lot of noise, or fighting with my brother or sister. I remember seeing his...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | communication
Growing up, my parents were pretty progressive. (This is Cecilia.) My mom worked in the medical profession, so she always made sure that we knew the proper anatomical names for our body parts. Rather than use slang terms, my mom would describe body functions with...read more
