Would you like to cut down on stress in your life? What parent would say NO to that proposal? Parenting is a stressful job. Then you add in your job, your friendships, your home, your finances, and your marriage and the stress just keeps adding up. I’m not sleeping well. I have no time to…
What Silent Messages are You Sending to your Children in Your Body Language?
Every day you are sending silent messages through your body language to your kids in the form of non-verbal communication. Psychologist Albert Mehrabian published a book about it in the 1970s and his conclusion was this: When it comes to credibility, Mehrabian found that we assign 55% of the weight to body language, 35% to…
10 Signs You are Over-Parenting
After working with parents for many years, I’ve observed that one of the pitfalls parents fall into is over-parenting. Call it helicopter parenting, lawnmower parenting, or even over-involved–the bottom line is that those parents feel a need to step in and maintain some sort of control. Not me! You may say. But let’s take a…
Why Scolding Does Not Work
What that child needs is a good scolding! How often have you thought or said that? Scolding children is a well-used parenting strategy, but unfortunately, it is not usually the most effective way to shape your child’s character and prepare them for adulthood. The word “scold” means to remonstrate with or rebuke (someone) angrily. Parents…
How Scary is Too Scary for Your Kids?
There’s a lot of scary going around this time of year. From horror movies to haunted houses to ghost-like trick-or-treaters. Of course, as adults, we take it all in fun, but what about your kids? How scary is too scary for them? The answer to that question varies from family to family and from child…
3 Reasons Why it’s Okay for You to Miss Your Child’s Youth Sports Event
For many parents, youth sports is both a blessing and a curse. We love the fact that physical activity is good for our kids’ physical and emotional development, but attending every game can be a challenge for busy parents. As a sports mom for 21 years, I can remember the weekends lost to volleyball, softball…
When Your Kids Hurt or Offend You
Your kids will hurt or offend you on a regular basis. Unfortunately, it’s one of the crosses that parents must bare. Occasionally, they may intend to hurt you, but much of the time it is unintentional and you as a parent may wonder, “What’s the best way for me to respond?” What are some behaviors…
How to Help a Child Who is Underachieving
Just because your child has low grades does not mean they are an underachiever. Rather, it is a child who gives a noticeably poor effort that results in grades lower than you know they are capable of. Regardless of the reason, your child probably does not feel good about under-achieving, so it is important to…
Why and How Your Child Should be Doing Chores
Chores are just a reality of life. They make the home function smoothly, and some are pretty basic life skills that teach kids how to work. If you are tempted to do too much for your kids, you are not properly preparing them for adulthood. But kids who are taught to do chores consistently will…
10 Healthy Habits for Parents
Parents are usually all about instilling healthy habits into their kids, but wait a minute! What about YOU, Mom and Dad? As you work to teach your kids good lifestyle habits, don’t neglect your own physical, mental, and spiritual health. Perhaps you’ve never stopped to think about it and trying to figure out what those…