Quality time versus quantity time–which is most impactful when it comes to your children? Quantity time for parents and kids refers to the amount of time a parent is physically present with their child. But even in the quantity of that time, the parent may be only physically present and not emotionally present. Quality time is…
A Parent’s Mental Health: Are You Running on Fumes?
During this month when we focus on mental health awareness, let’s not forget about parents and their mental health. A parent’s mental health can range from burnout to depression to more severe mental health disorders. If you have any doubts or questions about the severity of your mental health, please seek help from a counselor…
How to Talk to Your Children About War
How do you talk to your children about war? When Russia invaded Ukraine a couple of months ago, news of the war was everywhere. Perhaps you or your kids have felt overwhelmed or uneasy at all the reports and very graphic pictures of the atrocities. How much should parents shield their kids from the realities…
“My Child’s Mental Health is Great!”….But is it really?
It can be difficult to detect mental health problems in children because childhood development is a changing process that can account for a lot of up and down emotions. It can also be difficult to detect when a child needs the help of a mental health expert because the symptoms may differ according to a…
Do You Hear Your Kids? 5 Listening Skills for Parents
While most of us admit that listening to our kids is important, we fall short when the rubber meets the road and instead assume that our kids should be listening to US. But if we want our kids to listen to us, then we must begin by listening to them. When children feel listened to…
8 Ways to Avoid Fights With Your Children
No matter how much you want to avoid fights with your children–or conflicts, or heated disagreements, or whatever you want to call them–even the most controlled parent can find themselves doing just that, because kids are masters at pushing your buttons. When you feel the anger rising within you, remember that the best way to…
Should You Ever Ignore or Overlook Your Child’s Behavior?
Your child’s behavior may cause you to have days when you feel the urge to lock your children in their rooms so you don’t have to face their difficulty. Although I think we can agree that imprisonment is not the best parenting strategy, there actually is a time for ignoring or overlooking their behavior. Ignoring…
Win-Lose Parenting: Why This Strategy Doesn’t Work
Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on the planet. Daily challenges can leave you guessing, hoping, and sometimes fighting to hang on to the management of your home. In the heat of some of these battles, it’s easy to slip into the mindset of win-lose parenting. This is one of the ways that many…
Parents, Give Yourselves Permission to do These 5 Things
Parents are very sacrificial people. They give up a lot for their kids–sleep, time, energy, money, comfort–and they seldom ask for anything in return. While raising three kids who played sports all year round, my husband and I sacrificed a lot for them. And there were days when I almost forgot who I was, besides…
Why Won’t My Kids Listen?
Why won’t my kids listen? Do you get frustrated because your kids ignore you? Or maybe they acknowledge you, but don’t actually seem to hear what you are saying? Maybe this scenario plays out in your home: Jack, turn off the video games and do your homework. (calm voice, nicely asked.) Jack, I said turn…