Young, wild, and free … isn’t that what it’s supposed to feel like to be a teenager? While it’s normal for teens to push and discover their limits, it’s also dangerous. Due in large part to the fact that parenting decisions are only as sound as the information on which…
When it comes to our children’s happiness, less is more. That’s the surprising perspective of one Chicago psychologist concerned about the rising rates of youth depression and anxiety. “Millions of well-intentioned parents have made life harder for their children by shielding the kids from every kind of unhappiness,” according to…
David’s mother explained, “Whenever David doesn’t get his way he throws himself on the floor, screams, kicks and cries incessantly. What can we do to help him overcome this behavior?” TIP: What is David getting out of this behavior? First make sure that you are not rewarding this type of…
Watching a young girl hit, kick, and call her mother names I never imagined a 6 year old knew, engaged in an (ultimately successful) attempt to get dessert led to an enlightening luncheon conversation with a few friends last week. As parents ourselves, we had all dealt with incidents like…
Think about your interactions with your children today. How many things did you notice they did wrong? What did you do or say to them because of their wrong doings? Have they engaged in the same kind of behavior before? What did you do or say the times before? Is…
It used to be that parents were skeptical when it came to their kids using cell phones. The technology seemed too grown up for kids and teens, and the possibilities of them having instant secret communication with their friends sparked concerns about all kinds of trouble. Today, all that is…
If you haven’t taken a peek into your medicine cabinet lately, it might be time to take a look. Every home should have basic supplies to help with minor accidents or middle-of-the-night illnesses. A medicine cabinet should also have important phone numbers taped inside of the door to call in…
A typical issue that parents face is dealing with their children’s behaviors. Let’s say you are a parent of a five year old child that has just started school. She was a polite, considerate, and helpful young lady at home and in front of her teachers. However, her behavior has…
The mother-child bond is critical to healthy development. Love between the two is even biochemically hard-wired. We need to take note as society moves in a direction that assumes that so long as children’s basic needs are met all is well. It isn’t. Scientific studies conclude something mothers everywhere have…
Summer is a great time for children. School is out for most of them and it’s time to play. Running, climbing, building sand castles, swimming… Sweating, sunburns, complaining. It isn’t necessarily all that easy to keep the kids busy all summer long, especially on particularly hot days, the days when…