Spending time with family around the holidays can add extra busyness to the already stressed-out lives we live day to day… Will our kids be polite? Will they eat all of Grandma’s green beans? Will we have to leave early to ward off the ugly behavior? Use these times as teachable moments to preview expectations and set up […]
Do you have monster-like-behavior lurking in your house? Whining, Screaming, gnawing at your emotions and patience? Like any monster, in order to survive, this behavior has to be fed a daily dose of sustenance. What are your giving to your child’s behavior that helps it survive? Is it a dollop of good old fashioned attention that feeds the wild beast? Is it your […]
If you read my Mealtimes Matter passage from my August Newsletter, then you know how important I think it is for families to gather around a table whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Call it my soapbox, but I have a few more ideas on how we solidify our families. These essential things […]
Although dinner time at our house may not always run smoothly, it serves as the number one factor that ensures our family’s success. Studies show that children who sit down with their family regularly ( for breakfast, lunch, or dinner) are more likely to do well in school, attain their goals, and succeed socially. This is because the family […]
We expect our kids to be big kids yet we end up doing everything for them. By letting your kids have more chances to do things for themselves and do these things with success we can hand over more power and control to them which is all they really want. Simple things like carrying their own dish to […]
The “it factor”… Stop it! End it! Quit it! Are you tired of these phrases? Whether they are coming from parent to child or sibling to sibling, these phrases have one thing in common… It Do you know why these phrases rarely work? Because they aren’t specific enough. Train yourself to be more specific in […]
Here are few things my husband Toby has taught my children and the best part is he has taught them these things not through long drawn out conversations or dissertations but through his example… He’s taught them… …How to be a supportive son as he calls on his own parents and loves them unconditionally. … […]
After each workshop, I ask the parents to write down the one tip they are going to go home and try to implement. Here is a list of the Top 10 tips chosen by parents this year: 10. Role play or use puppets to act out positive behaviors with your child. 9. Design a list […]
It’s Show Time! What show is playing at your house these days? Maybe the baby in your family is running the show. Maybe your toddler’s temper tantrums resemble a horror show. Maybe your your over-the-top reactions are keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Maybe the sibling rivalry has turned into a violent fight […]
I want to be clear that using the praise phrases listed on this chart are a great start, but they’re simply not enough. NOT ENOUGH? NOT ENOUGH? How can that be…? What about all those trophies they’ve received? What about all those times I’ve bought them a treat? What about all those times I’ve told […]
