Several studies show that girls’ self-esteem and self-confidence tends to decline after about age nine as girls enter puberty. How do you encourage self confidence and increase self esteem during these early years? There are things that can be done. This article will review some of those things. Start with…
We all know the feeling…the moment of pride when someone notices how outspoken or articulate our child is. We bask in the knowledge that our child is smart, has a great sense of self-esteem and succeeds at virtually everything they attempt to do. There is a fine line between confidence…
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…
Words can open up a world of knowledge and adventure for your children, and reading to them is so important in their development. Here are 5 ways to make reading to your child a habit. Read your child’s favorite book over and over… and over… (you know the drill). Choose…
Have you ever felt a deep pang of irritation at something involving your spouse? Has that irritation progressed to a gnawing anger that you harbor for days, months, even years? Welcome to the world of spousal resentment. Luckily, you don’t have to stay angry forever. Dictionary.com defines resentment as “the…
In order for us to get restful sleep, we need to be relaxed. In order to relax, a number of things have to happen. First of all, we need to feel safe and secure. Obviously, if there is tension in the house – abuse, parents rowing, problems with finances or…
Demanding children – children who have entitlement issues – seem to be common these days. Like the obnoxious child, Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, who was constantly demanding that her father get her whatever she wanted (“I want an Umpa Lumpa! Get it for me NOW!”),…
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…
Preschool education is a hot topic among parents and early childhood educators today. If you are the parent of a preschooler (or younger child) you need to ask yourself why you should care about preschool learning. There are three key reasons why you should not only concern yourself with your…
When you’re standing in the aisle of your local pharmacy or superstore shopping for sunscreens for your kids, you might be a little overwhelmed by the choices. There are numerous sun protection products for children on the market right now, in every consistency from thick cream to weightless “sport” sprays…