What is your child thinking? Ever wish you could read their minds? Every day, there is a tug of war going on in your child’s mind and heart. No, it’s not “should I play video games or do my homework?” or “should I hit my sister or not?”. The conflicts go deeper; however, they are…
10 Parenting Principles That Will Help You to “Lay Down the Law” for Your Kids
What are your parenting principles? Have you taken the time to think through them? I’d like to suggest 10 parenting principles that will help you “lay down the law” for your kids. Your ultimate goal as a parent is to help your child learn how to manage their behavior so that when you are not…
How to Teach Your Child Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills will help your child much more than lecturing or sermonizing. In fact, parenting sermonettes rarely communicate lasting truths and will not help your children learn how to solve their own problems. Helping them solve their own problems starts with you asking your kids questions that will help them think through the problem and…
5 Lessons That Will Teach Your Kids to Be Team Players
On a sports team, there are players and there are team players. A team player knows that what’s best for the team may not always agree with what he wants as a player. When my daughter went to college to play softball, she was reminded of the importance of having a team player attitude. She…
The Secret to Getting Kids to Listen
Getting kids to listen is a challenge in every home. Perhaps this scene plays out in your home: You’ve asked your child to do something…once, twice, three, even four times. And no response. “Maybe they didn’t hear me?” you think. So, you ask again calmly. Still Nothing. It doesn’t take long for you to feel yourself…
“Why Does My Child Disobey?”
Every parent wonders at one time or another, “why does my child disobey?” You’ve told them over and over what to do, you’ve talked about the reasons why, you’ve discussed the consequences, and so you are left wondering, “what the heck?” when your child STILL does not cooperate. Don’t be shocked by your child’s disobedience….
5 Building Blocks of a Strong Family
Building a strong family is a lot like building a house. In our neighborhood, I have watched the progress of several homes as they were being built. Concrete foundations, concrete brick by concrete brick, walls, roof, doors, windows–all in accordance with a very detailed architectual plan. Eventually all those individual pieces become a beautiful home,…
When Does My Child Need a Therapist?
Every kid has moodiness, friend troubles, academic struggles, and thanks to shutdown, mental health issues stemming from isolation. So, how do you know if your child is dealing with something more serious than normal? In most cases, if you offer support, sensitivity, and patience to your child as they struggle with their volatile emotions, they…
What if You Don’t Like Your Child’s Friends?
Besides parents and family, friends are potentially the biggest influence in a child’s life. When they are little, the balance of influence tips to the parents, and the older they get, the balance may tip towards peers. When your kids are little, you pretty much have control over who their friends are simply because you…
Confident Parenting: How Sure are You of Your Strategy? Is it Working?
Confident parenting has nothing to do with how many parenting books or classes you’ve taken. It does not mean that you’ve figured out exactly what your child needs in every situation. And it certainly doesn’t mean that you get up every morning convinced that you have all the answers for whatever your kids will throw…