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Many parents dread the end of summer. Kids are reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and the homework that school brings. Many parents are also reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and homework! Whether your child is returning to pre-school, elementary school or middle school, here are 10 tips to help make the transition back to school a success.

Published · 3,030 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 6 votes

A couple of years ago, I was at the store with my then infant son. A man approached us and said to me, "Good job dad, that's a happy baby you've got there." I thanked him for his compliment, and it was after I had successfully conquered the car seat yet again, that I had a realization. "What if my son had been having a bad day? Would I look like bad father? Thinking further, it can only lead to wonder if some new parents are preoccupied with making sure their children are supposed to be happy all the time and seldom sad, if at all.

Published · 3,855 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

by Susan A. Haid As the pressure on public school teachers increases to raise student test scores, and the boom lowers on our kids to perform on standardized testing, as funds drain away and classroom sizes swell, what is the educational experience becoming? More importantly, how much of this knowledge is being retained by our kids? I believe current statistics report that after three years, students retain approximately 20-30 percent of the knowledge imparted in the classroom. Humph.

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by Susan A. Haid Contemporary culture, the media, and society-at-large is full of conflicting messages for our teenagers, frequently delivering an exploitative, degrading and superficial model of sex and sexuality. Now, more than at any other time in history, is when we need to support our kids in cultivating healthy relationships and balanced sexuality. We need to be having conversations, on an ongoing basis, that aren’t about sex necessarily, these important discussions are about standards, boundaries, self-respect and self-worth. How do we begin these talks?

Published · 2,710 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

by Susan A. Haid One of the best things we can do as parents is simply listen, with an open mind and an open heart, to our children. We represent the safe space, so to speak, where our kids can say exactly what they’re thinking and feeling without judgment. This is a very, very important role we play and not to be underestimated in it’s influence on our child’s development. As parents, we often feel the need to guide or control our children, and although this role has its place, sometimes the very best thing we can do is listen, just listen.

Published · 1,213 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

by Susan A. Haid All children are extraordinary. The messages our children receive from the world around them affect their developing perception of themselves, often damaging their self-esteem very early on. If we want our children to grow up with a strong sense of self-worth, feeling free to apply their individual brand of talent without doubt or limitation, then we need do three simple things for our kids on an ongoing basis: 1) Make sure your child knows that every child is creatively gifted in some way.

Published · 1,298 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Almost all of us dread the end of summer. Kids are reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and the homework that school brings. And many parents are also reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and homework! Whether your child is returning to pre-school, elementary school or middle school, here are 11 tips to help make the transition back to school a success. 1) Scale Back the Bedtime Hour - It’s easy in the summer to let bedtime slide a little later.

Published · 1,210 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 6 votes

Like any good relationship, the relationship with your child can benefit from thoughtful gestures that help your child feel special and deeply loved. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting that we sometimes forget to add touches of love that can deepen the bond with our children. I'm going to suggest 28 small, loving gestures that will add sparkle to your child's day without much effort on your part as you juggle the many demands of parenthood. Perhaps you want to try just one? Or perhaps you can try one each day this month?

Published · 1,178 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Your child wants ice cream at bedtime. You say “No” but your child persists, whining and bugging you until you finally give in to stop the incessant whining. Your child wants to play with a friend, but you’ve said “No friends until your book report is done.” A friend calls to ask your child to a new movie that’s opened. You let him go to the movie, saying he can do the report that night. Your child doesn’t pick up his/her toys when asked. You end up picking the toys up for your child. You tell your child that s/he is grounded for a week.

Published · 1,261 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

If your child walks in the door with her shoulders drooping and her face forlo do you say something like “You look sad. Come in and tell me what happened.” Or if your child is stomping around do you say “You seem upset. Your feelings are important to me. Let’s talk.” Or do you tell your child ...

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Thirty or 40 years ago parenting in an authoritative manner i.e. “Do it because I said so and I’m the parent” was the cultural norm. “Children should be seen and not heard” was a mantra that many of our parents used. We weren’t asked about what we wanted for dinner, we weren’t offered choices, we didn’t negotiate with our parents. Our parents would simply “lay down the law.” But cultural norms for parenting have changed.

Published · 1,231 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Thirty or 40 years ago parenting in an authoritative manner i.e. "Do it because I said so and I'm the parent" was the cultural norm. "Children should be seen and not heard" was a mantra that many of our parents used. We weren't asked about what we wanted for dinner, we weren't offered choices, ...

Published · 1,090 views

You really want your child to have a great school year. You’ve bought the right school supplies, new outfits and a back pack. The transportation plan is in place. Your child has met his/her teachers.

Published · 1,246 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Consider that the average American child watches four hours of television a day. By one estimate, when U.S. children finish high school, they've spent nearly twice as many hours in front of TV sets as they have in the classroom.

Published · 998 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

EQ?! What’s EQ?

Published · 1,055 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 11 votes

Why is it so hard for parents to be consistent when disciplining their children? Many factors come into play. How tired are you?! How persistent is your child? How were you disciplined? What kind of parenting style do you have? Does the other parent agree with you on discipline methods and ...

Published · 1,088 views

Transitions happen every day in your child’s world and September, like no other month, is a time of transitions for your child. Starting a new grade. Getting a new teacher. Learning new classroom rules. Adding more homework. No matter what the transition, you can expect an added level of stress as your child adapts to the change. When making the transition to a new grade, your child will be challenged by more rigorous academic challenges, more social demands and more responsibility.

Published · 1,039 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Can your well-intended words of praise actually be harming your child? The answer to that is “yes” and “no” depending on what words you choose, how sincere you are and how old your child is. Complicated? Yes, it is. One of the researchers that I like best is Carol Dweck. Dweck has spent the last 40 years studying what factors help kids succeed and fail. She wrote a book summarizing her findings called, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.” In regard to praise, Dweck did a study where students were given an intelligence test using puzzles.

Published · 1,298 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

A friend shared a wonderful story recently in a seminar o "Smart Parenting." She said that ever since her children werenlittle, she's set aside special one-on-one time with each of hernchildren. She made a commitment to do this once a week andnput it on the calendar. As her children became ...

Published · 1,161 views

Let’s turn this holiday season upside down. Let’s shift the focus to giving rather than receiving. Let’s spend more time with our kids rather than spending time being frenzied in stores. Let’s help our children develop the gift of generosity. With the country facing difficult economic times it’s an ideal time for us to shift the focus of our giving to others. Helping others feels good. Creating hand-made gifts and cards for others feels good. Donating gifts to others feels good.

Published · 973 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

The biggest change in kids, according to a teacher of 27 years, is that kids these days don’t take responsibility for their actions. Kids are quick to blame others and make excuses for mistakes rather than saying, “I messed up.” Unfortunately, parents are quick to provide excuses for their kids, too, said Kevin Scroggins, a 2nd grade teacher at St. Odilia’s. I agree and I’d like to offer some suggestions on how you can build a mindset in your child that says, “I’m responsible for my behavior,” rather than blaming others. 1.

Published · 6,592 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Kids these days have twice the amount of homework that we did. And when your kids have homework, you have homework, too. I’d like to take this opportunity to share tips from Irene Gutmann, an academic coach who works with teens and college students on achieving academic success. Also, I’d like to invite parents of elementary school-aged children to attend my “Relief for Homework Headaches” teleclass scheduled for Fri., Sept. 22 at Noon CT. (See the class schedule for full details.) 1.

Published · 1,593 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Have you taught your child about “good touch/bad touch”? That’s a good place to start, but not enough to protect your child from possible sexual abuse, according to Libby Bergman, executive director of the Center for Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment. “Children need to know the difference between what touches are acceptable and what touches are not. They also need to be taught about stranger danger, but these methods put the onus on the child.

Published · 2,415 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Let’s say you ask your child to do a simple task like feed the dog. The next thing you know, you hear “Why do I always have to feed the dog?” Or maybe you hear sarcasm and a smart-alecky tone of voice while your child says, “You don’t really expect me to do that?” Makes you long for the days ...

Published · 1,179 views

You’re probably busy planning every detail so your kids can have a memorable summer packed with vacations, summer camps, sports activities and more. As you finish your planning, be sure to allow time for three surprising activities that are research-proven to help your child’s emotional, neurological and physical well-being. Secret #1: Allow time each day for unstructured, child-directed play (or free time for adolescents). Research is emerging that the hectic lifestyle that many parents have chosen for their children may be harmful to a child’s development.

Published · 1,198 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

“He did it.” “She looked at me!” “He stole my iPod.” For parents, it can be really tough to know how to handle tattling. Do you ignore it? Do you let them duke it out? Do you plug in your own iPod and drown it out? Here are a few options for you to try and see what works for you. Option #1: ...

Published · 1,856 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

“He did it.” “She looked at me!” “He stole my iPod.” For parents, it can be really tough to know how to handle tattling. Do you ignore it? Do you let them duke it out? Do you plug in your own iPod and drown it out? Here are a few options for you to try and see what works for you. Option #1: Define the difference between tattling and telling. It helps to be clear with children about when it’s important to tell an adult about upsetting behaviors.

Published · 1,286 views

A new survey shows that the average adult tells four lies a day, or 1,460 lies a year. Is it any wonder that our children tell fibs, too? Yet chances are when your child tells a whopper, it makes nyou mad. Why do kids lie? Kids lie for lots of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is to avoid ...

Published · 1,597 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

If you’re the parent of an 8-to-11-year-old, perhaps you’ve noticed a surge in back talk, defiance and sensitivity. Simple requests may be met with intense outbursts. You may be asking, whatever happened to my amiable child who liked pleasing me? If so, you’re not alone!

Published · 12,058 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 4 votes

I know that as parents we’ve all wondered, “Why the heck is she behaving this way?” Or “Why on earth can’t he just behave?” I’d like to offer you some ideas today about common causes of a child’s misbehavior. I’ll also offer some pointers on how to address the misbehavior if you get a gut feel about the reason behind the misbehavior. There’s a wonderful book called “The Parent’s Handbook” by Don Dinkmeyer and Gary D. McKay, that helps to demystify some of the reasons that kids misbehave.

Published · 4,577 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Almost all of us dread the end of summer. Kids are reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and the homework that school brings. And many parents are also reluctant to get back into the routine of early mornings, structured days and homework! Whether your child ...

Published · 970 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Why is it important for every good parent to send their children to school? I know, I know, it’s a generic answer, which, is to offer our children a better life. So, is it important for them to go to school or important for you to have them go to school? Interesting question, isn’t it?

Published · 1,964 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

My son and I are in the Goleta gas station an hour and a half into our drive to San Francisco to look at colleges, and the car decides not to start. I try it again, and it apparently still believes it's a good idea to pretend it has a dead battery or some such thing. We wait a few minutes and it ...

Published · 1,179 views

Call me crazy, but I think the majority of the power struggles we find ourselves having with our kids (and yes, our teens) are avoidable. The interesting thing about us humans is that we're wired to push up against anything that's pushing up against us. In other words, we have an almost ...

Published · 972 views

Raising children to become conscientious, empowered, responsible and joyful adults who are in complete charge of their lives is what we strive for as parents. If you could give your kids the skills and the tools to do this, it is something you would do in without a second thought. I am going to be direct and to the point here. There is a course available to you now that can give you the resources to build core values in your children at home. You see, I began putting this information together over a decade ago when my first child was born.

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Teaching children about death depends of course on what you believe about death yourself. This article is based on my own personal experience with death and how I have handled the subject with my own children. These recommendations are for parents and caregivers who believe in the ete al nature of the soul. These recommendations are for those who want to change the old viewpoint of death replacing it with a new and enlightened understanding of what death really is.

Published · 1,377 views

There are several simple but critically important keys for raising empowered children. We can give our kids the tools they need, starting at a very young age. These tools will empower them throughout their lives as they grow, yet they are core values that will evolve more fully as time passes. Let me first state that by core values, I am referring to values that develop and mature from within the child and are not imposed upon the child from the outside.

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Drug use is an epidemic; then again the term epidemic might be misleading considering that mind altering substances have been around since the dawn of mankind. As a Professional Counselor, who has spent a significant portion of his career working with teens that have developed a dependency for ...

Published · 1,541 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

In the field of behavioral health, there is a reason persons under the age of eighteen cannot be diagnosed with a personality disorder, (Axis II). The reason is, with intensive psychotherapy and familial support; young persons have been known to make significant changes to detrimental aspects of ...

Published · 2,640 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Is there such a thing? Is it possible to make the endless mistakes we invariably make as parents and remain free of guilt? Would we want to be? Isn't guilt part of what compels us to improve--- to lower our voices, threaten less vehemently, or stop saying the hurtful things we later regret?nn ...

Published · 1,268 views

Recently, I responded to a question posed by a mother, whose seven year old son had gotten into the habit of pulling his pants down and showing his privates to his friends, including little girls his age. This mother shared that she and her husband had tried everything to get him to stop to no ...

Published · 2,054 views

As a parent, I know that you hope and wish for the best for your child or teenager. Many parents, myself included, before I knew the philosophy of Creating Champions for Life, create an environment for their child that is meant to keep them safe and healthy but actually stalls their chances for growth. Overcompensating for a child can cause the child to feel that they are not good enough to try new things. Let’s explore this with Thomas.r

Published · 973 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Failure. Stress. Chaos. Confusion. Doubt. These are words that describe life for most of us today. The changes that lie ahead for all of us demand tremendous courage. We are amidst a struggle that never seems to end. Chaos has become a regular part of our existence. We want to know how it will all end. We want to run away to a desert island, away from it all. We want to hear the waves lap upon the shore, feel the breeze on our skin, and spend a few days or weeks with nothing to do or nothing to think about. We simply want it all to go away.

Published · 1,183 views

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions every year. We set goals for exercising, loosing weight, staying organized. But how many of us take the time to size up our family? Are you conscious of how your time is spent together? How many meals are you eating together as a family? How much time do you spend alone with your spouse? Do your children’s activities flood your calendar? In just a minute, I’m going to give you suggestions for five basic building blocks that help strengthen families, but first I’d like to suggest that you do a simple exercise.

Published · 1,157 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Let’s face it, monetary matters play an influential role in our romantic relationships, whether you find yourself married or in another serious relationship. While love is priceless, the role finances play in our relationships is a fundamental of our cultural-specific and universal beliefs ...

Published · 1,357 views

If you have done any parenting style or parenting solution research at all, you will have found Supe anny Jo Frost all over the internet, including YouTube. When I was raising my children Supe anny Jo Frost was my hero and still is today! What if her child rearing philosophy could be enhanced with new, state of the art, positive parenting solutions that would bring even better results with your child or teenager?

Published · 1,840 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Many of us hate our bodies. We shun swim suits. We are quick to find fault. Some of us are even self-loathing. The question is do you want your child to grow up with these insecurities, too? If not, what can we do as parents to help our child grow up feeling good about his/her body? And what can we do to try and prevent our child from developing an eating disorder? This month, I interviewed Becky Henry, a life coach, CPCC, who specializes in working with families fighting eating disorders to give us some guidance.

Published · 1,321 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

(Take the “Is Your Child Overscheduled?” quiz here: http://www.familiesfirstcoaching.com/pdf/IsYourChildOverscheduledAssessment.pdf Are you busy scheduling summer camps and activities for your child? There are a plethora of great options to choose from. A word of caution, however.

Published · 2,813 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 4 votes

If you’re like most parents you devote yourself to your children, work long hours, take care of all of life’s demands and let your relationship with your loved one drop to the bottom of the heap. You may believe that since your loved one isn’t demanding your attention like the children do that s/he doesn’t really need your time and attention. Or you may feel guilty leaving your child(ren).

Published · 1,726 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

I recently had a phone coaching session with “Janice” whose child routinely refused to do whatever he was asked by his mom or dad. In school, “Jesse” was cooperative most of the time, but at home, he couldn’t have been more resistant and challenging. “Jesse, time to turn off the TV and start ...

Published · 1,259 views

Cutting back on expenses? Most families are. Asking children to share the burden of spending less is a reasonable choice to make. If you’ve lost your job and huge cuts need to be made, it’s reasonable to explain to children that the family will be making major cutbacks. The key is to reassure them that your family is safe, that you’re in control of the family finances and that their basic needs will be met.

Published · 2,319 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Over the past 46 years of my life, I have learned a thing or two about myself. There has been nothing extraordinary about me or my life circumstances. I am an ordinary woman who has lived an ordinary life. Well, except for the part of me that talks to dead people. But hey, other than that one little thing, I’m just a normal gal. That is another story for another time. In spite of my otherwise conventional life, I have come to a place where I can fully accept myself…all of me…the good, the bad, the ugly, the normal and the not-so-normal.

Published · 1,863 views

Parents often wonder if and when their children should learn the value of money whether it is though an allowance or otherwise. My children, like many children in today’s material society, started asking for every toy under the sun as soon as they could talk. Of course, I admit that initially I enjoyed giving my kids the toys they asked for, but I soon learned that this is a bottomless money pit with no easy way out. So as soon as my kids were able to count, I started teaching them how to count pennies, nickels and dimes.

Published · 1,481 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I was recently asked to do an “Ask the Expert” spot on Fox News about what parents can do about kids who party and drink heavily. Given the response from viewers, I decided to summarize some of the key points. As I thought about what I wanted to say in the brief time allocated, I realized that ...

Published · 1,526 views

Here are Ten Principles of the Effective Parent: 1) Offer your children committed love. Let your children know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you love them and you will always love them no matter what. Make this a clear and consistent message. 2) Become the best educator of your children’s basic life skills that you can be. This is far more valuable than what you can ever buy them. 3) Teach your children to trust themselves more than anything else. Keep your children connected to their innate inner navigational equipment.

Published · 1,614 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

In a sad way, I find it somewhat amusing when mass media and some parents routinely propose or actually go ahead in giving their teens leniency in regards to breaking universal rules and values around dating and sex. I find this amusing because I routinely have young girls come in to see me or ...

Published · 1,880 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Picture this: A ubiquitous cashier’s counter at a grocery store. A mother and her young child (let’s go with five years of age), have pulled up with their shopping cart by the cashier’s counter. As the cashier begins ringing up the mother’s items, the child spots an assortment of candy bars on ...

Published · 1,723 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Parent Coaching Defined and Described As a parent coach and former school psychologist, I provide personalized parent education to parents whose children have issues with behavior. Rather than doing therapy, where the parent needs a diagnosis to get help, I teach him or her (or both, ideally) ...

Published · 1,493 views

A new survey shows that the average adult tells four lies a nday, or 1,460 lies a year. Is it any wonder that our nchildren tell fibs, too? Yet chances are when your child tells a whopper, it makes nyou mad. Why do kids lie? Kids lie for lots of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is nto ...

Published · 981 views

It seems that I cannot go to a dinner party without someone bringing up ‘The Secret’ or the Law of Attraction, or as I see it, the simple power of positive thinking and optimism. This got me thinking about how important it is to teach optimism and positive thinking to kids. In my ...

Published · 5,162 views

Her eyes were turned low and her shoulders slumped, as she listened to another lecture. “You’re not worth it. All the things we do for you and you just keep slacking off; under performing and making us look ridiculous to our friends. Why can’t you just be normal and do your work as we want you ...

Published · 1,365 views

It is a great time as I will be celebrating my thirteenth birthday on the 29th of February. I will catch up with our daughter, who became a teenager last fall, for a little while and yes, then she will leave me behind forever. Most parents experience this grasping for breath in child raising ...

Published · 1,322 views

Is happiness important to you? If you are like the vast majority of parents, you would say "yes". And even more, it is likely that when asked "What is most important to you for your children as they grow up?" you would say "Happiness" Albert Einstein said: "Success is not the key to ...

Published · 1,242 views

Are you waking up listless? Are you tired of of getting up wondering how you will get them out of the door peacefully? You are not alone. Millions of parents get up every morning, knowing they will go into a struggle to get their kids out of bed, fed, dressed and ready to go to school. (Or to ...

Published · 1,820 views

"Dad, you always said I could ask anything, right?" "Sure, shoot!" "Well I know all about how sex is explained in the book you gave me, but not how it really is. How was sex for you when you were young? Was it fun, scary? And how is having sex now? Because when you're my age, it is hard to ...

Published · 2,209 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Can parenting be exhausting, nerve wrecking, challenging and a drain on every other aspect of your life? Yes it can. Parenting can also be rewarding, exciting, fun, a source of great learning and a means of staying young, energized and happy. We as parents are trained by media, politicians, TV, ...

Published · 1,296 views

Are you ever angry at your kids? I came home, tired, frustrated. My daughter was dancing, the music in the living room a few thousand decibels too loud. My wife was upstairs working and didn't hear me come in. My daughter gave me a look. I yelled "Turn down the music". She gave me another look. ...

Published · 1,263 views

I am often told by parents that they are tired of having to nag their kids all the time. Not only do they hate to have to nag, but their kids hate it and consequently start tuning them out even more. But, “if I stop nagging” they ask me, “how do I get them to follow the ...

Published · 2,446 views

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” W.C. Fields We have all heard this quote before. Last year I was in a personal growth course where they said, “Ask six times.” It made me think of this quote, and also caused me to wonder why most people do not ask several times, and why we train ...

Published · 2,149 views

First I’d like to bring our awareness to the dangers of looking at children with a different quality of respect than we would an adult. The ideal states that all people are equal, it does not matter if you are 1 or 100, but is that what we really believe? Let’s say your neighbor comes over to ...

Published · 1,470 views

First I’d like to bring our awareness to the dangers of looking at children with a different quality of respect than we would an adult. The ideal states that all people are equal, it does not matter if you are 1 or 100, but is that what we really believe? Let’s say your neighbor comes over to ...

Published · 1,422 views

The parental journey has many paths, we as parents have walked down a few, sometime to turn around and say “that’s not my path”. The other thing that seems to happen is we walk down a path that resonates with us for awhile, and then seemingly abruptly, we look around and ask “Is this still the ...

Published · 1,670 views

I believe the simple principles of family harmony are three fold, when you look at your family you must look at three key elements, body, mind, and spirit. A healthy family is like a healthy body, the system works together, almost effortlessly. The brain is functioning, the heart pumps, the ...

Published · 2,405 views

Why is it so hard for parents to be consistent whenndisciplining children? Many factors come into play. How tired are you?! How persistent is your child? How were you disciplined? What kind of parenting style do you have? Does the other parent agree with you on discipline methods and ...

Published · 890 views

Family vacations do not have to be dreaded, with a little bit of planning, they can actually be fun! Tip 1: Ask their Opinion- Teens love to feel included. So instead of making the decision with only adults, ask everyone at home for suggestions. If you do not choose someone’s idea be sure ...

Published · 1,469 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

I did not know I was going to home school my children, but after years as a teacher and sending my children to school, I changed my mind. I love home schooling with my children, actually we unschool, which is a philosophy adopted from John Holt. Unschooling does not just apply to academic ...

Published · 1,631 views

As a parent, we do the best job we can with the resources, knowledge and wisdom we possess. Something I have just recently been able to put into words, and thought I would pass along to each of you, is the fact that we need to experience the world through the eyes, ears and hearts of our ...

Published · 1,515 views

Has your child thrown a tantrum lately, thrown ntoys across the room or hit a sibling? Odds arenthat s/he has! Children’s anger can be exacerbating for parents. After all, many adults still struggle with healthy nexpression of anger, so dealing with a child’s nanger can be doubly ...

Published · 2,139 views

I can’t even begin to tell you how many approaches to temper tantrums I’ve tried in the last 35 years. Some of them are down right embarrassing, so I’m hoping to help you avoid some of the many mistakes I’ve made. Here are my latest thoughts. Between 2 and 4 years children NEED to separate from ...

Published · 1,254 views

The Buddhist concept of mindfulness can be very helpful to parents. It can help us see our children as whole and beautiful in each moment. Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness of our children. If we practice mindful parenting we will refine our capacity to pay attention, ...

Published · 1,482 views

Decide what YOU will do! Not what you will try to make the child do! Once you have decided, call a family meeting and inform them. Schedule a whining time. At that time EVERYONE whines for a full minute AT THE SAME TIME. It is great fun, we all end up laughing. Use a non verbal hand signal. ...

Published · 1,389 views

Belief is usually defined as a conviction of the truth of a proposition without its verification; therefore a belief is a subjective mental interpretation derived from perceptions, contemplation or communication.[1] What we believe is basically who we are. It drives just about everything we do, ...

Published · 1,504 views

I did not know I was going to home school my children, but after years as a teacher and sending my children to school, I changed my mind. I love home schooling with my children, actually we unschool, which is a philosophy adopted from John Holt. Unschooling does not just apply to academic ...

Published · 1,650 views

“No!” “I don’t want to!” “You can’t make me!” Dealing with a defiant child can be exasperating! Children who are defiant will readily enter a power struggle and wear a parent down. The key is not to enter the power struggle with an oppositional child. Listed below are nine options you can ...

Published · 1,163 views

Each New Year brings with it resolutions many of us declare and intend to keep. We decide on things as simple as eating healthier, exercising more, starting a new diet, to complex issues such as starting a new career, finding a new relationship, or becoming a parent for the first time (or ...

Published · 1,511 views

When looking for ways to simplify our family life we often run into titles like Get More Done and 100 Things To Do: To Simplify Your Life. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to be told I need to get more done or MORE things TO DO! What I desire is to do less, to me that is ...

Published · 1,558 views

Speak to your child the way you would like them to speak to you... respectfully, lovingly and with dignity. Maria Montessori has shown us that modeling appropriate behavior is particularly critical during a child's first six year of life, because children enter the Absorbent Mind developmental ...

Published · 1,293 views

What is successful parenting? Have you been a successful parent if your kids get good grades? What if your kids don’t get good grades? What about if they are well-mannered? And, if they are not? What if you have great listeners? What if you don’t? What defines a successful parent? More and ...

Published · 1,386 views

In Positive Discipline, Jane Nelson reminds us to take time for training and planning to avoid power struggles, frustration, hassles and misunderstandings. Children often don't know what is expected of them. Time constraints often lead to a lack of training. When children don't know what is ...

Published · 1,211 views

The most effective way to get someone to do something, especially children, it to model the desired behavior. Nobody likes to be lectured to or be constantly told what to do. Lecturing will quickly send children in the opposite direction. Model healthy interactions with your spouse and other ...

Published · 1,334 views

There is no job quite like that of being a mother. I remember when I brought my first son home from the hospital, being in somewhat of a state of shock that they actually let me go home without a nurse! I wondered what made me automatically able to care for a brand new baby 7/24. How could they ...

Published · 1,957 views

I want to start off first by saying that I do not have a specific age recommendation for giving the sex talk because I truly believe that every child and family is different with a variety of values. Therefore these tips are simply things that most teenagers I speak with, wish their parents knew ...

Published · 1,610 views

Among the parents I coach, I find that that one near-universal issue arises at some point in the coaching process: How do we take the pain out of bedtime? Here are some real solutions to this often-frustrating everyday issue. Set up a family meeting. Using the same approach that you would with ...

Published · 1,704 views

We all know them. We all have one of those mother’s at the PTA meeting who always comes with baked goods, has 2.5 happy smiling well-adjusted kids, perfect hair and a gorgeous husband. We all have one of those friends who never seems to fight with their parents, plenty of allowance money, ...

Published · 1,500 views

The most popular New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, exercise more, become better organized, get out of debt and quit smoking. Seldom, if ever, will you find someone saying, “I want to be a better parent” or “I want our family to be happier” this year. Wouldn’t that be a good goal to have? Many parents would agree that parenting is the most important job that they have. It’s a job that parents do 24/7. It’s a job that parents have for life. It’s a job that has the most influence on how a young adult turns out. Yet, few parents set goals on improving their parenting.

Published · 1,614 views

Recently I was approached by a very talkative and persistent salesperson who is trying to sell me a certain product. We all have gone through this - a non-stop chatter who strives to highlight the quality of the product while outlining the ten reasons why you should buy it right there and then.

Published · 1,245 views

As I was looking outside to enjoy the morning view, my eyes caught a sight of a butterfly trying desperately to escape through the glass door. It flew from left to right, up and down and then went back to the left again. Of course, it was making no progress at all despite all the efforts. The irony is, there was a large opening just a few inches to the right! The opening was darker than the window because it was covered with a blind that were tilted downwards to reduce the sunlight coming in.

Published · 5,066 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Single parenting is a tough job, especially if you’re a single mom who is also working to make both ends meet for her family, her children. The percentage of single parents have skyrocketed compared to the past years. Children, despite them not wanting sometimes, are left with no option but to live with either parent, be it their father or mother.

Published · 716 views

Do you want to create a perfect work-life balance? We have listed down a few tips which could be beneficial especially for the busy working parents.

Published · 720 views

Parents all over the world, especially mothers, are now opening up their hearts and they see... They see that people need to raise their children differently, in a conscious way, instead of repeating inherited patterns from their own parents. They want to give their children a higher frequency of LOVE than has ever been on the earth before. The children will "lead the way home." The mother`s gift is their abundant hearts, and they are leading the way in this new awakening.

Published · 2,174 views · Rated 2/5 from 10 votes

As parents we often multitask. We try to help with homework between stirring the sizzling dinner, doing laundry and answering the phone. With all the demands we have on our time, we don´t always seem to have a choice.

Published · 2,144 views · Rated 2.2/5 from 6 votes

For purposes of this article, let us posit that there are only two states of mind – secure states of mind and insecure states of mind. Each has their own unique and opposing characteristics. In secure states of mind we feel optimistic, hopeful, relaxed, open, generous, and safe. In insecure states of mind we experience just the opposite - we feel pessimistic, hopeless, tense, constricted, stingy, and endangered.

Published · 2,072 views

Finding the time to sit down and read aloud with our children is difficult. Evenings are often packed. We get home late from work or activities with the kids. We need to make dinner, help with homework and get our children to sleep. We deserve a little time to ourselves to do email, watch a favorite TV program or chat with our partner. However, by not sticking read aloud in to the family routine, we are missing out on an opportunity to facilitate our child’s life long literacy.

Published · 1,354 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 4 votes

If you think backtalk is something you have to endure as a parent or have to control with strict limits and consequences, you are mistaken. If you follow 5 simple steps in the proper order you will dramatically reduce backtalk and become closer with your child than you ever imagined. • Connect • Calm • Listen • Limits • Fresh Start Do you find your frustration building when the simplest request you make of your child results in backtalk? The natural response is to react to the backtalk by attempting to shut it down. After all, our goal is to stomp it out, right?

Published · 2,497 views · Rated 2/5 from 4 votes

In all the years I have been working with children and parents, I am amazed at just how many parents believe they can tell their children what to do and their children should just “do as they are told”. Well I am here to tell you: nothing could be further from the truth. Most of these parents who expect or demand compliance from their children are needlessly headed for frustration and ultimately disaster. The worst part is: it just doesn’t have to happen!

Published · 6,363 views · Rated 3/5 from 7 votes

It is no wonder that many beginning readers struggle. Reading Comprehension is a more complicated process than many of us realize. To truly understand a two line text, it is necessary to follow about ten* (yes, ten!) different steps.

Published · 1,689 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 4 votes

Lucky people listen to their gut and take steps to boost intuition. In his book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell draws on history, neuroscience and psychology to reflect on the choices we seem to make in an instant. He states that “decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately.”

Published · 1,705 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Lucky people have an ability to turn their bad luck into good fortune. There are obstacles and disappointments in everyone’s lives. Being lucky doesn´t mean you eliminate them all. It has to do with how we look at them. Dr. Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, found three particular commonalities in lucky people’s management of tough moments. They:

Published · 1,944 views · Rated 2/5 from 5 votes

One of the most difficult stages of raising a young child is from 18 months to 3 years old. During this time, it can feel like there is a ball and chain connecting you to your child. It can feel like you are under your child’s control. Your child seems to be dictating your every move, and actively restricting your movements. Clingy toddlers translate to exhausted parents.

Published · 3,285 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Most mornings start off the same way. I am a mother of five, four at home. Kharisma (11), David (3), Rachael (2), and Matthew (9 months). I reluctantly emerge from the warm embrace of a deep slumber to the pitter-patter of little feet and a sweet little voice - “Good morning, Momma”. If I’m lucky, a little persuasion gets me ten minutes of cuddle time with my favorite people. That’s the most peaceful and calm time of the day. Today, chaos culminated around lunch. Kharisma and I discussed Thomas Jefferson’s letter to Meriwether Lewis (of the famed Lewis & Clark).

Published · 910 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

YOU, YOUR BABY & SLEEP TRAINING – PART I Introductionr There is so much information on the internet and in bookstores about how to get your baby to sleep. Many times, we read and are overloaded with the information from these sometimes conflicting philosophies. Some articles and books tell us that co-sleeping in a family bed will develop well-adjusted children. Others tell us that the child won’t be adversely affected by putting them in another room and letting them cry it out.

Published · 1,719 views

Infants: 4 to 7 monthsr Babies this age still need lots of sleep. Typically children are down to at least two naps of an hour to three each. However, there are some that will continue to take three naps during these months and for shorter periods. So although the range of needs and lengths vary, your child will fall somewhere into these two extremes. Your best bet it to have watched your little one’s pattern from month two to four. They naturally develop a schedule. Some folks try to schedule naps for their babies.

Published · 1,281 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

The best place to observe the wide range of parental discipline styles is any grocery store between the evening hours of four and seven.

Published · 1,493 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Naomi, mother of 5-year old frate al sons Zachary and Samuel, wrote and asked for advice on how to work more smoothly with her children. She then read PEACEFUL PARENTING® and shared the following success story:

Published · 1,591 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 15 votes

When your teenage son tells you that he is going to a friend's house to spend Saturday evening, how do you know he is where he tells you? When your daughter wakes up on a school day morning complaining of not feeling well, and you know she has a math test she has been worrying about, how do you know she is really sick? When your son tells you that he doesn't need to go to the bathroom before you are about to get into the car to run your household errands, can you trust his judgment? As parents, how do we know we can trust our children?

Published · 1,715 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 12 votes

Tired of nagging your kids all the time? Do you feel like no matter how many times you tell them to clean their rooms, the rooms are never cleaned? Worn out from refereeing sibling fights? The answer is easier than you might think—Positive Parenting. Instead of spending your days disciplining the negative behaviors your children may be doing, create a positive parenting environment. For instance, let’s say your child has a messy room. Don’t nag your child until he cleans it up. Ignore the mess, and praise your child EVERY TIME you see him put something away.

Published · 1,852 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

There are many different levels of connecting. When you call out to your child from another room you are not yet connected, you are just putting out what I will term a location finder signal. By the second and third times when you don't get a response, your frustration is rising. You are in reaction mode. Why weren't you getting a response? Possibly your child's music or television are too loud for you to be heard. Perhaps your child is on the phone, on the computer, watching a video or totally absorbed in some activity. The reality is that you are not connected yet.

Published · 1,681 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Transition times are often stressful for parents and children. Your child may experience transitions in many different ways. Their response may be of great excitement and anticipation which puts them in an emotionally charged or at the other end of the continuum, they might be so engrossed in their current activity that they are not ready to stop and move to another activity. If you have more than one child they will likely not both be ready at the same time.

Published · 1,727 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Answering the knock on my back door one afte oon, I faced a woman new to me. “I want you to make your sons stop bullying my son,” she stated simply. I was shocked. My children were not bullies. I could see her car parked in the street with her son sitting in the passenger seat. I then saw my fourth grade identical twin sons standing in our driveway looking guilty as sin. Even though I found what this woman was saying hard to believe, I could see in my children’s faces that something was amiss.

Published · 1,675 views · Rated 3.9/5 from 18 votes

How do you describe your job as a parent? Do the tasks include protector and supporter providing food, warmth, and comfort? Do you see yourself as the guide and advisor for your child as she moves from childhood, through adolescents and into young adulthood? No matter what your child’s age or stage you probably consider your job to include all of these ideas and more.

Published · 2,022 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 13 votes

Peaceful Parenting® ideas are very different from other kinds of parenting practices that you have learned or read about. Certainly it is harder to practice Peaceful Parenting® than to simply threaten or bribe your child into following your directions or making what you consider to be the “right” choices. But what is the heart of the difference betwee Peaceful Parenting® and other programs?

Published · 1,845 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 8 votes

Most children are not sharers naturally. They do not come into the world ready, willing and able to share. There are those wonderful, rare exceptions (My own twin sons are an example. But then they started out sharing a womb so maybe that contributed to the idea of sharing.)

Published · 1,915 views · Rated 3.9/5 from 15 votes

If I got your attention your probably somewhere between desperate for solutions for your horribly behaved child to mildly interested in learning some parenting tricks to have at the ready for the next time your sweet angel thinks she's in charge at the grocery store. Either way, by the time you've finished this article you'll have 3 new solutions!

Published · 1,273 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

The relationship between single moms and money is turbulent. Her struggle to get more to take care of her family seems endless and the more she tries it seems the more illusive it becomes. But a bigger issue with money is how to manage what she has and discover new ways to get a little (or lot) ...

Published · 1,569 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Does this article title turn you on? No, I don’t mean in that way. I mean does it stir something up inside you that makes you want to jump up and shout “YES!” You aren’t alone. We are all looking for that muse that can inspire more creative juices into our work and relationships. We all want to ...

Published · 1,685 views

I get emails from single moms that are both uplifting and encouraging. Some emails are filled with pain and a sense of hopelessness. Many are searching for a way out of depression and emotional barriers. Here is one letter and my answer. From M: “One questio I would like to ask, and you ...

Published · 1,570 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Having been a single mom for several years now, I have finally acclimatized myself to my status. It is indeed hard carrying the responsibility of children on my shoulders alone. But I do love the perks I am able to monopolize. I am the sole beneficiary of the kids’ hugs, kisses, and love. As a ...

Published · 1,138 views

I have been a single mom for 12 years. I had both of my children outside of marriage and they are from different men. I could be ashamed and for a long time I was. I could barely hold my head up on some days. It seemed like everyone was looking down on me and criticizing me about my life ...

Published · 2,685 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month. As a parent educator, mother of three children and former preschool teacher, I am appalled by the growing rate of child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and murders in our country. Why is it that, in a country such as ours, where we are always ...

Published · 1,831 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

In this article I will briefly describe how to solve bedtime problems when your child is afraid of the dark. There are two approaches to fear. The first is to avoid what scares you (the dark in this instance), the second is to face it with help and reassurance. The first approach seems to lead to a life of being mastered by your fears; the second seems to lead to the possibility of being master of your fears. I know what I want for my child – the latter. If you are like me, the following advice on how to solve bedtime problems due to fear of darkness may be helpful.

Published · 1,356 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I usually stay away from the subject of single mom dating. There are plenty of other bloggers that talk about this subject. But I’d like to share what has worked for me in the past. I got great results and a great friend using this method. Your mileage may vary so use your own instincts and ...

Published · 1,374 views

For many people, insurance is a big part of their financial plans regardless of their status. But for a single mom like me, it is a necessity. If there is anything that single parents shouldn’t be without, it’s a contingency plan. Having only one person taking care of the family means there is ...

Published · 1,139 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Here are a few tips to define success, integrate your parenting goals into your daily activities, and shift your thought process to be more proactive and less reactive: 1. Appreciate your child’s unique personality and talents. Children come into the world with their own personality. While we ...

Published · 1,260 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

In connection with my fan page "Conscious Parenting" on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ConsciousParents?ref=ts&fref=ts I am contacted daily by youth in despair, via my private mail. They ask for my guidance,support and understanding. They want me to explain to them how humanity acts and thinks. They are confused about that, they are not being accepted for what they are.With my LOVE,I give of my time to support them via Skype or email.

Published · 1,312 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Divorce may be considered one of the most stressful time for any family going through it. It can be stressful emotionally and financially. Objectively, any divorce can be settled with less problems and stress. However, due to the height of emotions, both spouses can be unreasonable and ...

Published · 1,968 views

The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the Pareto Principle after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what ...

Published · 6,269 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

The other day I got a copy of Parking Lot Rules and 70 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Kids. This guidebook for raising amazing kids contains practical advice for today’s parents no matter if you are single or married. In the hustle and bustle of life it’s easy to allow time and grown-up ...

Published · 1,341 views

The desire for enrichment classes geared towards babies and toddlers have become very popular in the United States. Teaching sign language to children as young as 6 months, and in some cases younger, is a growing industry, and the demand for baby-signing videos and classes have gone up a over ...

Published · 1,948 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Day after day I visit message boards and read the words of single mothers who are enraged. They are enraged at the man who left them, the man who will not pay child support, or the man who is fighting them for custody. Paralyzed by Anger The forums literally ooze with hatred, depression, and ...

Published · 1,306 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

As a single mom, my biggest dilemma has always been determining how to keep my children happy. I do want to give them the best the world can offer. But doing it alone can be a tall order. Much has been said about single parenthood, but one will never know the difficulty unless the person ...

Published · 932 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

One specific trait that single moms naturally acquire is smart shopping. It is an innate characteristic hinged on a mother’s survival instincts. We instinctively learn to take care of our offspring and provide them the best when there is no one else to depend on. Despite my limited financial ...

Published · 1,409 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

As we get closer to summer, one of the most frequent questions parents ask me as a parenting adviser is how to keep their kids occupied once school is out. They tell me weekends are hard enough without having to find things for them to do all week!n n Meanwhile their kids, still in school, are ...

Published · 1,021 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

With interest rates currently at a forty-year low, many people that rent their homes are now contemplating the feasibility of purchasing their own house. As the real estate industry slumped considerably over the past 2 years, it may now be cheaper to own rather than to rent. For households ...

Published · 1,118 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

Why are some people well off and others drown in poverty? How does some people seem to get all the breaks and others can get a fair shake? Do you ask yourself these questions? I did for a while until I learn the power of education. I learned that if I can pick up a book, read a website, and ...

Published · 9,691 views

No matter how consciously we live, sometime accidents do happen when children are involved. So how can we collaborate with the health-professionals in such instances ? We have experienced this - and created a win-win situation : When Leopold Light was 2 years old -another incident showed us how conscious and intelligent he was for his age:r

Published · 1,240 views

Money is usually on the top of the list of conce s in this current economic climate. People everywhere are feeling the crunch and feeling a little worried about how to make ends meet. For some people, particularly single moms and low income people this economic state is the status quo. With ...

Published · 1,180 views

One of the biggest hurdles that nontraditional parents must jump over in society is the feeling of being "less than" traditional, two-parent families. Nontraditional families suffer under the weight of guilt and grief as a result of their particular family structure. They often feel isolated and ...

Published · 2,368 views

Every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month. As a parent educator, mother of three children and former preschool teacher, I am appalled by the growing rate of child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and murders in our country and even in our own state of North Carolina. According to state ...

Published · 1,359 views

Two of the drives that must dealt with if families are to be emotionally healthy and achieve a balance of love and limits are the forces of togethe ess and separateness. Togethe ess is the force that pulls the family together while separateness is the force that pushes individual members to be ...

Published · 3,758 views

Thinking about the New Year and what your resolutions should be? Well, don't! Most of the time resolutions never turn into realizations. The cause is most people focus on what they don't want to happen in the New Year vs. focusing on what they do want in the New Year. Visualize your ...

Published · 1,913 views

The door slammed hard, shaking the wall with its force, as the ten-year-old boy rushed into the house. Dropping backpack, lunch box, and jacket on the entry floor in one swift motion, the boy hurried into the living room where his mother sat watching an afte oon news program. "Mom, you'll never ...

Published · 1,465 views

Love and limits are terms that describe a parent’s discipline orientation. Parents who are oriented toward a "relational discipline" are said to use love as their primary style of parenting. Parents who use "action discipline" are said to use limits as their primary style of parenting. All ...

Published · 1,720 views

The signs of fall are unmistakable in my part of the country. Golden aspens shimmer in the crisp breeze and crimson leaves float through the air. Weekend visitors flock to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and intricate corn mazes that farmers have carved into their fields. Canned food drives ...

Published · 1,365 views

"Fall seven times, stand up eight." -Japanese Proverb One of the keys to functioning socially and emotionally is the ability to deal with disappointment and rejection. Most children experience some type of rejection from their peers throughout childhood. One study found that even popular ...

Published · 1,972 views

Effective parenting involves good character development- that is, raising kids who have a sense of ‘other’ rather than a sense of entitlement. It also means raising kids with a moral compass that helps them work out right from wrong. Kids usually pick up this moral compass from their parents ...

Published · 1,712 views

“Know thyself” is a powerful principle that leaders, managers and effective people intuitively know. When you understand your own strengths and preferences you are in a position to maximise those strengths and compensate for any weaknesses either by working differently or surrounding yourself ...

Published · 3,094 views

Many parents of children with ADD and ADHD will read the title and throw up their hands. Come on. Really? Praising children has been a technique used for motivation since the beginning of time. It can backfire? Hold on. Don’t throw up the white flag yet. Here it is boiled down to three simple errors to avoid when praising your children: Avoid Praising Intelligence

Published · 1,417 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Parenting children with Attention Deficit Disorder is difficult and often times exhausting. Parents often find themselves yelling and nagging their children to hurry up, calm down or help out. These parents need a solution for everyone’s sanity and happiness. However, the option of using a stimulant drug like Ritalin scares many parents. What other ADD and ADHD treatment options exist? Is there a safe and permanent solution available? Brain Training

Published · 3,914 views

Children with Attention Deficit Disorder should not have to suffer from insomnia, headaches or nervousness in order to be able to focus on school work. Natural ADD and ADHD treatments exist without the side effects caused by many of the common pharmaceuticals available. Millisecond Timing

Published · 1,520 views

Students with ADD and ADHD often feel like the world is against them. Their parents express disappointment and frustration about their poor grades, lack of self-control and unfinished chores. Their teachers consistently nag them about their missing homework, interruptions and impulsive reactions during recess. Kids at school shun them because they are rough, unpredictable and don’t follow social norms. All this negativity weighs heavily on children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

Published · 1,629 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

ADHD children struggle to pay attention, control their behavior and organize themselves. At school, activities that are simple for most kids like sitting still in the circle or finishing the worksheet are a real challenge for ADHD children. At home, family dinners are not peaceful and getting ready on time in the morning is frustratingly complicated.

Published · 1,568 views

Parents of children with Attention Deficit Disorder often find that the hours and money spent on tutoring does not significantly improve their children’s grades. This is because tutoring and remedial programs do not address the root of the issue.

Published · 1,563 views

Students who need help with ADHD and ADD experience difficulty with more than just the ability to pay attention, focus and concentrate. These children can also experience issues with organization, difficulty finishing tasks, and executive functioning.

Published · 1,695 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Imagine a child who can play legos for hours. He loves to build the most intricate fantasy lands with castles, bridges and towns. He is also a fantastic artist. He pencils very creative cartoons. When he is doing either of those two activities, he is able to direct his concentration for long periods of time. He couldn’t have ADD or ADHD, right? Wrong. Many parents witness their children concentrating on interesting hobbies or events and become confused as to why their children cannot maintain that same level of focus in the classroom or while cleaning their rooms.

Published · 1,321 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

How can parents help their child do homework if they don’t know what the assignment is or don’t have the materials necessary to complete it? They can’t! Organizational skills are not innate and they are often a particular struggle for ADHD children. Taking time to create and individualized organizational system can make a huge difference especially for students with ADD and ADHD. Identify the Assignment and Know the Due Date

Published · 1,486 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Attention Deficit Disorder affects each individual differently. It is hard for “Dylan” to sit still during circle time. He fidgets with his shoe lace and squirms in his spot. His movement distracts other students from listening to the story. When the teacher asks the class to predict what will happen next, “Dylan’s” hand shoots up and the words pop out of his mouth at the same time.

Published · 1,382 views

Answering the questions on page 94 is an easy, albeit boring request for many children. They simply take out the book, notebook and pencil. They turn to page 94, read the first question and re-read the text to locate the answer. Then, they summarize the information, write it down and continue on to the next question. However, for many students with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder this task is not so easy.

Published · 1,288 views

Children with ADHD and ADD are intelligent and capable. However, they need extra support to help them manage their ADHD symptoms. Implementing the following suggestions will increase children with Attention Deficit Disorder’s ability to manage their ADHD symptoms while minimizing factors that exasperate the issues. 1. Exercise

Published · 1,199 views

One of the events that complete a woman’s life is to bear a child and rear it from infancy to adulthood. The process for this starts with a pregnancy, a normal biological function for any healthy woman of child-bearing age. For some women however, bringing this progression to fulfillment is a frustrating difficulty. Varied reasons for infertility in women can mostly be corrected unless the problem is serious and there is irreparable damage to the reproductive organs. Except for this clear exception, women who desire to become pregnant can rely on Lisa Olson’s Pregnancy Miracle Program.

Published · 1,734 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

The GPS Forex robot is one of the most successful and popular trading robots that have made its debut last 2010. From the trading genius Mark Larsen, alongside his equally savvy trading partners namely Anthony Kemble and Ronald Kravchuk, this currency trading tool is one of the few among hundreds of product of the same nature that has triumphed over the challenging trading market in the past year. These guys have seen and tested various trading systems available in the market.

Published · 3,072 views

Praise can be very powerful when used correctly. Here are three easy tips to help parents implement praise in a way that motivates children with ADD and ADHD and boosts their self-esteem: 1. Be Genuine

Published · 1,635 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

When parents of children with ADD and ADHD reflect on their interactions with their children, many find that a high percentage of those communications involve negativity. Daily nagging, yelling, threatening, pleading, and punishing are not what most parents signed up for. These parents fear the next 12 years will follow this same, exhausting path. They wonder how other parents of children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder survive and they pray for a magic solution to make life easier.

Published · 1,317 views

The job description for Parent is overwhelmingly long. One of the trickier tasks involves helping to guide children’s behavior in a constructive and effective way. It requires vast amounts of patience, self control and perseverance. To be successful, it needs a pocket full of tricks able to be applied in a variety of planned and surprise circumstances. Here are suggestions and tips to keep in mind to make these encounters more successful: 1. Set the Example

Published · 2,214 views

Lisa Olson Pregnancy Miracle book is a book about how to get pregnant naturally without any scientific procedures or medications. For all married couples who are having a hard time producing a baby, this book may do wonders. It is a 250 page book that is easily understood and clearly outlines and explains how one can get naturally pregnant. Tips and advices on how to get the body healthy and ready for reproduction are also included in this Pregnancy Miracle book.

Published · 1,766 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

People who have read the Pregnancy Miracle book are having mixed reviews about it. There are couples who testify to the effectiveness of the book saying they have conceived a baby within just a few months after reading a book, but some remain optimistic and believes that the Pregnancy Miracle book is just a scam. Let’s take a look into both sides of people in belief and people in doubt in this article.

Published · 1,807 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

As the end of summer approaches, some students with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder begin to dread the first day of school. They become anxious and worried without being able to pinpoint the reason. They get headaches or stomach aches at the mere thought of walking in the school door. They pass sleepless nights and can even get nauseous. ADHD anxiety is a real issue for these students. Preparing these students for the transition can help lessen the stress involved. 1. School Supplies

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Grant is sitting on his leg and tapping his pencil. As his mom observes the class, she notices that many of the other children are already turning in their work. Grant doesn’t even have one word written on the page. When the student sitting next to him complains about the tapping, the teacher kindly asks Grant to stop. He is quiet for a minute, but then begins hitting his shoe on the leg of the chair. The teacher recently reported that the number of incomplete assignments has placed Grant at risk for not passing 5th grade. Grant suffers from ADHD.

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Here are a few quick tips to consider if you want to live a successful life during your single parent journey. Spiritual Succes 1. Spend time in nature to revive yourself. 2. Write thoughts, joys, and frustrations in a journal. 3. Attend a community event to support and give back. 4. Instill spiritual principles into your kids. 5. Help a family or elderly person in need. 6. Read a book of poems or meditation. 7. Seek the help of a counselor or life coach. 8. Listen to music which get you moving or helps you relax. Physical Success

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Just like a football team gathers together mid-game to check-in and make adjustments, so too should parents and teachers huddle to quickly confirm how things are going and make any modifications to the plan created during parent teacher conferences.

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Dear friends -someone needs YOU ! We want to tell you about a beautiful,inspirational, needle-moving thing that happened on July 7th and it took place in just 10 hours! An internet businessman, whose four-year son was diagnosed with a very serious illness, was so grateful for the help a children`s hospitial provided the family, he decided to raise $ 10.000 for the hospital as an EXTRA thanks for the care his son had received. People all over the world responded to his heart-felt appeal and purchased a copy of his mini-course in record time. And he did it in just 10 hours.

Published · 1,487 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 7 votes

Parents choose enroll their children in home school programs for a variety of reasons. Some feel their child needs the small structured environment of home, some do not want their child exposed to the standardized requirements of public school, some are needing to avoid social problems or situations or it could be that the child is involved in an activity or job that requires them to have an extremely flexible schedule.

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Discipline without spanking is possible with consistent effort and patience.Instead of disciplining through fear, disciplining with love is more fruitful. Child will learn faster with love and respect. They learn to do the right thing when they understand the reasons.Corporal punishment results in distance between parent and child. He will lead life without any behavioral disorder.No shouting, getting into a screeching match with him is simply wastage of your energy.Do not treat every little bad behavior as a major crime.

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At the time of divorce, when each the mother and father are separated, parenting plan plays an necessary role in matter of custody of children. That is in an effort to guarantee the right safety and safety of the child and likewise to provide the perfect comfort to the child. Since parenting plan requires an enormous exercise and as it requires every little bit of element beginning from finances to the well being of child, there may be definitely a necessity to attract out a secure parenting plan both in the interest of parents and in addition in the interest of child.

Published · 2,746 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Children try to express emotions that they cannot yet put into words in this form. Perhaps they are experimenting. Sometimes it is an act of defense. In another case it is an emotion of frustration. Here is what you can do in 3 easy steps to stop children from biting. 1. Avoid rewarding the misbehavior: If your child bites you, don't laugh even if it doesn't hurt, and don't give him any kind of positive reinforcement that could lead to his biting anyone else. 2. Reward Good behavior:

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Ignore the temper tantrum: Ignore the temper tantrum and let the child stop themselves. This will teach your 2 year old that throwing a temper tantrum will not give them extra attention they are looking for. Maintain your calm: The dynamic is pretty simple. Child wants cookie. Parent says no. Child wants to change parent’s mind, so she puts on a display. This is important to remember: the sole purpose of this display is to get you to GIVE IN. Do not pacify or scold:

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The most vital aspect is your 2 year old kid need to understand the instruction first and then it will be feasible for her to follow it. Do you think a 2 year old is mature enough to follow the instructions (then only you would be able to discipline her)? A simple instruction “wash your hands” can make her months to understand and able to follow the instruction. When you are sure that she can understand and hence follow the instruction, then you can talk about disciplining.

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1. Ignore whining: Whining is a device used by the children to get a response from you. As long as you are responding the child continues to repeat it. The only solution is ignoring the whining altogether. Even you can say that "I'm ignoring you when you use your whiny voice. Try again in your normal voice then listen to you." 2. Whine back. Even if whine back using a bit of humor to cue her to notice her whining by showing what a whiny voice sounds like. 3. Stop her immediately:

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Parents know their children best. As their children’s advocates, parents sometimes need to share information with the teacher to help students get the maximum experience out of their school day. Without this information, teachers may misunderstand behaviors, attitudes and responses. Here are some ideas to think about as you plan for your next parent teacher conference. 1. Prioritize the Information

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If your school morning routines are stressful, change them! Here is a morning routine for you to consider, it helps you to make plenty of time in the morning so that you can get out of the house happier and ready for the day. You can adjust the routine to suit you for example changing the breakfast time with getting dressed and putting the times that will suit your family working back from the time you have to leave the door. 6.45r

Published · 1,179 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 14 votes

Good parenting skill behavior is not a ability set which you could learn by taking courses of parenting skill growth program. You will have to study the parenting abilities out of your individual experience. Are you in want of some pointers pertaining to parenting skills which you can keep on with, to be a better parent Here are a couple of parenting tips you can depend on. 1. Tell your story

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The following tips are designed to help parents promote their child’s school success. Remember, being consistent with your message is key to it becoming a family value. If you had a negative experience in school, try not to project this on to your child by making excuses and remarks that de-value school. 1. KNOW YOUR SCHOOLr

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Do you ever wonder as I did why some children thrive in life are well behaved and are more successful than others? Have you ever wondered why? While working within childcare for 30 years I became intrigued as to why children behaved the way they did. I wanted to understand more and work out how I could help every child to have the chance to shine, be confident and reach their full potential in my nursery. While studying this subject I found some fascinating information and the answers became clear. A Child’s behaviour is a direct result of how they feel!

Published · 2,794 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 8 votes

Are you developing troubles parenting your young children? In the event you would really like to be amongst those that have great results when becoming a mother or father for your children, the occasion to perform things appropriately is while they are still around the adolescent age. Therefore, if you might be having difficulties, and you desire to transform things, here are 3 things you need to steer clear of carrying out.

Published · 1,287 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 6 votes

During this season of shopping, wrapping and opening gifts, it is worthwhile to take some time to remind children that giving of themselves is the most important. Try these ideas to make your holiday season more meaningful for your family: 1. Family Trip to Food Pantry

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Are you having discipline problems with your children? If you are, scream free parenting is for you! Please pull up a chair and read along to find out if this is for you or not. If you're hear now, chances are you are not satisfied with the relationship you have with your children. If it's any consolation, a similar thing is happening to so many other folks as well. The economy is tight, and child grow up so fast. As a parent, it is so difficult to keep up with all of this.

Published · 1,680 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

It's every single parent's fear. Life had been going along without too much trouble, then all of a sudden, you might be having child misbehavior troubles and you don't know what to do. Read along and hopefully you'll understand that many many others are having the same issues.

Published · 998 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Whether it's the terrible economy putting families under extra stress, or just a quick paced world that forces kids to mature so swiftly, almost all folks are faced with some kind of youth discipline issue. The problem for many families is simply this. Do they even see that there is a problem in the first place, because if they don't, they most likely won't get any where with this problem.

Published · 1,028 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

“It’s all fun and games until...” Because of the change in routine, excitement surrounding presents and the sheer number of people around, holiday parties can end abruptly with a breakdown. Enjoy your holiday party to the fullest by following these suggestions: Beforehand • Assess the Appropriateness of Bringing Your Child

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11 months ago we were newbies on Facebook. We knew nothing about social media. Then we were informed about this program, by Selfgrowth.com founder David Riklan. We have studied this – and everything has exploded…we have created our own Facebook Page Conscious Parenting, with more than 3000 Fans , we have a group,”Let`s start a conscious Parenting movement” (ranked as no 1 by Google), 3 other Fan Pages and branded ourselves worldwide as conscious parents experts….again, thanks to Crowd Conversion !r

Published · 1,701 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 6 votes

Many times we get questions from parents regarding daily situations in their children`s lives. Here is one of these questions we received on our fan page Conscious Parenting on Facebook. We have also shared a relevant incident in our own life at the end of this article. Question: Hello, I’ve been thinking a lot about how little girls (children in general) are told to react to violence and I would appreciate your thoughts on this.. As a child I remember, and do see in children around me, that when someone acted/acts in violence towards them there in a normal protocol of what occurs..

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For some curious folk, any conversation around them distracts them from their task. Their brain automatically wonders what fascinating topic is on the table. Others couldn´t really care. This group has a desire to constantly check their e-mail, facebook, and cell phone for the most current “local news.” Still others allow themselves to be distracted by preventable feelings of hunger or lack of energy. It is important to help our children reflect on what distracts them most and help them eliminate the culprit as much as possible. Below are some ideas to help.

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If you are a parent of out of control teens, there is no doubt that at times, you may feel like a bad parent. We'll discuss why this has to be let go of so that you can turn your family situation around. In the event you have out of control teens hanging out in your home, you almost certainly at times, really feel like you have done a terrible job bringing up your youngsters. Even in the tiniest probability that this is the situation, that's not the conce any longer. The problem now is, how will you switch your circumstance into something better.

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Are you a parent struggling with your children? Consider these tips and parent effectiveness training to get things back on track. You'll want to do this because the last thing anyone needs in life, is extra aggravation from their children. Life is already tough enough. So let's get to some solutions since, as a fellow parent, I know how limited your free time is. First: This is perhaps the most important tip. You must, from this moment, forget about what has already happened up till now. This refers to a few things, so let us further explain.

Published · 1,088 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

If you are a struggling parent who has problems with your kids, positive child discipline may be the solution that you have been searching for. What does this term actually mean? Well, to better describe it, leave off the word discipline, and replace it with reinforcement. That would be a better way of putting it because what it really is about, is, replacing the hard line types of child punishment with positive child reinforcement.

Published · 1,134 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

Precisely why may you need to transform your child discipline techniques? We will look at the likely reasons why, and in the process, hopefully we shall make things a bit more obvious so you'll realize what to do next!

Published · 1,125 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 4 votes

If you are being affected by child disciplining problems, there is a strong likelihood that the happy child guide can assist you. An essential factor to take into account, prior to us starting, is the fact that it can be best to keep a receptive imagination. We're not here to evaluate you in the slightest bit. Being a parent could be the toughest task within the universe, bar nothing! And you're the only one who can truly decide if you need some additional support.

Published · 1,325 views · Rated 1.4/5 from 5 votes

If you are looking for information about parenting articles, please read along so you can get a good sense of how to get the most out of this process.

Published · 980 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

Why would people go on the net and look up the words, parenting tips and things to steer clear of carrying out? Well, usually whenever folks look up a thing on the internet, it really is because they are trying to purchase a product, or they are looking to take care of a need or issue. The searches on parenting tips usually carry back an extensive array of answers. Matter of fact, if you connect that phrase into search engines, you're going to get roughly nineteen million outcomes. That is lots of final results. What we have to do is narrow the focus downward just somewhat!

Published · 1,044 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

In the event you may require new youth discipline techniques, you've come to a good place! An extremely crucial thing to remember, prior to when we even begin, is always to make note of; if nothing changes, then extremely little or nothing changes. We're going to format a few essential concepts that you should know about so you'll be able to hopefully generate a few very positive adjustments to your lifestyle. I'm sure you work many hours, in addition to all of your other many responsibilities. Additionally I'm sure your totally free moments are few and far between.

Published · 1,239 views · Rated 1.3/5 from 3 votes

This is an open letter to the world. We have for some weeks now been thinking about what to do next. With a heavy heart we have made a decision, heavy because we daily receive mails from people who need our help and whom we have helped to a better life. Therefore it was not an easy choice. But we will always be connected in our hearts. Beautiful friend, listen to what we are sharing here. There is a paradigm shift happening NOW – and the earth is undergoing great changes. This can absolutely be noticed on the personal level too.r

Published · 1,538 views · Rated 2/5 from 7 votes

Why would individuals go on the web and search up the phrase, parenting tips and factors to avoid carrying out? Well, normally when people look up some thing on the web, it is simply because they are trying to acquire an item, or they are seeking to take care of a need or problem. The queries on parenting tips generally carry back a wide variety of answers. Matter of fact, if you connect that term into search engines, you will get about nineteen million returns. Now that's a lot of results. What we must do is narrow the emphasis down just a bit!

Published · 858 views · Rated 2/5 from 5 votes

Easing your young child out of your care and into school can be stressful and emotional for parents and children alike and end in crying and clingy behaviour. As parents we would all really like to see our children walk into their new environment with some confidence and eage ess to make friends and learn new things. Here are five tried and tested tips to help. 1. Be prepared;

Published · 2,209 views · Rated 2/5 from 4 votes

The child came to earth free as the wind and bright as the sun… He brought with him all the knowledge of the Universe… She remembers… He knows that he is more than his body… She knows that she is the Light… They know that the body is just a vehicle on the journey of experiences… Each cell in the body knows that if we treat the body temple right - the memories of the Source will stay forever… It is not an easy task for the soul to enter this 3 rd dimensional limited world… So here on earth they have invented “labels” and medications…

Published · 1,544 views · Rated 1.6/5 from 9 votes

It is indeed wonderful to LIVE in this fantastic time of awakening! Yet – at the same time we have to participate in this awakening – WE ARE THE CHANGE ! We have a tremendous resource in our hearts – LOVE… LOVE is the future of this planet. LOVE is the hope for our children and grandchildren. What if we join forces and create a movement of enlightenment, a conscious parenting movement ? You have a reservoir of LOVE power, you have what it takes to change the world to a planet of LOVE. Your thoughts and actions are very important – YOU ARE IMPORTANT !

Published · 1,529 views · Rated 2/5 from 10 votes

Are your out of control teenagers so unruly that you just have no energy for anything else? If you're like most people, you probably also work quite a bit. So, by the time you come home, you have no energy or patience left to deal with their lack of respect for your rules. If all this is true, perhaps it's time for some things to change! If you're saying to yourself, I don't know of any other ways of dealing with my children, then you might very well be at a point where you've just given up. If this is true, then it means that they have won, and are now calling the shots.

Published · 959 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 5 votes

The newbo baby is looking out, ready to embrace the wonderful world, a new life. The baby is coming from a place totally free of limitations, materialism, violence and war. He is enveloped in a glow of safety, unconditional love, the light and the freedom to be…himself. The devoted love a baby brings to the earth enchants us all.

Published · 2,603 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 8 votes

Three women have come together to share the beauty of their pregnancies, the amazing baby body and the body as a temple. The 3 of us have created a fan page on Facebook – “How to give birth as a Goddess” – helping women to love and accept their bodies – and to feel safe in the process of giving birth in a natural way. The key for women to give birth painfree,drugfree and with full control is to love their bodies completely – and for the men to adore their women for their gracious and feminine beauty.

Published · 1,872 views · Rated 2.1/5 from 10 votes

Few parents in the world are aware of the fact that the best time to learn for a child is between 0-5 years. You can actually teach your baby to read, and both parents and baby will have fun with this. The American Psychologist and Brain researcher Dr. Glenn Doman has proved this in his work and in his books. He says: “There are 7 points to remember before you teach your baby to read: 1. A child under 5 can easily absorb a lot of information (more than you can imagine). If the child is under 4, it easier and more efficient. If it is under 3, it is even easier.

Published · 1,662 views · Rated 2.4/5 from 7 votes

This evening, when we were putting Leopold Light, 4 1/2, to bed, we talked about: “ What is life ? “ He looked deeply into my eyes and answered: “ Don`t you know ? ……..“ “ It just is…” Children are philosophers and our greatest teachers. What is life ? A little seed – growing and developing. The mother`s body is shaped as a cozy nest for the beautiful soul. A body is gradually formed by billions of intelligent bright cells. The baby is prepared to be born…into this life…completely perfect, divine and with all the knowledge of the Universe. What is life ?

Published · 1,420 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 8 votes

The most natural thing in the world is the connection between mother and child. This connection is unbreakable - it is coded in our genes. The light shines through the love we are created from. Everywhere in nature we can see examples of this. It is natural for a mother to stay with her child until the child is ready to be independent. Have people in the modern world made themselves too busy ? Have we forgotten our natural instincts in our pursuit of outside stimulation ? What if we reclaim our natural instincts and focus on a more holistic way of parenting?

Published · 4,817 views · Rated 2/5 from 8 votes

Parent teacher conferences are an opportune time to get to know more about how your child spends the seven hours a day away from you. It is a great opportunity to see your child in a different light and share more about your child’s personality with the teacher. It is a chance to get to know that infrequently seen teammate who is working hard to help your child’s learning process at school while you are parenting at home. Here are seven ideas to help you make the most of the short time you will have with the teacher: Ahead of time

Published · 1,211 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

If you're having behavioral issues with your children, positive child discipline may be the answer you're looking for. Let's look more into this term because it may mean different things to different people. First of all, the term, positive child discipline, as it is used here, refers to positive reinforcement for children. It is generally believed by many modern therapists, that discipline against your children should be a thing of the past. Especially any type of harsh reprimands, or verbal scoldings.

Published · 885 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

This is a true story about a broke Angel. At the same time it is about all children and adults, we all have a broke Angel inside that needs healing. And if the Angel is not healed - this Angel in an adult body will guide his children to become another Broken Angel. A little boy came to the world 15 years ago. Let us call him Angel !! He grew up in love and a life without limitations. Angel loved books, stories and fairy tales. He travelled with his parents around the world, because the family wanted a different life - a life in freedom.r

Published · 1,638 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 10 votes

The children of the new paradigm are arriving - with an enormous power and special talents. They have always been here - but it is now that we are ready to receive them. They bring with them The Power of LOVE. The best they know is to give unconditional LOVE. They are unstoppable. Of course they are regarded as weird - because they are authentic - and can never be false. Therefore the challenge is to not label them or medicate them. They have something people have forgotten and suppressed.r

Published · 1,605 views · Rated 2/5 from 6 votes

The reason why we are sharing this heart-opening story is that we, as parents, are role models for our children. The best way to teach is to live as an example. What we do – our children will copy. In our modern day and age – human qualities as compassion, touch, LOVE , warmth, understanding and empathy is needed more than ever. To quote Gandhi: “ BE the change you want to see in the world “ ****************************************************** I was walking in the streets of Oslo. I saw only reflections of myself. One mirror reflection was different.r

Published · 4,620 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 8 votes

Jason, 14 is like most male adolescents. He is into video games, hockey, and, of course, hanging with his friends. If you ask him the classic question adults love to ask teens, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Jason will reply, "I don't know—maybe a lawyer or an engineer."

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The divorce rate in the U.S. continues to hover around 50 percent and the dissolution incidence when one or both of the parties have been previously married is about 65 percent. This is a national travesty. The amount of emotional angst and money spent, not to mention the extent of trauma brought to the involved children, is immeasurable.

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Depression and anxiety are, by far, the most common mental health problems. Nearly 20 percent of the US population struggles with or will struggle with one or both of these problems. The most common treatment today for these issues is medication—typically prescribed by the primary care physician (not a psychiatrist). This treatment is considered a Biological intervention, as the medication is designed to alter the individual's brain chemistry.

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For the past twenty years when I present to mental health providers on how to develop, manage, and market a private practice I always ask members of the audience to raise their hand if they practice without an assistant. Depending on the group and location, typically half or even more of the providers acknowledge practicing solo. When I question why this is the case, the most common reason expressed is cost. My response is always the same: “You cannot afford to practice <u>without</u> an assistant.”

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Allow Your Kids To Be Themselves! I want you to think back to your childhood. As a child was there a sport or activity which you truly loved and were good at? Maybe you weren’t so good at it, but you still loved it. Or maybe your parents didn’t allow you to participate in it for whatever reason? Were you totally devastated and upset with your parents when you found out that you could not continue to participate in it?

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Norton Family Online recently released the most searched for terms by children in 2009. Across all three age groups (7 and under, 8 - 12, 13 - 18) sex or porn was in the #4 spot for most search for terms. Yikes! This data was gathered from the 14.5 million searches done by people using their service to monitor and block certain web content. It highlights a significant issue and there is plenty of other collaborating evidence showing children are finding porn online.

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Eliminating the Word NO! One word no one likes to be told is NO! Usually when we are told NO it makes us desire to do something even more. To be rebellious or defiant or just plain pig headed. Think about reverse psychology and how it works. You usually do or think the opposite to what is expected. Eliminating the word no, is not never using it, it’s just saying it differently. Funny we say No to our kids all the time and then as adults, especially us mums, end up struggling to please everyone and afraid of saying No! It comes full circle.

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For the Sake of the Kids…..NOT!!!

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What four things matter the most in parenting? Could they be the same as the four things that matter most in life? It is likely they could be the same since our relationships with our children are some of the most significant ones we have in our lives. The Four Things That Matter Most In his book, The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living, Ira Byock proclaims these are the four most important things to say to those you love: Please forgive me. I forgive you. Thank you. I love you.

Published · 3,388 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 6 votes

Giving Kids Responsibilities Often times when I speak to other parents about how responsible my kids are I get laughed at. Either that or they make a comment about how strict a parent I must be. Giving kids responsibilities is a MUST, not a yes or no thought. As a parent it is our job to raise our kids to become responsible adults and to prepare them for the real world and life as an adult.

Published · 956 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Did you ever gaze into your children’s eyes when they were babies wondering what they would be like when they grew up? Did you notice some of your children’s strong personality traits even when they were very young? One of our challenges is to see and appreciate our children’s unique combination of passions, capabilities, qualities and beliefs. This can be especially difficult when our expectations for our children do not match who they are.

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Kids are People Too!

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When children swear, it certainly catches our attention! How should we respond when this happens? There are a number of ways to handle it depending on the situation. Trying Out Swearing Young children often try swearing at some point. One day our daughter was coming home from preschool when she dropped something while getting out of the car and exclaimed "F#@$!" My husband calmly asked her if she knew what that word meant.

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Do you feel your kids are spending too much time watching TV, playing video games and being on the computer? Do ever find it challenging to get them to turn off the TV or computer and go outside to play? If so, join the crowd! How much time are kids really spending with media? The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report in January 2010 showing the average amount of time kids 8 - 18 are spending with media. These are the numbers for a typical day: - TV (4 hours, 29 minutes) - Music/audio (2 hours, 31 minutes)

Published · 1,656 views · Rated 2/5 from 4 votes

Talking to Your Kids About Sex Take a look back at your teenage years, what it was like growing up? How were you around the topic of sex? Ask yourself some important questions like; did you have parents who were open and respectful, had healthy boundaries around the topic? Were you on the receiving end of normal love and affection? Or were you even on the receiving end of verbal love and affection? Was there any love or affection to speak of? Did you have respect for your partners, did you have sex because you wanted to or because you felt pressure to? These are important questions.

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How can we motivate our children to work harder in school, in a sport or in practicing an instrument? Will the promise of a reward for practicing the piano help our child practice more? Or will the threat of punishment be more effective? When we try to motivate our children to work harder, we can often end up feeling frustrated by the results. Understanding Internal Motivation Ideas about motivation are changing as new research teases out some of the key elements.

Published · 1,401 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Ironworks Inc. and Acme Steel have been doing business together for twenty-five years. Ironworks manufactures steel widgets and Acme sells raw steel. These two companies have worked together for all this time for two basic reasons: 1. They need each other. 2. The money is right. Ironworks believes they are buying their raw materials at a reasonable price and Acme believes they are selling their steel at an acceptable price.

Published · 1,366 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Back in my undergraduate years I took a required course for all psychology majors entitled Experimental Psychology. Early in that course in a lab we were each instructed to train a white rat to turn right in a T-maze. (A successful trial was defined as the rat not going past a line on the left side of the maze and the rat had to proceed all the way to the right within five seconds—to eat a small piece of compressed grain.) When the rat made five consecutive “correct” responses, it was determined that the rat had “learned” the appropriate response.

Published · 1,382 views

For some time the divorce rate in the USA for first marriages has held at about 50%. This is a national tragedy. This statistic also means that many people have subsequent marriages.

Published · 1,306 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

As an experienced clinical child psychologist I believe the ultimate goal of any parent is to rear an independent, responsible child. While at first glance this may appear obvious, if we observe most parents in action on a day-to-day basis, it becomes evident that many parents have no idea how to achieve this objective. Most parents never take a course on parenting or even read a book or two on the topic. Ask many parents, "How do you foster independence and responsibility in your child?" and you are likely to get a blank stare.

Published · 1,714 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

The divorce rate nationally hovers at around fifty percent but it is several percentage points higher in Maricopa County, according to census figures. I believe divorce is a national tragedy, as it is terribly stressful and often expensive for the involved adults, quite sad for the parents of the couple, and absolutely traumatic for the children. A major reason for this unfortunate divorce statistic is that most couples do not learn how to settle their issues.

Published · 1,516 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

Many smaller associations do not have the membership base to afford paying a “big name” speaker to present at a training or convention. The speakers who present for these associations are usually members of that group and present for free. While this system is cheap, and sometimes can provide for an interesting presentation, over time the “same cast of characters” are presenting at most meetings. This situation leads to lower registrations at conferences--which worsen the association’s financial position.

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Many parents struggle with conversing with their adolescent. Attempts at communication often result in yelling, slamming doors, feelings of resentment, and a sense of hopelessness that issues can be resolved. Below are nine strategies to enhance communication with your teen.

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The parent-teacher conference can be an efficient tool to communicate with your child's teacher. Below are a few tips on how to make that meeting more productive: 1) Show up: My wife, now retired from teaching fourth grade for 28 years, often said that the parents with whom she most needed to talk rarely scheduled a conference. Children perform best in school when their parents are involved in their kid's education.

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A parent tells their young child to brush their teeth. The child responds, "I don't want to; I don't feel like it." It is perfectly normal for children to believe that they must be in a certain mood state (feel like it) to do something. Most parents, though, tell their child that they are sorry that they don't feel like brushing their teeth but go and do it anyway. This child-like thinking continues for many adults. Unfortunately, as adults we often don't have someone making us do it anyway.

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An adolescent in Texas recently was in the news for killing and/or injuring several persons due to recklessly driving his new BMW while quite intoxicated. Apparently, this teen had an alcohol-related incident a few months before this tragedy. At trial a psychologist testified that this boy should not be incarcerated because he was a victim of his parents’ wealth and indulgence. The syndrome was coined “Affluenza.” Amazingly, the judge agreed and sentenced the teen to a 120 days in a posh treatment facility.

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Having recently returned from a vacation back east, which included a visit to New York City, I found that it took me several days to recover from the jet lag due to the three-hour time difference. One of the first clients I saw upon returning to work in my practice involved an adolescent male whose mother remarked that with school about to start she wondered how her son was going to get to bed at a reasonable time and awaken early in the morning in time for school—given the summer schedule he has been living. My jet lag and this mother's comment caused me to think.

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A basic tenet of behavioral psychology is that the closer the consequence is to the behavior, the more powerful the effect it has on that behavior. For example, if one could eat a sensible nutritious meal, immediately step on the scale and be down two pounds, dieting would be easy. Unfortunately, one has to eat healthfully for an extended period before any appreciable weight is lost. Thus, even though most adults know they should eat better (and exercise more) the delayed reinforcement sabotages their efforts.

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A mother of a boy, 12, I was counseling recently spoke about a “play date” her son had. As had been arranged, the mother of the other boy brought her son over to the house around 1 pm. The two boys greeted each other at the door and immediately proceeded to the bedroom, where they began playing video games.

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Do your children's words ever take you by surprise because they sound remarkably like something you've said? These "boomerang words" can be a good thing or not such a good thing. When we hear our children repeat our words, it's a strong reminder of just how much they are picking up from us. We also get a new appreciation for how those words feel to the person receiving them! Where have I heard that before? One mom told me that she was in her 6-year-old daughter's bedroom when she accidentally knocked a toy off her dresser.

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Child behaviour can be a tricky thing. Parents can tell themselves that defiant or inappropriate behavior is just a phase that their child is going through, but often, it just gets worse with time. What can you do about these problems? How can you restore a sense of peace and order to your home without going off the deep end or resorting to drastic measures? Many parents are at their breaking point when it comes to their children. Behaviour that was unacceptable and severely punished when we were kids, like being disrespectful to adults, seems to be a given with the kids of today.

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Do you make more positive comments or negative comments to your children? If you're like most parents, you make a lot more negative comments than positive ones. In her book, <u>Building Moral Intelligence</u>, Dr. Michele Borba writes "studies reveal that the average parent makes 18 critical comments to his child for every one positive comment." Really? Could we really be making that many critical comments to our children?

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When families gather together for a celebration, each participant brings their own history, behavior and expectations. When these different expectations and behaviors clash, the celebrations are often far from the peaceful, loving gatherings depicted in TV holiday commercials! However, when common problems can be anticipated and planned for ahead of time, there is a greater likelihood of a joyful celebration rather than a stressful experience.

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Research has shown that a young baby can start to distinguish between night and day from as young as two weeks with a little gentle guidance. Here are six simple strategies that work. 1 – In the day, keep the house light and bright. Take your baby out for walks in the fresh air. Even if he’s sleeping, he will be stimulated by the light and feel of the air against his skin. 2 – When your baby is awake (for a very short time in the early weeks) interact with him, talk to him, stroke his skin and place your face near his so he can see you.

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How do you know if your picky eater is just exhibiting normal picky behavior or ifrnyou need professional assistance? The toddler period presents huge changes in development in many areas. Feeding in particular presents several challenges for parents. The once eager eater who opened his mouth for everything you presented on the spoon is now much more likely to reject foods and have a hard time sitting still for meals. Toddlers do not grow at the same rapid pace that infants grow and their food intake drops off significantly. Toddlers by definition are often on the move.

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Early waking for a little one under the age of two is common and parents find it the most difficult sleep issue to resolve. Here are six suggestions to improve things quickly. 1 - Decide on the time you’re happy to get up and start the day as a family. 6am isn’t much fun but that is a realistic time for infants and toddlers. If your baby wakes before 6am, treat it as a night time waking, even if it’s 5:30am.

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As parents we need to be mindful of not only what foods we choose to offer our children, but also of what patterns and associations between food and emotion we are establishing. Patterns set in childhood can be carried forward into adulthood and possibly lead to problems with weight management or disordered eating. When our children are upset, it is natural for us to want to soothe them. Often, by habit and by memory our own childhood experiences, we may be tempted to soothe with food. Don’t get me wrong, soothing with food is not always a bad thing.

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Parents play a lead role in setting the overall tone in their families. Parents whose overall tone tends to be negative often have homes filled with stress and tension. While parents who take a more positive approach create calmer, happier homes. A Home Filled with Tension One mom told me about all the stress in her home. One of her three sons was doing very poorly in school. She and her husband were constantly nagging Joe to do his homework although it didn't seem to help much.

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Come on, admit it. You intended to keep a schedule this summer, but when the kids slept in you liked the extra quiet time. Then the daylight lasted so long it was often later than you realized when the kids finally hit the sack. Not living by the clock was a refreshing change of pace, but school will be starting in a few weeks and you know the kids and you need to get back into the groove. First, let me assure you, it's healthier to have a flexible schedule than a rigid one. So have no guilt about your summer schedule.

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There were times during the weeks that followed my daughter’s birth that she would cry, and I would wonder why. She was warm and dry and well-fed, but she still cried. I remember holding her in my arms and rocking her and suddenly realizing that she missed the security of my womb. She wanted to crawl right back up inside me where she was completely protected from the world and all of its chaos. But she had boarded a train bound for independence and there was no turning back.

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My son is getting ready to move up to middle school next year. This is a big deal for any child, but for someone who is already struggling with school, it is an especially stressful time. He referred to school recently as “Six hours of complete misery.” Add to that, the fact that he is starting to be aware of how he is different from other kids and what it means to have “Asperger’s Syndrome” and well. . .it’s been a tough couple of months for him and us. One of the things that we did to help him cope with the transition is to go take a tour of the new school.

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"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 (New King James Version) As human beings we grow up perceiving the world around us as a structured system of competing dualities. We are either male or female, free or enslaved, Christian or non-Christian. Every action is judged as good or bad, with an emphasis on being good. Aren’t we all taught that we should do the right thing? Isn’t “doing good” the best anyone can do?

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Do you ever find yourself rushing around in the morning desperately trying to get your kids off to school? Feeling rushed and hassled first thing in the morning is not a good way to start a day! Unfortunately many parents and children report this is exactly how they feel in the mornings. How can we change our behavior so that mornings feel calm instead of chaotic?

Published · 1,503 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

There’s an old urban legend that if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, he’ll naturally hop out; however, if you place a frog in a pot of cool water and gradually increase the heat, you’ll end up with a cooked frog. I can’t say whether this is true for frogs, but it certainly is true for many children who are sexually molested. The gradual cooking process is known as “grooming,” and the increased heat is the evaporation of physical and emotional boundaries.

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When parents discuss how much media they allow their children, the answers vary wildly. Some parents have very strict time restrictions on their children's media viewing while others give their children more control over the time they spend on media. n How do you know when your child is ...

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This month our family is experiencing two major transitions. Our youngest child is entering high school and our oldest is starting college out of town, in an apartment with three strangers. Each has brought unique challenges to my children — and us, their parents. Our experiences have reinforced the importance of the lessons we taught our college-bound child and those we need to focus on with our high-schooler. The High School Years Entering high school is simultaneously scary and exciting for teens, because of all the unknowns.

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Gratitude has completely transformed my life. There was a traditional blessing often recited as I was growing up that said, “For what we have and what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful.” Yet I never understood what it meant to be truly grateful. I confused gratitude with a sense of obligation—something I owed to someone who had done me a favor. Like Jonathon Edwards, I was a sinner in the hands of an angry God. There was always an underlying sense that things could be much worse, and I should thank God that they are not.

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Bicycling is a great way to get around; it’s good exercise, it’s fun, and it allows kids to be independent. But biking causes more traumatic brain injuries than any other sport and each day a child in the United States dies of bicycle-related injuries. Education is the key to safety. Kids need to know how to wear a helmet properly, rules of the road, how to inspect their bikes for problems, and general safety tips.

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When I was about 10 years old, my mother handed me a can of comet and told me to clean the bathroom. Well, she never actually told me how to clean, but somehow she thought that I already knew just from watching her do it. So I went in the bathroom and sprinkled comet everywhere and then used my hand to scrub out the sink and rinse as much of the blue off as I could. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most perfect job.

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He made me do it! There’s a battle going on and by the time you get to the next room something is broken and two kids are angry. After a bit of detective work you figure out who did what. The problem is that the usual suspect is blaming bis brother for his own bad behavior. . .again! He made me do it! He made me mad! Sigh. .

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Parenting isn't about having all the answers. It's about helping children learn to think for themselves and rediscovering yourself and the world through the eyes of your child. Socratic Parenting focuses on knowing yourself, knowing your child, and becoming the change you wish to see in your child. In order to develop their own authentic parenting style, parents must honestly examine their own habits and beliefs while building a healthy relationship with their children. Parents are never any better at disciplining their children than they are at disciplining themselves.

Published · 4,206 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Most of us have grown up with some version of the Golden Rule that includes doing unto others as you would have them do to you and loving your neighbor as yourself. Most of us think of the rule as encouraging us to be kinder to others. Such thinking is completely backward. We already do love our neighbors as ourselves. The problem is that most of us have never learned to love ourselves and to see ourselves as a source of love.

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“And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” --Matthew 1:23 (KJV) The Christmas story is one of light, love and joy—the light of the star, the love inspired by a precious child, and the joy of hope ete al. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, we light Advent candles representing hope, peace, love and joy. We move from a season of gratitude into a celebration that the Christ is born within us and God is with us. We celebrate the spirit of Christmas.

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I am a Licensed Social Worker, Certified Family Life Educator who has been training parents for over 25 years. As a second-generation parent educator, however, I’ve been involved with parenting classes for almost 40 years, because my parents taught classes while I was growing up. (Read my bio. for more info.) Because I had such a head start, I spent the first 10 years of my career collecting and compiling the parenting skills that research has proven to be effective long-term. In the process, I discovered, developed and tested a system for responding effectively to any parenting challenge.

Published · 1,275 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

‘Tis the season for Fall sports — when parents spend more time at playing fields or driving to games than they spend at home. At the game, parents enthusiastically cheer their child’s team and discuss the game on the car ride home. While most parents have good intentions, they can inadvertently discourage a child and promote unhealthy competition if they don’t choose their words carefully. First, let’s define the difference betwee "healthy" and "unhealthy" competition: Healthy competition focuses on doing one’s best, having fun, and learning skills.

Published · 1,379 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Many adults have fond memories of walking to school with friends and having little adventures along the way. Today, fewer than 13% of children are developing those memories because the private car has become the transportation of choice. But there are lots of good reasons to get kids walking. Each private car that is used to drive a child to school uses approximately 180 additional gallons of fuel per year, averaging $663.

Published · 2,484 views · Rated 3.2/5 from 5 votes

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One of my jobs as a deputy prosecuting atto ey was to review cases of sexual assault, determine what crime (if any) had been committed, and assess the likelihood that we would be able to prove every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. While the specific laws are different in each state, every sex crime requires either a lack of consent on the part of the victim or the use of force on the part of the perpetrator. Too often people think that “without consent” is the same as “by force,” but that is not true in a legal sense.

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Published · 1,856 views

Moments of frustration can lead parents to issuing commands that really don't work. Any time we are ordering children to change their behavior we're not likely to succeed. Instead of producing the desired behavioral change, commands often lead to some type of resistance. For example, when ...

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Every New Year, many of us set goals and resolve to meet them — only to become discouraged and quit. Here are suggestions for removing the most common barriers blocking our success — in parenting, our careers, marriage...and Life! First, set attainable goals. To illustrate, consider ...

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November is Adoption Awareness Month, so it seems appropriate that I share with you about one of my success stories, Trey.

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Listening is one of those skills that really doesn't seem like it's all that difficult. Why then do so many children report that their parents don't listen to them? Maybe it's because there are a lot of ways for parents to unintentionally stop conversations with their kids. For example, if ...

Published · 1,180 views

I recently was asked by another mother at home, "What do you find most difficult about being an at-home mother?" I replied, "No sick leave, days off, or vacation time. Hey, let's form a union!" We both laughed at the idea of a mothers' union, but we realized we already had the next best ...

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As a parenting expert to the media, I usually do extra media interviews during the holidays. Usually the topics focus on the extra stress of hectic holiday schedules or my “Taming the Holiday Gimmees” article. This year, I've been getting some thought-provoking questions about ...

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I am challenged on a daily basis to help families identify their own fears. Many times this is not an easy task because we are so resistant to admitting that we are afraid. We are conditioned to not experience fear. Fear is not an acceptable emotion in our society. Men are supposed to be strong and not show emotions. Women are perceived as weak and unable to take care of themselves if they are afraid. We live in an emotionally suppressed and emotionally phobic society.

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Young children take pride in doing things for themselves like getting dressed. However, sometimes their sense of urgency in completing a task doesn’t always match their parents’ sense of urgency. Parents quickly learn that encouraging their children to “hurry up” doesn’t work well. One mom ...

Published · 1,097 views

Imagine this scene: A neighbor is at your house, visiting over a cup of tea. You start feeling irritated and pressured when you realize you are running late for an appointment. What would you say to your neighbor? Imagine the same situation, except it's your child at the breakfast table. How ...

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Child abuse is a painful reality, but one that is preventable. As caring, thinking adults, we could have a profound impact on the lives of vulnerable children if each and every one of us reached out to other adults and inspired them to help protect kids. As a community, we can make a difference in the lives of children and families. In the US alone, 906,000 children are victims of abuse or neglect every year. Neglect is the most common form of abuse, but emotional, physical and sexual abuse are painfully common as well.

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As parents our days can easily be filled to overflowing with all the tasks that are required to keep our families running: making meals, doing dishes, driving kids to activities, washing clothes and working. These are certainly not the most important things in our lives but they can quickly ...

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When parents have a problem or concern, they need to keep their cool and use non-blameful ways to communicate their feelings. As soon as parents threaten or blame, children stop listening and start thinking about how to defend themselves. If you want others to listen to your feelings or ...

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It’s 4:30p.m. You stand in front of the refrigerator scanning its contents to see what you can throw together for dinner. You look at the clock. You have half an hour before you have to run out to pick up your daughter from dance class. There’s not enough time to make a decent meal. ...

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I'll admit it, in my 13-plus years as a mom so far, there have been many times when I've tried to force my children to "just try one bite" of a new or unfamiliar food. Most of those times were earlier on in my motherhood career and most were before I was familiar with the division of ...

Published · 1,789 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Many professionals who dispense parenting advice tell parents to use rewards or create "behavior modification" token systems to teach children a skill, to get children to take on a responsibility, or to curb an unwanted behavior or habit. Often, however, rewarding good behavior with behavior ...

Published · 16,808 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Death is one of those lessons we hope our children will not have to experience early in life. However, given death is an inescapable fact of life, we know our children will eventually need to deal with it. When and how we discuss death with our children will depend on their ages and the ...

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Let's All Make More Conscious Choices with Our Childre So, what exactly (you might ask), is Conscious Parenting? The term hasn't made it to the dictionary yet, but more and more parents are talking about it. At its heart, doesn’t Conscious Parenting have to start with becoming conscious?? I ...

Published · 1,930 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 9 votes

We have until our children are about 18 years old to teach them all the basic skills they'll need to live on their own. Although it sounds like a lot of time, it goes by amazingly fast. Summertime can provide a little more free time for teaching our kids something new. Children often enjoy ...

Published · 1,451 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

One mom was exasperated with her preschool daughter after she pitched fit for 45 minutes upon learning that her little brother was going swimming while she was at preschool. When mom was completely fed up with the whining and crying, she threatened to let her daughter sit in her room all day ...

Published · 959 views

“Unconditional love is really just love without expectations.” - Louise Hay As parents, we believe that the regard we hold for our children is the purest, most unconditional kind of love. Looking into the face of a baby, we know that these tiny, beautiful souls are the surest proof that ...

Published · 2,735 views

The new world of school brings many changes. Even for children who have been in child care or preschool, starting kindergarten will be a new world that is quite different from what they've experienced. The school's rules might be different from your rules, so children must learn flexibility. ...

Published · 1,429 views

Come on, admit it. You intended to keep a schedule this summer, but when the kids slept in you liked the extra quiet time. Then the daylight lasted so long it was often later than you realized when the kids finally hit the sack. Not living by the clock was a refreshing change of pace, but school ...

Published · 1,151 views

Are you the parent of a child with autism that has been blamed for your child’s behavioral difficulties? Have you been told by special education personnel that your child’s learning disability or difficulty is your fault? This article will discuss a study of school psychologists about blame for ...

Published · 2,083 views

Are you the parent of a child with a disability who is looking for information to help you fight for an appropriate education for your child? Would you like to lea 5 easy to use parenting tips that may be used by any parents. This article will discuss 5 practical and easy to use tips that are ...

Published · 1,245 views

Are you a parent of a special needs child who has been told things that are not true about your child’s education, by disability educators? Are you a parent who is afraid to stand up to the deceptions? Would you like to learn six disability advocacy tips, for standing up to some educators who ...

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Struggling with transitions is something that seems ton affect most kids with ADHD. Actually, it affects adults n too if we think about it. Our family went camping lastn week. We had great weather the whole time until the lastn night. Yep, it started to rain in August! I normally loven our ...

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In Hamlet Shakespeare asked the most famous question in all literature: “To be or not to be?” The answer to that and to all of our questions lies in the first person present tense of to be: I AM. When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him to deliver the Israelites out of ...

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It’s easy to get into power struggles with your children. However, once you learn what triggers power struggles, you can avoid them. Let’s look at how to do this using a couple of examples. In the first situation, five year old Jacob has asked his mom if he can have a cookie. ...

Published · 1,412 views

Believe it or not, school is just around the corner. Back to school sales have been going on for several weeks. Letters have arrived in the mail with dates for orientation and enrollment. Children and parents alike have mixed feelings about returning to school. Returning to school can be traumatic for children with challenging behaviors. I always encourage parents to get an early start on monitoring how their child is doing in school. Prevention and early intervention are the keys to success.

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I originally was going to write one of those top ten lists, but I became tired of those when my twelve year old son was still five. What we need to know is that our children do not care about how much money we make, or that we have to get to work on time, or what type of car we drive, or what ...

Published · 1,886 views

Are you the parent of a child with a disability who thinks that your child needs an educational program during the summer? Do long summer breaks cause your child with emotional disabilities to regress in behavior? Do you think that your child needs before or after school, educational ...

Published · 1,801 views

Housework sometimes comes down to whose workis it. We have this imaginary gender line that we will just not cross. We say, we will not do this and we will not do that. Let it go! Your wife will never feel she has to open a jar or climb on the roof to adjust an antenna. So why should you ...

Published · 2,076 views

Young children take pride in doing things for themselves like getting dressed. However, sometimes their sense of urgency in completing a task doesn’t always match their parents’ sense of urgency. Parents quickly learn that encouraging their children to “hurry up” ...

Published · 1,017 views

Homework is a child’s responsibility, so we need to be careful how much we help. We want to be aware of what our children are doing and be involved in helpful ways, but not help too much. Avoid the word "we" — it implies that homework is our responsibility. Say, "When are you going ...

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As children return to the classroom, parents often wonder how they can help their children succeed in school — without doing too much for their children. There are two key areas in which parents have tremendous influence: success attitudes and skills. A successful school attitude is ...

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Are you the parent of a child with autism or dyslexia, that knows what educational services your child needs, but do not know how to communicate them to special education personnel? A parent input statement, that is written before the IEP meeting, can help you be an effective advocate for your ...

Published · 3,790 views

Imagine this scene: A neighbor is at your house,visiting over a cup of tea. You start feeling irritated and pressured when you realize you are running late for an appointment. What would you say to your neighbor? Imagine the same situation, except it's your child at the breakfast table. How ...

Published · 1,052 views

In the book, "The Five Love Languages For Children" Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell, the authorsn describe five ways to show love. Apparently, eachn of us has a preference for receiving love in an particular way. Discovering your child’s preferencesn gives you a big advantage and ...

Published · 1,401 views

Motivate your child to do chores I have heard from several readers in the last few days asking about how to motivate a child to do things they don't want to do. Chores, homework, and even specialized classes were mentioned. It's an interesting question. Nobody really loves ...

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Are you the parent of a young child, who is receiving specialneducation services, that is conce ed about whether your child has the needed skills, to learn how to read? Are you a parent of an older child with autism or a learning disability, that is conce ed about your child’s reading success. ...

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Every night before she goes to sleep, my six-year-old places a Token of Change™ on her forehead and affirms, “I am grateful. I am kind. I create what’s on my mind. Perfect health… Prosperity… My world reflects the change in me.” If you ask her what prosperity means, she’ll tell you, ...

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Summer time is traditionally a time of backyardn barbeques, swimming at the public pool, eating watermelonn and . . .nn beating up your pesty little brother. Okay Okay, not exactly your idea of an ideal summe pastime? Mine either! Yet, unstructured summer playn times and ...

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Are you a parent of a child with a disability who would like to writenletters to special education personnel, but do not know what toninclude? Would a short list of things to include be helpful? Thisnarticle will address 7 specific items that should be included innletters to special education ...

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Are you the parent of a child with a disability receiving special education services? Did you know that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) required the Office of Special Education Programs to develop 3 model forms? Would you like to know what they are, and how they can help ...

Published · 1,206 views

Would you like to learn about 3 important areas where you neednknowledge to effectively advocate for your child? Would you likenresources to find more information on these areas? If you are thenparent of a child with a disability, you need to have information in three different areas to help ...

Published · 1,823 views

Are you the parent of a child with autism or a learning disability,who believes that your child needs educational services outside of the school day? Have you been told that your child does not qualify for summer school because there is no proof of regression? This article will discuss the 6 ...

Published · 1,819 views

Are you the parent of a child with a disability in special education,nwho would like parenting tips on how to be an equal participant innyour child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) development? Are younafraid to give your opinion because you are not a professional? Thennthis article is ...

Published · 1,016 views

Are you the parent of a child with a disability, who is conce ednabout your child’s reading progress? Would you like to know how to use No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to help your child learn to read? Thisnarticle will discuss 5 basic provisions of NCLB that you can use tonadvocate for your ...

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Are you the parent of a child, receiving special education services,nthat thinks your child may benefit from functional skill training? Would you like to know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires in relation to functional skills? Wouldnyou like parenting tips on ...

Published · 1,144 views

Gift-giving season has begun. If you’re like me, you fantasize about the moment your children open their gifts: their faces light up with surprise and excitement, they give you a hug and say, “Thanks, I love it!” To reach that moment, however, we often have to survive that ...

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I was saddened to read that Gloucester High School in Massachusetts had a record number of 17 pregnant teens this year. Apparently this happened after a number of them, all 16 and younger, made a pact to get pregnant. According to the article some girls expressed that they felt their parents ...

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“For what we have and what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful.”n --Traditional grace before meals What does it mean to be truly grateful? On the one hand, gratitude may arise out of a feeling of obligation for a favor shown; on the other, gratitude may reflect a ...

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Q: “I’ve been reading your column, and I like a lot of what you say. Most of the time I think I am a respectful parent, but not always. Sometimes I really don’t feel like being respectful. What can I do then?” V.H., Briceland, CA A: When you are feeling frustrated, disappointed, frightened, tired, hungry, it is more difficult to treat others with respect. If you don’t want to do or say things which you might regret later, have several plans of action to help prevent this.

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Finding time for yourself can be difficult. Here are some exercises that, once learned, don't take long, and can really have a positive impact on your day. Tip one: Calming Breath is a basic Take a Break Strategy. When tense or annoyed we often take a quick breath in and then forget to let it out. This is not good as holding your breath or breathing quickly tenses you. Learning to consciously take a calming breath off and on throughout the day un-tenses you. Here’s how. 1. Breathe in slowly. 2. Hold until you feel some small bit of tension. 3. Breathe out slowly. 4. Smile gently.r

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What is the single most important goal to set to guarantee successful helping? Mutual Respect. If you want to help your troubled teen, it has got to start with you. You must be respectful first. Make respect your bottom line. Make respect your foundation. Decide that, starting now, you are never going to do anything that is less than respectful. Get help to do this from the Power of Respect. It simplifies your task of helping. It provides clear, built-in guidelines. Stay within them and you will achieve your goal.

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Are you conce ed that your child with a disability is not learningnacademics at a grade and age level pace? Have you thought that you child may benefit from a curriculum of functional skills? Would younlike to learn about a resource that can help you learn more aboutnfunctional curriculums for ...

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Are you the parent of a young child that is conce ed about thei development? Does your child, have unusual behavior, delays in speech,nrefuses or is limited in their contact with you and their peers? Thisnarticle will briefly discuss the definition of the disorder,ndiagnostic tools usedto ...

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Do you have a child with a disability who receives special educationnservices? Does your child with a learning disability still strugglenacademically, even with the services? This article will give parentingntips on what FAPE is, and how you can help your child receive it. FAPE stands for a ...

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I have noticed that, more often than not, an underlying question that many parents have is, "HOW can I be an effective role model?" Parents who are on the path of conscious parenting have made a commitment to expand their awareness, examine their limiting beliefs and continue to create and sustain healthy, authentic connections with their children. Sometimes, parents express that in spite of their efforts to instill positive, empowering attitudes, they feel that they are not able to always clearly demonstrate behaviors they wish to see in their children.

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A narrative is a story or an account of an event. Jesus taught by telling parables to illustrate his moral attitudes and religious principles. I use narratives in family regulatory therapy and find them very effective.

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One of the most difficult parts of being a father is learning to accept your children's mistakes. It's certainly easy to be loving, supportive, and helpful when your children are mistake-free, but most fathers who are paying attention don't find too many mistake-free periods of their children's ...

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Another Father's Day has passed. This was a time of family gatherings to celebrate fathers. Family traditions of cookouts, picnics, sports, and dining out are fairly common. I believe that the role of fathers has been diminished over time. There’s been an evolution of his earlier role of going out and killing the beast for supper to being more involved emotionally. Numerous articles and books have been written about this. There is a tremendous amount of research about being a father. It has been dissected from every angle and from numerous counseling theories.

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Mother's Day is just around the corner. This is a time of family gatherings to celebrate mothers. Family traditions of cookouts, picnics and dining out are fairly common. It goes without saying; mothers play a very important role in our lives. Many articles and books have been written about this. There is a tremendous amount of research about being a mother. It has been dissected from every angle and from numerous counseling theories. Attachment theory says that Infants form attachments to any consistent caregiver who is sensitive and responsive in social interactions with them.

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It goes without saying; mothers play a very important role in our lives. Many articles and books have been written about this. There is a tremendous amount of research about being a mother. It has been dissected from every angle and from numerous counseling theories. Attachment theory says that Infants form attachments to any consistent caregiver who is sensitive and responsive in social interactions with them. The quality of the social engagement is more influential than the amount of time spent.

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The dictionary defines vitality as: 1) Capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence: the vitality of an institution. 2) Power to live or grow: the vitality of a language. As a parent, what do you feel brings vitality to your families? How do you preserve what is meaningful and important and pass that onto your children?

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You have a chore to do around the house and you kids want to help out somehow. You know that it might nbe nice for them to help but you're feeling a bit impatient. And you know that it might turn into a two hour project andnthere might be a big mess to clean up. A mess that could nbe avoided ...

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With a divorce rate in this country that approaches 50%, and a fairly sizable percentage of marriages that naren’t particularly blissful, it’s difficult to avoid searching nfor the answer to the battle of the sexes. Would you like to stop searching? We’ve moved through the ...

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“What are you thinking? Haven’t we talked about this before?” My seven-year-old son looked down at the food that had just spilled on the kitchen floor. He stood statue-still, as children often do after an accident. The words and tone I’d used were having their impact. He braced himself to ...

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I must admit to having a fear that I believe I share with many fathers. I fear that I will some day be insignificant to my children. It's not as though they'll completely forget who I am; it's that what I stand for and what I believe in won't be a significant part of their lives. Perhaps ...

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There are a lot of fairly sophisticated parentingtechniques and ideas out there that are attractingattention. To be an effective father, you can skipmost of them and concentrate on common sense rulesthat have always worked. They won’t always makeyou the most popular Dad, but they’ll always ...

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Parents can often be frustrated by their kids’ unwillingness to share their lives with them. Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, there will be times when it’s difficult to “break through” and find out what‘s really going on. Here are ten ideas on how to create opportunities for your kids ...

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John was a 43 year-old sales manager at a large company. He’s married and has 3 children, ages 7, 9, and 12. His wife works part-time as a nursing assistant, and they both do as much as they can to parent their children well. John has developed serious doubts about his ability to be an ...

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In a consumer-driven society that broadcasts values that don’t reflect what you believe, how can you teach values to your kids? Here are ten ideas to help you: 1. Tell them your life stories and teach through your stories Kids love to hear stories about your childhood. Weave in some moral ...

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Back in my undergraduate years I took a required course for all psychology majors entitled Experimental Psychology. Early in that course in a lab we were each instructed to train a white rat to turn right in a T-maze. (A successful trial was defined as the rat not going past a line on the left side of the maze and the rat had to proceed all the way to the right within five seconds—to eat a small piece of compressed grain.) When the rat made five consecutive “correct” responses, it was determined that the rat had “learned” the appropriate response.

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I finished writing my first book not too long ago. I found it difficult identifying what my expectations were since I’ve never done this before. The entire process of getting the book in print and to being in your hands was an emotional roller coaster. I had to keep reminding myself “process Ken, remember process.” At times it seemed like every step of the way was a challenge. The lack of faith questions that I kept asking were: “Why this?” or ‘What now?”

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Recently, I got into the car to make a quick trip to the store. I popped in a CD, Michael W. Smith’s "Healing Rain." The second track on the CD is the song "Healing Rain." As I listened to it, the Holy Spirit came over me so strongly that I began to weep. I have always believed that this is truly an anointed song. It has spoken to me for a number of years. Michael repeats over and over again “healing rain is coming down, healing rain is coming down, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid of healing rain.” On a cognitive level, why would someone be afraid of healing? Healing is good, right?

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As I’ve previously stated, shame significantly impacts our spirituality. This is usually the most challenging area for shame-based people. Spirituality is found deep within our core: the deepest level that humans operate from. The ability to live in peace and harmony is a function of our spirituality. Shame contaminates our spirituality by causing our spirituality to be very negative.

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Around this time of year there are all kinds of catchy phrases. Jesus is the “reason for the season” is the one that immediately pops into my mind. Another one from the past is “What Would Jesus Do?”. I feel like this trivializes Jesus and is either seasonal or just trendy. Jesus should be what we are all about, every day of the year. Jesus is the spiritual basis for family regulatory therapy, a body/mind model of therapy that I use in my practice.

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Remember that relationships and love are not events, they are processes. Loving our children and others can bring many challenges. Challenges cause us to want other people to change. We need to be courageous and look inside ourselves whenever we think someone else needs to change. 1 Timothy 1:5, “The goal of this command is love which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

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THE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE STUDYING Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Parents regularly tell their children to “study hard” so they can get good grades, get into a good college, get a good job, and be successful. While children are encouraged to study, do they truly know what they should do? Researchers on an effective studying generally recommend the following: 1) Organize the material conceptually rather than attempt to memorize many bits of unrelated information.

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Being 'present,' what does that mean? On the surface, it obviously means that you are here, physically here. Students are either present or absent when roll is taken at school. After roll is taken and lunch orders turned in, the teacher then has the task of getting the students really present.

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I believe that our parenting model comes from God, who carries the bulk of the work for us as parents. God's love for us drew us into relationship with him, and I contend that this loving relationship then influenced us into obedience to Him. We work toward and remain in obedience because we do not want to lose relationship with God. Even when we are not obedient that relationship is still there for us. God never withdraws his love. This is how God teaches us to have and be in relationship through mind, body, and spirit regulation.

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Summer is sublime, but for frazzled parents of rambunctious school-age kids, September may be starting to look like an oasis of calm. Planning and preparing now can ease the turbulence of back to school. Here are some things you can do to get ready for the transition. Medical – Check the child’s records for a vaccination form, date of last physical, and other info your school district requires. If the child is new to your home, consider scheduling a “getting to know you” appointment with your doctor.

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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month in the US, where 906,000 children are victims of abuse or neglect every year. Risk factors include family history of abuse, stress and lack of support, alcohol or drug abuse, and domestic violence. The majority of children in out-of-home care are victims of abuse.

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Guilt. One of the things that really strikes me as I talk to parents, is the amount of guilt that is carried around. Guilt seems to be such a huge part of the parenting story these days. Parents feel guilty if they work, guilty if they don’t, guilty if they use child care, guilty if they bottle feed, guilty if their children watch TV, guilty if they feed their child a biscuit. Guilt seems to get in the way of our parenting and stop us being the parents we’d like to be. What purpose does the feeling of guilt serve? Perhaps it lets us know if we’ve done something wrong.

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Think about a normal day. Think for a moment about how many decisions we are faced with, small things like what to wear and what to have for dinner, through to larger questions about who we spend our lives with, where we work and live. How do we make the best decision for ourselves? How do we make a decision that we can live with and not regret some time down the track? We have all had those experiences, and no matter how much disce ment and agonising can go into a decision, sometimes that’s what happens.

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Socratic Living embraces the method of self-inquiry introduced by Socrates, the wisest man in Ancient Greece. Socrates approached life with curiosity and wonder. He accepted himself and questioned everything around him. Rather than assuming he knew anything, he approached everything and everyone with an openness that invites wisdom and understanding.

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Overheating is dangerous, even deadly, and by the time an overheated person experiences symptoms he may be in trouble. Kids are at special risk because they can get so caught up in playing they don’t take time to drink, seek shade, or slow down when the temperature climbs. To keep yourself and your family safe, follow these precautions: 1. For active kids, make a game of staying hydrated by setting a kitchen timer for every 20 minutes and teaching the kids, “When the timer DINGS, DROP everything and DRINK.”

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Summer time is fun time, but it’s also prime time for injuries and accidents. In this issue of Connections, we take a look at preventing and coping with animal bites. In July, we’ll learn about heat stress and other summer hazards. Dog Bites 4.5 millio Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and one in five dog bites results inrninjuries that require medical attention. Children age 5-9 are the most common victims. To prevent dog bites, teach children to follow these basic safety tips, and review them regularly: • Do not approach an unfamiliar dog • Do not run from a dog or screamr

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The city of Delphi was in the center of Ancient Greece. Delphi means “navel” as in “belly button” as if this were the center of the universe where human life somehow connected with the source of wisdom, the way a baby is connected to her mother before she’s born. There was a temple of Apollo in Delphi with a priestess known as the “Delphic Oracle” where people went to ask their questions and seek wisdom.

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“You are the noblest, the gentlest and the best man who has ever come here,” said the jailer to Socrates. The jailer had guarded Socrates for a month following his trial. A jury of 501 men found Socrates guilty of corrupting youth by teaching them to question everything and to think for themselves. The jury sentenced Socrates to death. At the appointed time, the jailer brought a poisonous hemlock drink to Socrates.

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We establish rules to help keep our kids safe. We'd all like to believe our children would make the right choice when presented with a situation like whether or not to answer the door to a stranger. But what would they really do? What would your kids do? Recently NBC's Dateline tested a few kids in tough situations in a program called "The Perils of Parenting". Although it wasn't a scientific test, they demonstrated how easy it is to get kids to break rules.

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Winter here in western Oregon is a gray, damp affair with a few sparkling crisp sunny days and, if we’re lucky, one or two snowstorms. By February, the kids are losing interest in making mud sculptures and stomping in puddles and the parents are losing patience with the kids. If your winters bring their own brand of monotony (oh joy, ANOTHER snow day), we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of low-cost activities for kids and families, as well as free or low-cost respite activities for you parents Family Funr

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Some parenting ideas come and go like fads. Others stick around for decades. The ideas that last are those that work well in the long run to help parents with the challenging job of raising children. The common foundation for many current parenting ideas is Alfred Adler's (1870-1937) philosophy of treating each other with mutual respect. Parent education pioneers like Rudolf Dreikurs, Jane Nelsen and Adele Faber extended the Adlerian ideas into practical parenting tools.

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Who will criticize your children the most as they grow up? They will! It is their own negative self-talk that they will hear most often. Everyone’s mind produces a steady stream of thoughts. When these thoughts turn negative, fear, doubt and frustration quickly sets in. Stopping negative thoughts isn’t easy and it starts with actually noticing those thoughts. What are your kids saying to themselves?

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The Centers for Disease Control announced in October that by 2050, up to one-third of all adults will have diabetes. That’s our teenagers when they hit middle age. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and medical amputations – usually feet or legs, and is a major contributor to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Diabetes is largely preventable by eating less sugar, limiting fast food, banning high fructose corn syrup from the diet, eating plenty of fresh natural foods, and exercising at least 30 minutes a day.

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Being Present and Aware—Mindfulness By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Psychologist Freud said depressed people rue the past and anxious individuals fear the future. More than a century later psychologists are currently emphasizing “mindfulness”—being “aware,” focused, and “being in the present.”

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FORMING OUR RELATIONSHIPS BACKWARDS By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP The divorce rate in the U.S. continues to hover around 50 percent and the dissolution incidence when one or both of the parties have been previously married is about 65 percent. This is a national travesty. The amount of emotional angst and money spent, not to mention the extent of trauma brought to the involved children, is immeasurable.

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FORMING OUR RELATIONSHIPS BACKWARDS By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP The divorce rate in the U.S. continues to hover around 50 percent and the dissolution incidence when one or both of the parties have been previously married is about 65 percent. This is a national travesty. The amount of emotional angst and money spent, not to mention the extent of trauma brought to the involved children, is immeasurable.

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Im discovering more and more just how much we …..especially women, give our power away.r

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Recently, I overheard an adolescent tell her friend, “I was so depressed yesterday but I’m fine today.” Her friend replied, “Yeah, I understand; I get depressed sometimes, too.” This conversation reflects the very common misuse of the term “depression.” Most individuals mistakenly refer to depression when, in fact, they are simply sad or unhappy. We all occasionally “get down,” “get bummed out,” or have “the blues,” but these feelings usually last a few hours or a day or two, and the individual can manage their life—eat, sleep, work, socialize, etc.r

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Recently, I overheard an adolescent tell her friend, “I was so depressed yesterday but I’m fine today.” Her friend replied, “Yeah, I understand; I get depressed sometimes, too.” This conversation reflects the very common misuse of the term “depression.” Most individuals mistakenly refer to depression when, in fact, they are simply sad or unhappy. We all occasionally “get down,” “get bummed out,” or have “the blues,” but these feelings usually last a few hours or a day or two, and the individual can manage their life—eat, sleep, work, socialize, etc.r

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TIPS ON MANAGING ANXIETY By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Anxiety is the second most common form of mental health disorder, next to depression. In many cases, though, depressed individuals also struggle with anxiety and many anxious people frequently feel depressed. It is estimated 20 million persons in the US regularly deal with anxiety. Anxiety often is described as a feeling of tension and/or fear. Some of my patients report it is like “an impending sense of doom.”

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Your children are going to encounter other children who are different than them. Here's three ways to teach your children to accept other children. 1. Understanding: We all have situations. There are always underlying circumstances that people are going through that they don’t outwardly express. Often, past events have affected how they view the world. And also view themselves.

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Why Seniors Need to Get to the Gym Part 1 (of 4) By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Psychologist/Senior Fitness Specialist Why Seniors Need to Get to the Gym

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Why Seniors Need to Get to the Gym Part 2 (of 4) By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Psychologist/Senior Fitness Specialist Aerobics

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Why Seniors Need to Get to the Gym Part 3 (of 4) By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Psychologist/Senior Fitness Specialist Weight Training

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Why Seniors Need to Get to the Gym Part 4 (of 4) Byr Larry Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Psychologist/Senior Fitness Specialist Flexibility/Balance Flexibility and balance are as important to senior fitness as aerobic and strength training. As seen with aerobicizing and weight lifting, this adage very much applies: “Use it or lose it.” Another quip I recently heard is equally relevant: “When I rest, I rust.” Over time, without intervention, our bodies gradually become stiffer and our balance significantly deteriorates. Body Tightness and Stiffness

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It’s 2015, Women’s Right’s isn’t brand new……is it? Seriously, I can’t believe I’m even writing about this, but this bothered me, so here I go. My son and daughter have played sports now for years, mainly Hockey and baseball, both of which were coached by their dad. I cannot take any credit for their athleticism. I can however take credit for teaching them to be respectful, non-judgmental, non-discriminatory and inclusive, which I am very happy to say they are living up to.

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Children are not born with empathy. They are born with the capacity to have empathy but it only develops under certain conditions. Parents play a critical role in developing their children's empathy.

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I blogged about parenting from fear recently. Since writing about it, I have become acutely aware of how much of my anxiety is driven by fears about what might happen to my kids. I read a quote recently by Alan Cohen that stated, “Anxiety is a sign that you have made up a story contrary to reality. Love does not fear.”

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We certainly hope that back to school does not mean back to bullying! Unfortunately being bullied at school is the reality for too many children. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, "Bullying has become a tidal wave of epic proportions." Everyone's Role

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Talking about manners seems sort of redundant and well… obvious. But it’s not as obvious as one would think. I work in an elementary school and I am surprised, almost daily, at the lack of manners. Many kids do not reciprocate when they are greeted with “good morning!” or “hello”. IF they even look at you, they don’t miss a beat and continue on the their way. I, myself, stop them and remind them that when someone greets you, the polite thing to do is respond back. But this gets me thinking. Why do they think it ok to just ignore someone that is speaking to them?

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All living things, human and animal, strive for homeostasis—keeping things balanced. If hungry, we eat; if thirsty, we drink; if sleepy, nap; etc. Humans, though, take this one step further: Not only do we want our biological processes balanced, we want to feel good. (We feel good when the pleasure center in our brain is stimulated.) Alcohol, drugs, fatty greasy food, jewelry, fancy cars, expensive clothes, sex, video gaming, etc. have little to do with balance but everything to do with seeking pleasure.

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Just as we develop various behavioral habits, we institute certain thinking habits, as well. Some of our behavioral habits are healthy, like exercising regularly, and some are not, like consuming a bowl of ice cream before bed. By the same token, some of our thinking habits are positive and healthy, like “I can do this” or “I deserve to be treated respectfully,” and, again, some thinking patterns are negative and unhealthy, like “I can’t do this—I always fail” or “I deserve to be mistreated—I am unworthy.”

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As the single and sole parent of my five children for over 18 years now (2 boys and 3 girls), I hoped I would be a natural role model to my boys for the way to grow to be successful men. I wanted my boys to man up as soon as they were old enough. Work hard, be a leader, be kind to everyone, treat women with respect, protect and provide for your family, and be charitable. Qualities people think men should have.

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The definition of discipline as a noun is: the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, and to teach self –control and self-discipline. Other words to describe discipline are training, teaching, direction, instruction, regulation, coach. The definition of punishment as a noun is: to inflict an imposition of a penalty as a retribution for an offense, to cause someone to suffer for a crime or fault. Other words to describe punishment are pain, penalty, deprivation, rough treatment, sanction, maltreatment, abuse.

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My recently turned 18 year old son passed his driving test on his first attempt back in July this year, 2015. Let me tell you the responsibilities for me in the year leading up to this event were not my favourite. Now as the mother and sole parent, I know I have many roles to play and many responsibilities to fulfill, I'm up for the challenges, that's why I chose to become a mum! However; one challenge I don't care for, is the one of Driving Instructor.

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I spent the latter part of my thirties searching for my purpose and the answer to the question, “why was I put on this earth?” At the time, I was recently divorced and trying to raise my two little kids as a single, working, divorced mother. I wasn’t feeling joy. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. I was barely getting by. Something felt missing and something had to give. I started reading all the self-improvement books I could get my hands on, because feeling like I was wasn’t serving me.

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I'm not sorry!

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It’s 9:15am and so far I have showered, put on my face, dressed, drove my daughter to camp, dropped my car off for service, walked to a neighborhood greasy spoon for a real breakfast and am now sitting on the patio of the local Starbucks, enjoying my Chai tea latte. Life is good!

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In looking forward to 2016, I believe our intentions should have to do with altering the lens through which we view our life and ourselves. It is so important to experience and view life through the eyes of love and not fear. It is equally as important to see yourself through the lens of love and forgiveness. This will help us all become better people and, in turn, better parents.

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Think way, way back to when you first became a parent. For those who gave birth and raised biological children, the moment I am talking about was the exact moment that your child was born. For those who adopted, fostered or became kin care parents; however you became a parent……that first moment that you laid eyes on your child is the moment I am referring to. Since that moment and basically forever more while you exist on this planet, you are the role model, the leading example for your children.

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Gratefulness and thankfulness are both positive feelings and important factors when it comes to raising happy, responsible and authentic kids. When we think positively we attract more positive, which leads to attracting more abundance. And who doesn’t want a little of that? Getting in the space of feeling grateful can help develop the habit of naturally seeing the silver lining, despite what you are going through. Surprisingly, it didn’t dawn on me until recently to start talking to my kids about the practice of gratitude.

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There were several instances over the past 18 or so years as I raised my 5 children as a single parent, where the reality of my kids moving on to their next necessary chapters of life, has suddenly hit me. I had such a moment last week, as I watched my middle daughter Rebecca get fingerprinted at a courthouse in New Jersey. She was being cleared for her first full-time job out of college. It was required as part of obtaining a security clearance to work for a defense contractor in Virginia – a four hour Amtrak ride away.

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You may well be asking yourself, 'parenting stages, what in the world are those?' Isn't it our children who go thru the stages? It sure is, from infant to toddler to preschool to school age to latency, preteen, teens to adolescents finally to adult. Whew, were you even aware there were so many stages? Believe me when I say each and every one of these stages is amazing, stressful, thankless, the proudest moments of your life, they ball have their pros and cons.

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One of the chapters in the parenting book I am writing is on accountability. If I had to pick one thing that I see parents not instilling in their kids these days, it would be this. Being accountable is so much more then just taking responsibility. It shapes the adult you become. Is your child going to be the adult who does the right thing even when it’s uncomfortable? This doesn’t always come naturally. Responsibility and accountability need to be developed and instilled.

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Really! Overpraising Leads to Entitlement? In my opinion praising your child has little to do with a sense of entitlement. Always giving into them, giving them what they want and never disagreeing with them, leads to a sense of entitlement. For many parents or caregivers they feel the guilt of not being there for their kids due to having to work and spend many hours usually outside of the home. For others it’s the need to be their children/s best friend, those afraid that their children may not like them, or others who feel the need to keep up with the Jones’s.

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I have to admit having one child of each gender has really made me more aware of the male/ female differences. One huge difference I've found is the way they communicate and their interpretation of words. When I think about when my kids were younger and I picked them up from school, the differences were so noticeable. My son gave me one word answers about how his day was, while my daughter gave me a play by play. To this day I communicate differently with both my kids. They are both aware that they can come talk to me any time, any topic, or concern, they know I will always have their back.

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On the last day of school for 2015, with my daughter in grade 11, she decided for the first time to participate in the school dodge ball tou ament. So her and five of her good friends got together and created a team. My son had actually made mention of it and told her not to bother, that her team would 'get creamed' by none other than the massive grade 12s. Anyway off to school she went, ready to participate in the tou ament. A few hours later she returned home. She couldn't get in the door fast enough with a priceless smirk on her face, to share her excitement with me.

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Recently, I overheard an adolescent tell her friend, “I was so depressed yesterday but I’m fine today.” Her friend replied, “Yeah, I understand; I get depressed sometimes, too.” This conversation reflects the very common misuse of the term “depression.” Most individuals mistakenly refer to depression when, in fact, they are simply sad or unhappy. We all occasionally “get down,” “get bummed out,” or have “the blues,” but these feelings usually last a few hours or a day or two, and the individual can manage their life—eat, sleep, work, socialize, etc.r

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Over the summer, my daughter turned 16, legal age to get her G1 and start learning to drive. Not something I have been looking forward to as I literally just finished cleaning being a driving instructor to my son in July when he passed his driving test. My daughter asked if she could write the test after her birthday and before school started up again. Although I was hesitant only for the reaso I have just mentioned, I agreed. She read the drivers handbook and tried the online tests about 6 or 7 times, which she tells me she passed each and every time.

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What the Heck is Wrong with You?

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Recently while at my daughters first baseball game of the season, I was privy to a conversatio9n between two fathers. I had no idea who these fathers were or who their kids were. Just that their boys were on the same team as my daughter. Let me tell you I am not a gossiper, not a Drama Queen, not interested in drama or in anyone else’s drama. God knows I’ve had more than fair share, and swore to myself years ago that I’m not going there!

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Reading helps us in every area of our lives. It helps us become successful in school and later in our careers and it helps us grow as individuals by either teaching us new information or by allowing us to step into someone else's shoes. Reading can also help us become more compassionate and empathetic, as well as give us pure enjoyment and relaxation. Instilling a love of reading in your child is one of the best gifts you can give them in their life. Here are 11 ways to do just that. 1) Read to them regularly, with expression and in different voices.

Published · 1,834 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 7 votes

Do you have moments throughout the day when you feel great as a parent? When your kids are happy, you are happy, you are all hugging, laughing and kissing one other? You know the feeling of wonderment. Now, do you also have times when you don’t love being a parent? Have you felt at your wits end, frustrated, angry and resentful? Here are two simple ways you can be a happy parent more often than passing moments in your day. Ask yourself two very important questions: 1. When are you happiest with your kids?

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Parents are your kids stressful? Do they leave messes, fight with each other, or sass you? Try these 3 parenting solutions when your kids tempt you to explode. First Stressful Problem: When Joey leaves another mess from his daily snacks, don't pull your hair out. Don't blow up. Lengthen your fuse. Keep your yelling to yourself. Be as rational as you can be. The Magic Question to Ask Yourself:rn‘What can I do to teach Joey a lesson and give myself some time to unwind?' Your Action Step:r

Published · 1,849 views · Rated 2/5 from 3 votes

Why do kids blame others for their own mistakes? Don't they know that blaming brings trouble? Look inside to find out the benefits of blaming and what you can do to build character. Why Kids Blame: Blaming is a smoke screen. Sooner or later the smoke dies down and the blamer is caught. Most kids live in the moment. They don't think about smoke screens. They think blaming will save them from: 1. Trouble because to them trouble is a disaster. 2. Punishment because they think punishment is unbearable. 3.

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It was Dr. Anthony P. Witham who once said "children spell love…T-I-M-E." He was definitely onto something. Unfortunately, if you are like most parents, time is a precious commodity that often eludes us. Whether we have a new job, a new baby, or we just need to make the coffee or strip the beds, we always seem to be wishing for more time. We need more. We want more. But we feel we just don't have it. Does that mean we don't love them? Of course not.

Published · 1,895 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Studies have shown that early reading is a good indicator of future success in school and in life. And learning to read starts with a desire to read. But what can you do to foster a love of books and reading in your preschool child? Read To Your Child Everyday The best way to get your child to love books and want to learn to read is to start reading everyday as early in your child’s life as possible. Make reading an experience and go slow. Talk about the pictures on every page, discuss what the characters are doing and what they might be doing next.

Published · 1,395 views

It was Dr. Anthony P. Witham who once said "children spell love…T-I-M-E." He was definitely onto something. Unfortunately, if you are like most parents, time is a precious commodity that often eludes us. Whether we have a new job, a new baby, or we just need to make the coffee or strip the beds, we always seem to be wishing for more time. We need more. We want more. But we feel we just don't have it. Does that mean we don't love them? Of course not.

Published · 1,678 views · Rated 2/5 from 4 votes

It is easy to get overwhelmed with parenting these days. There are societal pressures and ever-changing child-rearing theories that have created a lot of stress and anxiety for parents. It’s time to clear up some misguided notions about good and bad parenting so that parents can get back to feeling confident and being able to enjoy their kids again. Here are the top myths surrounding the topic of parenting: Parenting has to be stressful and chaotic.

Published · 1,073 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Even though children may be enjoying their summer, parents are already thinking about “back-to-school” and everything that needs to get organized. What’s the stress-free solution to setting your child up for a truly successful year? Routines and organization. Every household benefits from having established routines but it’s even more important when kids are back at school. What are some of the problems that can occur without routine and organization? Here’s just a few: 1. Children not completing homework 2. Children losing workr

Published · 3,246 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 7 votes

Would you like to raise children with successful characters? Does your crankiness get in the way? If so, you're not alone; I've been cranky too. Look inside for 3 ways to help your kids want to succeed. Today I'll share the secret formula for raising respectful kids who want to succeed. You won't have to feel cranky or guilty again. Instead you'll create more success, more cooperation, and more respect in your home. But first I'll tell you about the power of positive influencing and a little girl named Carol. Influencing is your reaction to your child's behavior.

Published · 1,956 views · Rated 3.2/5 from 6 votes

Selfishness, like a small mirror, only sees the self. How can you help your child go beyond the mirror and see others? Parents of kids with great character know how. They ask 2 important questions. The questions boost moral reasoning. Before I tell you what they are, think back to a time when your child was selfish. Did you tell him why he ate all the candy, took his little brother's toy, or whined when he wasn't first?

Published · 1,915 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

What happens to discipline when your child argues with you? Does the discipline become a battle? Lea 3 ways to model character and practice the winning formula for solving arguments. It’s time you get the respect you deserve. The Discipline Problem: Endless Arguing betwee You and Your Kids: Arguing with kids is like a spinning top. It keeps spinning until you give up, tip over, and say, “Yes” when you want to say, “No.” Kids push arguments to senseless heights. Be rational when they’re not, otherwise your discipline will fail. They’ll win. Why?

Published · 1,745 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 4 votes

Every child has a dream of what they want to be when they want to grow up.

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Communication...it is the root of many misunderstandings and conflicts that we experience in our relationships, whether it is with our partner, our parents, our kids, friends, siblings, bosses or anyone! Sometimes we may keep silent because we don’t know how to say what we want to say and other times we might be afraid to speak up because we don’t want to hurt someone else’s feelings or we’re nervous of their reaction. It takes practice to learn how to communicate from our hearts and share how we are feeling without making the person we are talking to wrong or responsible.

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How Resilient Are Children Really? By Jennifer McLeod When a crisis or traumatic situation occurs we often hear people say something like “he/she will be fine. Children are very resilient. They will pull through it.” Yes children and young people will “pull through” it but at what cost? At what cost to themselves? At what cost to society? Let’s consider for a moment an adult experiencing a similar or the same traumatic experience, e.g. bereavement or marriage break up.

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Ask most parents about when their family experiences stress and getting out the door in the morning comes in among the top answers. With the right routine and words, mornings can flow and be one of the happiest times in your family’s day. As with any major parenting issue I always look at what routines are set up. Without a solid routine, one that is set up discussed and practised, most parenting issues cannot be solved.

Published · 1,320 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 4 votes

Valentine’s Day. The red hearts make us feel like love and happiness is all around. We see images of couples hugging and gazing into each other’s eyes and we want that. We go shopping at beautifully decorated stores and envision making our loved one feel special and cherished. And, secretly, we hope our partners are thinking and doing the same for us. The spirit behind Valentine’s Day is beautiful. Don’t we all want more of it though?

Published · 1,454 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

With school out, parents either feel two things. 1)"Wow, I can't wait to spend more time with my kids!" or 2)"Oh, boy, here we go. How will we fill their time?" Parents who work outside the home have no choice but to send their kids to camps or daycares during the day, but stay-at-home moms or dads need to get creative. If you need some ideas on how best to occupy your kids this summer then what follows will be just what you need. In order for children to be happy and content four things need to be present in their day: 1) Routine 2) Stimulation 3) Free Play/Alone time 4) Sleep

Published · 2,956 views · Rated 2/5 from 5 votes

Some may be excitedly anticipating their return, while others want the lazy hazy days of summer to continue well after the school bell rings. But in either case, the countdown is on…only three weeks until both students and teachers go back to the classroom. It can bring back memories of how we felt when we were kids at this time of year while also remembering which category we fell into! We all remember that special teacher. We may have been in kindergarten, grade one, four, six or ten, but somewhere in our schooling past there was one, at least one teacher who stood out from the rest!

Published · 2,412 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

Let’s be honest. The relationship we have with our spouse is different than before we had children. Our time and energy is split, we have more responsibilities, and being intimate can sometimes feel like just another chore on the “To do list”. Although it is true that our relationship is different, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to make it better; to work on our intimacy and make time to enjoy each other’s company, like we used to…without the kids.

Published · 921 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 4 votes

The family setting is an interesting arena that is rife with a gamut of emotions, trials and tribulations Sometimes relationships can get strained and individual family members can be singled out to bear the brunt of the family strain. Scapegoating is something that happens in any setting, group, gender, age, or race however, for the purpose of this article, I will be focusing on the nature of scapegoating in the family setting and family system.

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As I was watching yet another news story on bullying, I just wanted to crawl into the tv and say, “Why can’t you see the solution??” I felt like I had bought my glasses from a different store than anyone else! Our children are not born bullies…a phrase that I hope one day becomes a mantra for every single parent, teacher, coach and person working with kids.

Published · 2,227 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

PART 1: This article is a series of articles on invalidation, including the experiences of a child or parent that has been invalidated and how parents, professionals and practitioners can validate children to make a difference to their outcomes. The invalidated child can seem like an enigma and is easily misunderstood. They come from all backgrounds, walks of life, race, culture and class in society. An invalidated child can look like a child that is: -Misbehaving -Difficult -Seeking attention -Sabotaging their own success -Withdrawn -Attempting suicide -Self harmingr

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We always have a choice, in every given moment, to be, act and communicate in whatever way we do, however, most of the time we do it unconsciously. We’ve heard it, read it or have said it many times…kids don’t come with a manual and we all do the best we can with what we know!

Published · 2,677 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

Every parent has experienced the phenomena of their child begging for their favourite story to read, their favourite song to be played or their favourite movie to be watched for the 100th time. Even though we adults might be tempted to hide the favourite book or introduce a new book, CD, or DVD, we must stop ourselves because our children are actually teaching us a huge lesson about how they want and need to be parented.

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Havening Technique™ was created by Dr Ronald Ruden and further developed in conjunction with his brother Dr Steven Ruden. It is a psycho-sensory model and uses sensory input of touch (Havening Touch®) to alter thought, mood and behaviour. Traumatic or very stressful events or experiences create a pathway in the brain which remains there indefinitely (becomes immutably encoded), until or unless people embark on a process to change, obstruct or disrupt that pathway to bring about new enriching experiences.

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Recently I tuned into a documentary about the prophecies of Nostradamus and the events and changes that he and others predicted would take place in the world; 21.12.

Published · 2,205 views · Rated 3/5 from 5 votes

Would you like 3 parenting tips on how to discipline without criticism? You can stop being your child’s critical judge and build character instead. Look inside to find out how. I’ve done my share of criticizing. It didn’t help me or my or build character in my children. I knew I had to stop and I did. Today I’ll share how you can stop criticizing too, but first let’s look at why criticism is such a poor way to discipline. Discipline Tips for Parents – What’s Wrong with Criticism? Take yourself for example. Did your parents criticize you?

Published · 3,617 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 12 votes

How do disrespectful kids become so mouthy? How do parents feel when a child insults them? Look inside to find out what you can do to change this kind of disrespect. Disrespect is like wearing muddy clothes. It’s sticky, nasty, and dirty. Like mud you don’t feel good until you clean up the tone and the words. Ask yourself, “Where did my child learn such disrespect?” If the answer is “me,” please don’t run away. Everyone understands how angry a parent can get. Let’s come up with ways to change your anger and model better behavior.

Published · 1,607 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Have you ever told your child that it's time to go somewhere or do something else and their response was either to ignore you or yell at you? There are ways to avoid this and make the transition from activity to activity easy and smooth. In order for your children to feel comfortable and cooperative moving from one activity to the next there are a few things you will need to do.

Published · 1,559 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Take a look at the marketing out right now and see the images that they are trying to project so that we will buy or spend money. Furthermore, they love to put ideas into our heads about how certain gifts will make our partners feel. Not to say gifts are bad, but do they TRULY represent what love is all about? Do they TRULY show our partners how we feel about them and why we appreciate having them in our lives? Not really. How then do we make Valentines Day more meaningful for our partners as well as our families? Here are five ideas that are sure to do the trick!

Published · 2,217 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 5 votes

If you've been searching for a truly powerful way to get your kids to communicate with respect, now is the time to make it happen. Let the family meeting rules guide you. Look inside to find out how. Let’s pretend your kids, Jack and Jessica, bring up the problem Jack’s having with the bully next door. As a family, gather around the table to discuss it .The family meeting rules will help you. First Rule - Listen with Respect: You and your children must listen without interrupting.

Published · 4,734 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Whether you work outside the house or stay at home full-time, the toughest part of the day is the same: those frantic early evening hours when there are mouths to feed, homework to do, and cranky kids to handle. The trick is to streamline your to-do’s so you can feel calmer and focus on what counts – spending time with your family. Here’s how. 1) Ease into the Evening

Published · 1,416 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Good discipline builds character in kids. Poor discipline does not. Notice the manipulation in the story below. Imagine your son returning his report card to his teacher saying, “My dad told me, ‘If these grades don’t improve, someone around here is going to get a spanking.’” And as he passes the report card across the desk, he whispers, “Teacher, it’s you.” Today I’ll share why child discipline is so important and the discipline formula you can use to build character.

Published · 2,072 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 21 votes

Being a good parent requires us to be many things, but one of the most important attributes is to be reflective. Without this, parents will find themselves experiencing the same struggles over and over again.

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There are many sectors in society which can help manage the prevention of self harm, these include; medical and health, media, education, support foundations and so on. This is why it is vital for the government to bring awareness to helping those who self harm through these sectors and more. By looking into the progress these sectors are making with self harm awareness we can determine where more attention is needed and what is working so far.

Published · 1,640 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Christmas time is a time for doing special things with family, but holiday events can fill up the calendar very quickly. We often find ourselves running from one event to the next without so much as a breath in between. The holidays then become about pleasing others and not ourselves or our families. However, this can all change. To enjoy a merry time and reduce holiday stress, the trick is to prioritize and organize what is truly important.

Published · 2,002 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Do you cringe when your child asks you to play "Choo Choo train" or Barbies with them? It's the hidden secret that moms are only now speaking about. Moms are finally being honest about the fact that they don't like playing most of the games their children want them to play and that they actually feel resentful at times that they are being "forced" to play something they don't enjoy. Along with this feeling comes, you guessed it...guilt.

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If I asked you what words come to mind when you think of your home, what would you say? Would you tell me that it brings you peace every time you walk in the front door? Would you say that the items in your home inspire you and bring you joy every time you look at them? Would you describe your household as organized and calm? A peaceful, calm household that is organized and filled with happiness and laughter is the type of home anyone would love to say they own. It is also the best type of home in which to raise a family. So, how do we ensure that we can describe our homes this way?

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Our children love certain toys or brands and they make their lists for sure, however, I suggest that we parents do something a little extra special at Christmas. Christmas is such an exciting time. Family and friends gather together to laugh, eat great food and share gifts with each other. What could be better? There is one way parents can make Christmas even better and that is by giving their children a present that is a tradition.

Published · 1,290 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Did you marry to love, honor, and cherish your partner? Is conflict ruining your vows? If so, look inside for a powerful yet simple solution. Of course, you want a successful marriage. You want your partner to love, honor, and cherish you. You promised the same to your partner. What happened? When two people marry, conflict will occur. That’s normal. How that conflict is solved holds the key to your happiness.

Published · 1,561 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Working with parents whose marriages are on the cusp of failure or already separated parents fighting it out over the care of their children is a challenging proposition for the mental health professional. Whether acting in the role of couple therapist, mediator, assessor, arbitrator or parenting coordinator, there is a sub-group of persons for whom none of these services provide relief.

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With the demands of everyday life, raising children can be a circus. What is the antidote to the stress that parents feel these days? There are three areas that need to be looked at in order for parents to feel less stressed and for families to be close, connected and totally content. They are: Discipline, Family Time and time alone for each parent, which I call "You" Time.

Published · 1,462 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Major Depression and Family While most people have experienced a period of feeling down or blue, those who experience major depression experience a far more profound sense of feeling overwhelmed by dread and despair. Their feelings may be independent of, somewhat dependent upon and at times fully connected to life experiences. Often the intensity of the feelings will appear disproportionate to outside observers. It is believed that such individuals are genetically and biologically predisposed to such depression and that their depression is neuro-chemically mediated.

Published · 1,620 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

From the generous outpouring of compassion and support for the people of Haiti to the theme of the top grossing Golden Globe best motion picture, Avatar, the message is clear – we are all connected as human beings – one universal family. The experience of profound devastation and continuous emotional and physical pain endured by our earthquake stricken neighbours to the south has evoked levels of caring, concern, love and compassion from the rest of the world on a scale that far exceeds the seismic magnitude of the quake itself. Movies…natural disasters – they inspire us to awake

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Even though parents argue as to the best residential schedule, choice of school, faith, holiday time, Christmas and extra-curricular activities, these issues are simply not as predictive for the outcome of children of separated parents as conflict alone.

Published · 1,415 views

Spirituality was not a word that you would have found in my vocabulary for the first three decades of my life, but there came a point when I was ready and open to shifting my perspective. I was tired of living the way I was; merely existing, going through the motions.

Published · 2,217 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

As the heading says, people of all classes are capable of doing self harm. It doesn't matter what age, background or race you've come from, it still can happen. Even people, who appear to be successful in their lives, could do self harm. Let's take Victoria Pendleton for example. Victoria Pendleton, a British cyclist, is considered as one of the most successful woman and Olympian by having won three gold Olympic medals and nine world titles. Pretty impressive! But she admitted on having done self harm before when she was younger.

Published · 1,643 views

Pre-Marital Counseling In View Of Abuse My boyfriend and I getting married in a few months and I am worried because although he is so great, he does have a temper. When he gets mad he becomes scary. At times he yells and screams and at other times he throws and breaks things. He’s only hit me once. I know he doesn’t mean it, but I find myself walking on eggshells. Other than that, we get along great. He is amazing and we have so much in common and we really have an amazing relationship.

Published · 1,750 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

The holiday season is here and most of us are planning and preparing to make our family gatherings a time of joy and celebration. From meals to gift giving, once November 1st arrives, the rush is on and anticipation builds. For some, it can be a stressful time, for others it is their most favorite time of year. Most years, I find myself feeling a bit of both. When I feel the stress beginning to take hold, I am always brought back to my childhood and the lesson my parents instilled in us about being grateful. I was raised in Boston when John F. Kennedy was a Senator and became president.

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Remembering Family Traditions Every family has their own traditions. The ways they manage regular occurring events such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and even losses. The tradition dictates how these events are to be practiced and who is to attend. Built in to the tradition is the expectation that those involved will continue to be involved and follow their same roles and implicit rules. The family tradition makes for a shared experience and history between family members. The experience of the family tradition gives family members a common ground, a basis to their relationship.

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Self harm is when someone decides to take out their problems toward themselves in a deliberate way. Some people may only ever self harm once in their lifetime but some people do continue throughout their life until they seek help to deal with their issues. Many people find it to be a way that helps them deal with problems and it becomes the norm when dealing with stress.

Published · 1,673 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

When you mention the term self harm today the public normally associates it with young people, particularly school children or teenagers. Whilst self harm is prevalent amongst young people, it also might appear that it is prolific in the education system! It is important therefore, to paint an accurate picture of self harm in schools. We have the general perception, now let’s explore the issue.

Published · 1,931 views

How many of us have not been in a store when our child wants the candy that just happens to be perfectly displayed at their eye level? We deny their first request as they always seem to be asking for something. Their second appeal gets overtu ed as it’s too close to dinner. The next demand becomes fraught with tears and the stomping of feet and we firmly reply in the negative saying that this behavior is not appropriate and it needs to stop. Their final outburst is a scream as they wriggle on the floor for all in the store to see.

Published · 2,132 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Is your child struggling in school? Does your child stall when it comes time to do homework? Does your child’s teacher often comment that your child is capable, but is just not working to his or her potential? Or, does your child do alright in school, but seems a bit bored or lacks enthusiasm for learning? There is a little secret that you need to know in order to change this.

Published · 1,656 views · Rated 3.2/5 from 6 votes

What do you think matters most to your children? You driving them to lessons and practices, or is it the smile and hug you greet them with after school? If you guessed the latter, you are correct.

Published · 944 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Verbal abuse refers to the use of language as a means to control or subordinate another person for either self-gratification or to impose one’s view or will on another or to gain an unfair advantage in resolving a dispute. While both parties subject to a dispute may use inappropriate language with the other, verbal abuse has the distinction of one party typically causing more distress to the other party, and causing insecurities in that party typically for the purpose of exploitation.

Published · 1,896 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

There is a myth that those who self harm are seeking attention; on the contrary, people who self harm are known to keep their actions private. Common reasons such as shame or fear prevent the individual from asking for help; this is why an important factor into supporting people who self harm is knowing how to support them. Approaching the issue may seem daunting, but by breaking it down into individual steps we can learn how to provide self harm help to assist an individual towards recovery.

Published · 1,790 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

The time is 5 o'clock and your stomach clenches - What to make for dinner is the question racing through your mind. You know you want to prepare healthy meals for your family, but you're tired and you don't have all the ingredients for your favorite "go to" recipe so you pull out the frozen pizza instead. There are two fantastic and fun ways you can solve this ever arising problem.

Published · 2,105 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

I will approach this article from different perspectives as below: a) Helping people who do not want to be helped rnb) Helping people from the professionals own misdirected objectives rnc) Abandoning help for people too soon a) There are many young people who need our help for a variety of reasons to assist them in moving forwards with their lives, which includes young people who self harm. They may approach you for help but on the face of it, it appears that they really don't want our help, which poses a dichotomy for helping professionals. What do you do in that situation?

Published · 1,572 views

Would you like some parenting tips when your child pouts with lips turned down and drooping eyes? Do you feel stressed, nervous, or angry with the pouting? Look inside for 3 ways to understand, help, and build character in your pouting child. I know how difficult it can be when your child pouts. Pouting affects your feelings and stresses you on the inside. ‘Oh, no,’ you think. ‘I must make Joey happy.’ If the pouting continues, your mind, like a rubber band, can snap with anger. ‘He shouldn’t pout. He has no reason.’ You yell, “Joey, wipe that look off your face right now!

Published · 2,275 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 5 votes

Could 3 parenting tips turn your “I-can’t” kid into an “I-can” child? You bet. Look inside for 3 parenting tips you can use today. Whose fault is it when your child acts helpless? If there’s a person who treats your child like a prince or princess and does too much for your child, tell that person to stop. They’re making your child, weak, dependent, and helpless. Why Kids Act Helpless Your Sally wants to get out of chores. She whines loudly over and over, “It’s too much!

Published · 2,336 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 16 votes

Teenagers today are much more overconfident than in the past, often feeling they can handle things they actually can't and having a sense of entitlement to things they aren't entitled to. On the other hand, dangers are not only more varied, but they can be very subtle for a teenage mind. It's not a good combination by anyone's standards.

Published · 1,575 views

Do you find it difficult to handle your teenage child? Is your teenage child out of control often? Are you searching for an option to teach your teenager self-control and discipline? Here’s a possibility to solve all these problems. You can send your child to one of the boot camps for teens and make him learn responsibilities and discipline. Enrolling them to boot camps for teens is a good option to treat the rebellious kids.

Published · 1,237 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

If your child has behavioral problems and you have a tough time dealing with his behavior, you can think of the boot camps for children. The parents can enroll their child in boot camps where the children learn discipline and better behavior. The trained staff and instructors at the boot camp help the child through behavioral therapy.

Published · 1,158 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

The child sees the parents fighting till their faces turn red. The parents shout at each other. If arguments and fights are a part of your daily life, the child sees all this and is likely to become aggressive and ill-mannered.

Published · 1,356 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

School refusal stems from emotional distress and anxiety which could be related to a range of issues either at home, school or both. A recent study reveals that 1 in 5 British children experience phobia or school refusal which has shown to be more prevalent in children's age groups aged 5 - 6 and 10 - 11 years. The research also revealed that many parents were not aware of the conditions and those who were aware of it, experienced a major lack of information.

Published · 1,515 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

This month has certainly brought back memories for me as my daughter, Melissa, graduates from high school. It seems that the last 18 years have gone by in a flash as I can still remember, so vividly, my own experience of the prom and all the peripheral, but all too important details such as the dress…the shoes…accessories…hair…make-up…and of course the date! Things have changed a bit though since 1979…and in one area in particular, for the better! Personally, my self-worth was very low when I was in high school.

Published · 2,387 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

If you're a father of a toddler or a teenager, it is important that you take the responsibility of your child and raise them in an effective way. You must fulfill your commitment to be a responsible, loving and caring dad of your child. Here are eight secrets to build the father-child relationship stronger: The First Secret: Know your child

Published · 953 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Shockingly, 2% to 6% of the general public had engaged in self-harm at least once in their lifetime. Where the peak of self harm actions are among students, ages 16 - 22, see falls in 13% to 35%. For most, the problem will resolve before adulthood but sadly, 10% of the remaining still continues to self harm throughout their adult lives.

Published · 2,695 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Is your child lonely, sad, or angry? Would you like to teach your child how to make friends? If you don’t know how, I’ll share the secrets here. First you need to know that research tells us the average child spends 25 hours in front of the TV each week.TV characters become their “friends” and their role models. Speaking about role models, I remember teaching a new class of first graders. Everyone, except two little boys, was sitting tall in anticipation of story time.

Published · 2,612 views · Rated 3/5 from 6 votes

In a recent publication by Robert Young, (Royal College of Psychiatrists) Young states: 'Self-harm among young people in the UK is possibly increasing but little is known about the reasons young people give for cessation and their link with gender or employment status'.

Published · 1,455 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Every month, when I go to write my newsletter, I don’t have a plan necessarily…I just see what transpires in my life around that time and, without fail; there is an event or theme that presents itself.

Published · 2,330 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Last weekend I was one of 850 people in my local community that participated in the National Walk for Kids Help Phone, celebrating this amazing organization’s 20th year and raising, within just our small group, approximately 210,000 in pledges! I was so grateful to be a part of this special event as I have so much compassion for the kids who had placed over 2 million calls last year reaching out to talk about their feelings and issues.

Published · 5,341 views · Rated 3/5 from 5 votes

Waking up a few days ago, who would have guessed that it would be my last normal morning; that this could happen to my fit, athletic and what I considered to be a very co-ordinated body…but it was...and it did! I often get bursts of inspiration and creativity when I get home from my runs and this day was no exception. As I left my computer to go upstairs to greet my daughter, I was still in that great energized space. Upon taking my first step towards the staircase, I suddenly noticed that my left leg was asleep…I had been sitting for over an hour in the same position.

Published · 2,626 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

In 2009 Rob Allen published an article on the Guardian website called Prison is no place for children. That statement still rings true today. He continues to say that "The prison inspectorate's disturbing report of the culture of violence and fear in Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution (YOI) prompts serious questions about whether prisons should continue to accommodate children under 18."

Published · 1,703 views

If you and your partner are caught up with your children and not with each other, it's time to step back and ask, "How can we ignite our relationship?" Inside you'll find 3 no-cost dates to help spark your love and make it sizzle. First Dating Idea ~ "Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me, ...

Published · 1,271 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 10 votes

If 3 character tips could stop your angry child from exploding, would you use them? If so, look inside for 3 parenting ideas that are sure to help. Temper can be a volcano blazing out of control. It blows its top without thinking. It demands what it wants or else. There’s no room for reason. If your child’s a volcano, you’ve got work to do. When your child is calm, take time to discuss anger, its cause, and its solution. I know you’re wondering how. Before I tell you, grab a piece of paper and ask your child to draw a volcano at the top.

Published · 1,495 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 7 votes

When your child frowns and moans, “Nobody likes me,” Do you suffer too? Would you like 50 parenting tips for helping your child make friends? Let’s start with 3 social skill tips you can teach your child today. “The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.” – Mother ...

Published · 9,900 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Do bullies call your child names? Does he come home crying? Look inside to find out how you can strengthen his character and deal with bullies. Bullies are always cowards at heart and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey. – Anna Julia Cooper Let’s say your Weston, ...

Published · 1,582 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Are you unsure about your child’s character? Do you know how he really thinks and acts? If you’d like 9 fun parenting tips for building his character, look inside. The father of a second grader bragged, “Jesse received 100% on his math and spelling tests.” “Wonderful!” said his ...

Published · 2,140 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 6 votes

People who drink to excess, where their drinking causes distress to others, are frequently caught in a web of denial and minimization. These persons are unable to see or unable to admit that their drinking is adversely affecting their own life and that of others. Typically, this person excuses ...

Published · 1,725 views

Why is it so hard to teach children to be loving and grateful? Is there a Gratitude Formula that increases love and character in kids? Yes, you'll find it inside along with 5 ways to teach it to your kids. Joseph Stalin said, "Gratitude is a sickness suffered by dogs." If you agree, read no ...

Published · 1,505 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

This is an especially personal share today. The story is so moving, so inspiring, that I felt those of you in the middle of it, may find hope that there is an end of the tunnel. I'll need to rewind tape a bit, though, because the events that lead up to the most amazing Halloween I've ever had ...

Published · 1,090 views

It is another snowy day and as I sit looking out my picture window, I watch the fluffy flakes settle onto the ground and nestle in the branches of the trees…the bright red colour of the cardinals is a spectacular sight against the white backdrop…there is a peace and stillness evidenced by the ...

Published · 1,848 views

Is your family life peppered with upset? Are you falling into the tyrant trap? Look inside to find out how to stop finger-pointing and become a rational loving person. Successful marriages “Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in the shade.” Leo Buscaglia. Tyrants smother their spouse ...

Published · 1,300 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 4 votes

As parents living in a fast paced society, it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, conce ourselves with all the chores that need to be done and give what little time we have left to our children. “Quality time” means different things to different people. Giving just ...

Published · 2,759 views

Successfully raising a child and having a great relationship at the same time is becoming more challenging. Parents are finding their credibility and power dropping as the Internet takes more powerful roles in our children’s lives. The old rules aren’t working, and the new ones are ...

Published · 2,446 views

Many children don’t have a clue about social skills. They think bragging is the way to make friends. If this is a problem with your child, look inside to see how you can help and build character too. “I’ll talk about what I do if other kids ask me, but I don’t like to brag about it.” – Hunter ...

Published · 1,135 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Even though a spouse may have contemplated separation for years prior to informing their partner, to the partner, the news comes as a shock, even in view of a tumultuous relationship. For the children, the shock is often even greater. To intensify matters befalling the children, the spouse who ...

Published · 1,460 views

Immigrant families to Canada and the United States can face many issues complicating their adjustment to the new host culture. Often unconsidered is the implications for intra-familial culture clash when children take to the host culture sooner or more wholeheartedly than their parents. Risk ...

Published · 4,577 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Keeping your Teenage Daughter Safe is as Easy as it is to Smile during your Mammogram Mom, are you standing on the sidelines of your teenage daughter's life? Have you thought about cell phone safety, dating safety, or on-line safety? What you learn may have you stunned. "The Secrets to Having ...

Published · 2,315 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Does mind reading cause fights in your marriage? Find out how one young couple handled their first spat. Then learn the 3 magic solutions for preventing both mind reading and fights in your marriage. Kids on Marriage 7-year-old Will answered this question, “Is it better to be married or ...

Published · 1,337 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Teenage behavior is as unpredictable as the bathrooms you have to use in gas stations, fast food restaurants, and rest stops along I-10. Some are pretty dog-gone nasty. Why is it that when our girls are little, we put bows in their hair, but when they become teenagers, we find ourselves wanting ...

Published · 2,063 views

What do money and character have in common? More than we first think. If you could teach your children about money, how would you do it? Look inside to find out how to build character in your kids without making 10 mistakes about money. It’s been said money doesn’t buy happiness. If you teach ...

Published · 1,065 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Are you your child’s credit card? Does your child beg for money before paying off what he owes you? Inside you’ll find how to stop being a credit card and start teaching your child discipline about money. How many times have you asked, “Do you think I’m made of money?” only to reach deep in ...

Published · 1,200 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Does money burn a hole in your pocket? If you don’t want money to burn a hole in your child’s pocket, there are things you can do. Inside you’ll find parenting tips teaching your child to become a saver and build character too. Why not teach your children to follow the money - ...

Published · 1,054 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

When the weather warms up, my dog Oscar wants nothing more to run outside and play right alongside the kids. As a matter of fact, I do believe he thinks he’s one of them! But as fun as it is to romp outside with your furry friends, every season brings its fair share of problems. This spring, ...

Published · 867 views

Inside you'll find 11 parenting tips for raising children with character and 2 recipes for selfishness. Find out how your moral compass is the gateway to a better character and a happier life. First Selfish Recipe: None of us want our children to grow up selfish. Yet some parents try to better ...

Published · 1,227 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

To stop the disrespect you must build a strong backbone. Here are 5 strategies that will strengthen you, build character in your child, and get the respect you deserve. 1. Stay Calm When Your Johnny Is Insolent. Let's say your thirteen-year-old Johnny is changing from an easy-going child to becoming a rude teen when you ask him to clean up his mess in the kitchen. “Why don't you do it?” he sneers. “It's your kitchen.”

Published · 1,943 views

Is your marriage at odds with your parenting? Do you tell your children one thing while your spouse disagrees? Inside you'll find 3 ways to create a family team. "They say it takes a village to raise a child. That may be the case, but the truth is that it takes a lot of solid, stable marriages ...

Published · 1,112 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Marriage and parenting require modeling listening skills. When your partner speaks, do you listen, interrupt, or walk away? What do your children see? Look inside to find out what one successful couple did. Ed and Marilyn, married over 25 years, meet my husband, Jim, and me at a fancy ...

Published · 1,098 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Could your marriage use a boost? If you could unlock the door to happiness, would you? Would your children be happier if you were too? Inside you’ll discover one simple master key to becoming parents in love. Because of busy lives, the demands of children, and little time for each other, is ...

Published · 1,418 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Teach these 3 simple social skills to your child and stop worrying whether kids like him. Most kids say or do things that turn other kids off. This doesn't have to be your child when he learns the social skills you are about to teach him. n "Chris, 9, ordered his best friend to help him do his ...

Published · 2,232 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

If His Eyes Look like Two Cherries in a Glass of Buttermilk, He Might be a Weedhead Mom, the potheads that parked at the top of the parking lot when we were in high school are not parking there today. The potheads of today may be parking their cars closer to you than you think. "The Secrets to ...

Published · 2,104 views

Would you like a loving and lasting marriage? Do friendship, love-making, and a life filled with meaning appeal to you? If so, read how one couple I interviewed grew in their marriage with two special secrets that you can use too. Bob and Nina, married 23 years, still look at each other with ...

Published · 1,028 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

If you are in an abusive relationship and are seeking to separate or divorce from your partner, your safety may be at risk and your ability to achieve a reasonable separation agreement may be compromised. Abusive relationships are characterized by one party seeking power and control over the ...

Published · 1,456 views

Whether you’re still digging yourself out of snow or you’re ready to step into a swimsuit, there’s no doubt about it. Spring is here! So toss those drab sweaters in the back of your closet and throw some spring into your style. So what if you’re just driving carpool or folding laundry? Dressing ...

Published · 993 views

Do you have an angry child? Does he growl like a pit-bull to get his way? Look inside for 5 parenting tips. They’ll give you a power tool for turning your angry kid into a rational child. To get what they want, kids learn to holler at an early age. Babies cry. Toddlers scream, bite, and kick. ...

Published · 1,353 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Creating a positive sense of self is as important to the teenage daughter as her reading the "Do not feed the lions" sign at the zoo. Disregarding either can result in losing very necessary parts of herself. "The Secrets to Having the Teenage Daughter you Actually Like" with Dr. Cheryl ...

Published · 1,712 views

Teenage Wellness is a curious concept, is it not? Let’s imagine you are on the hunt for the perfect plant, an orchid, maybe. You bring your beautiful flowering plant home from the nursery - place it in front of the TV in the dark, attach a cellphone, ipod, and a notebook computer (or tablet ...

Published · 1,177 views

We all have such a capacity for compassion, empathy and kindness and this is never more evident that when we are faced with personal tragedies or bear witness to global catastrophes. Although we wouldn’t wish any kind of hardship on anyone, it is beautiful to watch the generous outpouring of ...

Published · 1,938 views

People turn to counselling, be it individual, marital, family or group, at times having done little or no homework on the service provider. There is more to choosing a counselor then simply picking up the phone and making an appointment. Anyone may call himself or herself a counselor, so ...

Published · 1,270 views

Like schools of fish, teens who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to hang in the same crowd. They garner a kind of moral support or legitimacy from like-minded and behaving peers for their drug and alcohol consumption. Further, when drug and alcohol consumption reaches the abuse stage, they are seen ...

Published · 897 views

I opened my browser and the latests news headline was this: Bottled Water Has Contaminants Too, Studies Find. Just great, I say. Every week, I buy a case of bottled water– and press the kids to take a bottle to sports practice and use it to fill up during the day… Ok, the Erin Brockovich in ...

Published · 1,054 views

Some people are in abusive relationships. They say they stay because when it’s good, it’s very good. Unfortunately, when it’s bad, it is also very bad. So, some people weigh the good against the bad and it seems to come out even. Not so. Abusive relationships must be assessed when under duress. ...

Published · 1,383 views

Evaluating your Teenage Daughters Success at School with More than her Report Card is as Essential as Stopping Your Son's Nosebleed in Church with his Seersucker Suit and Knee-High Socks on. Measuring school success encompasses so much more tha A's, B's and SAT's. "The Secrets to Having the ...

Published · 1,777 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

"Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation." - Oscar Wilde n Whether it was a long time ago or recently, you promised to love, honor, and cherish your spouse. That includes the way you talk with each other. Perhaps you've slipped into ...

Published · 1,517 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

These 3 parenting tips help you and your partner say, "I'm with you. I'm walking beside you. I love you." If you practice the tips below, your children will be building character by watching and learning from you. Inside you will be given suggestions for practicing the tips too. "Why would a ...

Published · 1,264 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Do you have enough time with your spouse? Do you focus too much attention on your children? Would you like to keep your marriage and your family strong? Inside you’ll find 3 parenting tips for staying in love. Childhood Wisdom: Art Linkletter’s TV program “Kids Say the Darndest Things!” filled ...

Published · 846 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Please consider carefully the following strategies: 3 Tips for Developing Self-Discipline in Your Children 1. Always, always, do what you say you are going to do. Remember that your children learn from EVERY encounter with you...even if it's not what you want them to learn! If you tell a ...

Published · 1,769 views

Are you worried about your child’s behavior? What can you do when you’ve tried everything? Inside you’ll find some tips to boost your parenting skills with difficult children. Discipline Quote: “Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.” ...

Published · 885 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Is your sweet child getting in trouble? Do you worry about the kids he plays with? Inside you’ll find 5 parenting tips for helping kids stay out of trouble. Childhood Wisdom and Big Trouble: A 10-year-old boy named Joe and his 8-year-old brother, Danny, fought like cats and dogs. The older boy ...

Published · 851 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 4 votes

The 5 Skills of Listening! It’s frustrating when our children don’t seem to listen, isn’t it? And when they don’t pay attention to what you are saying in the home, you have to wonder how much they are missing at school! In 10+ years of teaching Martial Arts in our community, ...

Published · 2,308 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

The following points are helpful in strengthening and supporting a healthy sense of self-esteem: 1. Help your child learn how to make and keep friends. Healthy friendships are important, because children in this age group are increasingly sensitive about how their friends feel about them. ...

Published · 1,101 views

Andrew Johnston beat the bullies! By Jennifer McLeod, June 2008 I applaud Andrew Johnston, 13 year old contestant on ‘Britain’s Got Talent 2008 Show’, for having the courage to admit to 12 million people across the nation that he was being bullied because of the love of his ...

Published · 1,824 views

Bully Defense on the Bus Tip 1: Sit near the front of the bus! Sitting close to the driver will make bullies and teasers think twice before acting for fear of getting caught. Tip 2: Don't stay silent! Unless you feel that another kid will physically attack you if you speak up, remaining ...

Published · 2,966 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I recently took a trip south, having left the accumulation of snowflakes behind with the hope that all would be melted upon my return!

Published · 2,165 views

Do you wonder how self-esteem and chores fit together? Do your children play outside, watch TV, or play computer games while you do their tasks? Look inside to learn how giving children a list of chores builds their self-esteem. Childhood Wisdom: Amy’s mom was going to clean the car she ...

Published · 1,162 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Does your older child boss your younger child? Are you worried about your younger child’s self-esteem? Inside you’ll find 3 parenting tips for building character and handling bossiness. Childhood Humor: George bossed and teased his little sister every day. She screamed. She cried. She ...

Published · 1,409 views

Are your children self-centered? Are you worried that their self-esteem is on the wrong track? Inside you'll lea 3 parenting tips for increasing self-esteem and decreasing selfishness. This Parenting Request Comes from a Valued Newsletter Subscriber: "Dear Jean, I would like to get some ...

Published · 1,440 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 5 votes

It was a morning like any other morning…I woke up early and went about my usual routine getting the kids organized for school. This was the day I had planned to write my monthly newsletter; the theme for June was Father’s Day. n The phone rang…a friend of mine called to share with me that her ...

Published · 1,134 views

Change…it seems to be the buzz word of 2008. Only having just stepped over the threshold of this New Year, we need only to pick up a newspaper or turn on the television to feel the swelling energy of change making its powerful presence known! Watching what was has been transpiring in the ...

Published · 1,550 views

Is your child telling fibs? Would you like 5 parenting tips to help her tell the truth? Inside you'll find five suggestions you can use. Quote on Truthfulness: "What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things." - Margaret Meade Parents, if you have a ...

Published · 1,980 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Do your kids long to fit in with the crowd? Are you worried they’ll do the wrong thing just to be liked? Inside you’ll find 3 parenting tips to help them make good choices and become people of character. Peer Pressure Quote: “There’s one advantage to being 102. There’s no peer pressure.” – ...

Published · 1,000 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

When you try to help your child with homework, does he pout? Do you get mad? Do you regret what you say? Inside you’ll find 5 mistakes and 10 parenting affirmations to motivate your child and build character too. Character Building Quote: “It is easier and wiser to raise a happy, healthy child ...

Published · 1,458 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Does your young child lack concentration power? Would you like to increase your child’s attention span? Inside you’ll find 3 parenting tips to help your child focus, learn, and become a better thinker too. Parenting Request from Hina, a Valued Newsletter Subscriber: Hina is both a mother and a ...

Published · 4,189 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 4 votes

There is no question that during the holiday season, many of us experience more stress than we usually do in our busy lives. It seems as though we have so much to do; we don’t know where to start and we can become so disconnected, taking on a more Scrooge-like persona! We have certainly had a ...

Published · 1,496 views

Consciousness - It’s a big word. It’s an important word. And it’s creating quite a buzz lately; from Oprah’s book club pick of A New Earth – Awakening to your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, to the exciting unfolding of history in the making as the momentum builds in one of the most incredible ...

Published · 1,629 views

Some separated or divorced parents continue to find themselves in ongoing disputes, even in view of separation agreements and parenting plans. The high-conflict nature of those disputes interferes with the well-being of the children and continually brings these parents to Court for ...

Published · 1,076 views

People come into your life for a reason and being in a relationship provides us with undoubtedly the hardest challenges we face as adults as we are seldom taught to truly love ourselves as children, yet we are expected to know how to love other people as adults in very deep, meaningful, life ...

Published · 1,325 views

This is the underlying and constant question that children and young people have running through their minds whether on a conscious or unconscious basis. We all have a need to be loved and children and young people are no exception to the rule. Most often than not, however, children and ...

Published · 1,480 views

Your children are listening and sometimes watching too. It is a myth to think yelling and screaming, pushing, shoving, throwing of objects and hitting between parents does not affect their children. Consider the child’s perspective. Children are wholly dependent upon their parents for safety ...

Published · 1,027 views

Most people will have heard by now about Elizabeth Fritzl who was drugged and kidnapped by her father Josef Fritzl at the age of 18 and repeatedly raped over the 24 years he held her captive in a garage cellar behind the family home. It is hard to imagine what Elizabeth must have been going ...

Published · 2,235 views

D’you know the original blog that I posted about Elizabeth Fritzl’s situation has been my most popular blog ever with over a 1000 (thousand) viewers clicking on it within one week of posting the blog on a particular social network site. And yet, even though it has been my most popular blog, I ...

Published · 1,846 views

It seems as though the more I connect to the passion of inspiring and empowering myself and others to be the best role models or for that matter human beings that we can be, the more experiences I seem to attract into my life to support it, and last month was one of the busiest yet most ...

Published · 1,063 views

There are days when we feel connected and really good about ourselves, however, there are times when we don’t feel that wonderful; we feel uncomfortable, maybe tread lightly around certain people or feel less than or not good enough around others. Perhaps we wish we could speak up and share how ...

Published · 1,712 views

Five sure-fire signs you need couple counseling… Your relationship has been unsatisfying for some time. You’ve been toying with the idea of getting help, but just how do you know when you need to see a counselor? Here are five sure-fire signs: 1. No time together:

Published · 1,317 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Forget Harmony, Settle for Peace An oft-common mistake working with high conflict separated parents is to move them towards getting along and working cooperatively for the well-being of their children. It is a lofty and noble goal unfortunately far beyond the grasp of folks who would likely ...

Published · 995 views

Goal-Setting is the bridge to success. Success builds character. Inside you’ll find the bridge for seeing, sensing, and saying goals. Use this bridge to help your child build a champion character. Parenting Advice for Goal-Setting: "Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from ...

Published · 822 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

This is an excerpt from Professor Paul Pilzer, author of "Unlimited Wealth" and "Other People's Money"..."One of the questions I am frequently asked by parents, particularly parents who have succeeded themselves but didn't have the opportunity to go to college, is what subject their son or ...

Published · 1,322 views

This is an excerpt from Professor Paul Pilzer, author of "Unlimited Wealth" and "Other People's Money"...One of the questions I am frequently asked by parents, particularly parents who have succeeded themselves but didn't have the opportunity to go to college, is what subject their son or ...

Published · 1,661 views

Teaching kids healthy eating is not a lecture, it is a parental practice through which children observe and learn. Further, although kids may whine and squirm and even outright reject what’s on the plate, parents must come to realize that being held hostage by childish control strategies only ...

Published · 1,083 views

As I woke up this morning, I could feel the energy of gratitude that will undoubtedly swell each day as we approach Thanksgiving here in Canada, consciously thankful for what we have in our lives and looking forward to cherishing the time to be spent with our family and friends. When we are ...

Published · 1,718 views

If you have ever stared in amazement at your teenager or grandchild wondering what in the world they are so upset about, you are not alone. Sometimes their behavior is odd or even strange. Other times it is simply crazy. Today I want to discuss the common conce s that most children between the ...

Published · 1,502 views

Do you have a child who groans, gripes, and grumbles, doesn't listen, or has ADD? Inside are parenting tips for creating character building charts. They help turn misbehaviors into great behaviors and build character too. n Parenting Tips - Bribing vs. Training: n First, let's get one thing ...

Published · 1,277 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

To stop the disrespect you must build a strong backbone. Here are 5 strategies that will strengthen you, build character in your child, and get the respect you deserve. 1. Stay Calm When Your Johnny Is Insolent. Let's say your thirteen-year-old Johnny is changing from an easy-going child to becoming a rude teen when you ask him to clean up his mess in the kitchen. “Why don't you do it?” he sneers. “It's your kitchen.”

Published · 1,626 views

Is your child’s self-esteem low? Are other kids’ opinions of him more important than his own? Is he afraid to try new things? Inside you’ll find my personal story and how self-esteem affirmations can build character in your child. How Lack of Confidence Fractured My Ribs: I started skiing in ...

Published · 1,207 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

In this free report you will learn everything you need to know about martial arts schools and how to choose the best one for your child. My goal is to make you a “Black Belt” Shopper! Once you understand the differences between schools, you will be able to make a good decision instead of ...

Published · 5,621 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Beware! There is a thief near you! And that thief is not after your money or your VCR. This thief is after something far more valuable. The thief is after the Self-Esteem of your most precious possession...your child. My friends, we live in a largely negative world. And, unless you are ...

Published · 2,981 views

Is It Safe? Marital or couple counseling is an intimate experience that by design enables couples to disclose and address issues held secret. Those issues held secret may be from each other or from outsiders – including therapists. Once the word is out there though, the next issue is how each person will react. Even the mere anticipation of secrets unfolding can give rise to conce for inappropriate and even dangerous reactions.

Published · 1,276 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Are you a manager or business owner in denial? • Are you one of those managers or business owner who denies that your personal life is creating havoc for you? • Do you deny the impact that your personal life’s challenges is having on your work and business environment? ...

Published · 1,425 views

“Get Yourself out of the way so the REAL YOU can get going.” Jennifer McLeod © 2005 “You have within you an inner guidance that always knows what you need to do. Trusting this inner guidance will set you free and help you to move the obstacles that you once considered to be mountains.” Jennifer ...

Published · 2,025 views

In the course of normal childhood behaviour, children misbehave. When they do, some parents opt to clarify the expectation of appropriate behaviour and seek to hold the child accountable. If the child misbehaves again, the child may receive a consequence such as time out, loss of a privilege, ...

Published · 940 views

Forget Harmony, Settle for Peace An oft-common mistake working with high conflict separated parents is to move them towards getting along and working cooperatively for the well-being of their children. It is a lofty and noble goal unfortunately far beyond the grasp of folks who would likely ...

Published · 1,782 views

Are you a manager or business owner in denial? • Are you one of those managers or business owner who denies that your personal life is creating havoc for you? • Do you deny the impact that your personal life’s challenges is having on your work and business environment? ...

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Let's say for purposes of this discussion that ‘trust' is believing that somebody or something will meet your expectations. Reasonable trust is then based on realistic expectations. ‘Blind trust' is a belief that somebody or something will meet your expectations, in the absence of any evidence ...

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Would you like parenting tips when your kids are on vacation and you're not? Inside you'll find some fun ideas to bond with your kids and build character too. A few days ago I received a phone call from a child I didn't know. "Mom, can I go out and play?" The child sounded about 8 or 9. "You ...

Published · 1,166 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Do your kids see you and your partner attacking each other? Do either you or your partner have to be right? Inside you'll find 5 ways true love helps when you admit when you're wrong. To keep your marriage brimming, With love in the loving cup, Whenever you're wrong admit it; Whenever you're ...

Published · 1,135 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Psychological Abuse Psychological abuse leaves the victim blaming herself and questioning her own perceptions over the behaviour of the abusive partner and it can start very insidiously. Psychological abuse occurs when one’s feelings, thoughts, preferences, desires, needs, appearance or ...

Published · 1,002 views

Psychological Abuse Psychological abuse leaves the victim blaming herself and questioning her own perceptions over the behaviour of the abusive partner and it can start very insidiously. Psychological abuse occurs when one’s feelings, thoughts, preferences, desires, needs, appearance or ...

Published · 1,486 views

Do you ever regret nagging your children? Do you feel guilty afterwards? Inside you'll discover the secret to positive parenting and getting your kids to cooperate. A young mother yelled at her son, Sammy, "Don't tease your sister. It's becoming a bad habit." "No it isn't," replied, Sammy. ...

Published · 891 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Would you like a fun way to build self esteem, mind power, and character? Inside you’ll discover how bedtime stories create mind power, self esteem and character. Why not give this self esteem gift to your child every night? I remember my mother telling me, “Jeanie, you can do anything you put ...

Published · 1,891 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Is your child’s self-esteem spiraling downward because of grades? Do you feel helpless? Inside find out how being a detective can help you. Self- Esteem and Childhood Wisdom: A father asked his son, “How do you like going to school?” His son answered, “Going to school is fine. Coming home is ...

Published · 1,169 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Do your children care for themselves according to their age and abilities? Would you like to boost their self-esteem and character? Inside you’ll find age-appropriate chores that instill the “I can do it myself” attitude. Childhood Wisdom: “When Heidi was 5 her mother decided to give her $1 a ...

Published · 1,580 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Separating? Once the decision to separate is made, there are a number of other issues to settle. If the decision has been made in isolation, there is the matter of informing one’s spouse. Thereafter comes telling the kids. From there, attention is directed towards determining the ongoing care ...

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Someone really really difficult to get along with? Most people get along with others. There might be the odd bit of friction between a person or two, but for the most part, most people get along. There is a sub-group of people however, that don’t seem to get along with almost anyone. These ...

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I applaud Andrew Johnston, 13 year old contestant on ‘Britain’s Got Talent 2008 Show’, for having the courage to admit to 12 million people across the nation that he was being bullied because of the love of his passion……..singing opera. I want to let Andrew Johnston know that it is absolutely ...

Published · 1,835 views

Grandchildren know how to get what they want -- they nag. Here's what grandparents can do to gain control over the nagging and teach valuable lessons about money. The Center for a New American Dream published a survey about kids and nagging. The poll found the typical child aged 12 to 17 asked ...

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Stress or Peace…you choose! Stressed out at work or stressed out at home – is there really a difference? As a writer and coach creating awareness not just for parents but for anyone to live a more connected and happier life, the alleviation of stress is a big part of that process as many ...

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Oxymoron or truth? We all want to feel good, but what do we do when we don’t feel good? Maybe someone has hurt us…we’re disappointed…maybe we’re mad or feeling really heavy…depressed. Eckhart Tolle refers to the pain body in his books and with the recent attention given to A New Earth, people’s ...

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This is one of my favorite articles. It’s by Tom Peters, the author of “In Search of Excellence,” and “Passion for Excellence.” Risk Taking: Let’s say you were playing poker and you thought you had a decent hand. In fact, you were willing to bet on it! Out of your five poker chips, you bet ...

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Responsibility! As smart “KidSkills” parents, we want our children to grow up to be responsible for themselves. This includes taking responsibility for their actions, commitments, outcomes, and decisions. n When your child was born, you assumed full responsibility for her. Over the ...

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Teen’s First Job A teen’s first job is a right of passage. It provides the teen the ability to earn money independently and teaches them new meanings for responsibility. The first job also enlightens the teen to the responsibilities of the parents and for many, makes them appreciative not only ...

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Responsibility! How many times have you said to yourself, “I wish my child would be more RESPONSIBLE!???” As parents of “Rock Solid Kids,” we want our children to grow up to be responsible for themselves. This includes taking responsibility for their actions, commitments, outcomes, and ...

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It’s frustrating when our children don’t seem to listen, isn't it? And when they don’t pay attention to what you are saying at home, you have to wonder how much they are missing at school! In 15+ years of teaching Martial Arts in our community, we’ve developed a 5 step approach to ...

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The Five Best Friends of the Abusive Man Truly abusive men are out for themselves. These are the narcissists and sociopaths who walk among us in plain clothes. Abusive men rely on these five strategies to gratify their needs ahead of or at the expense of their partner: 1. Denialr

Published · 2,810 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

The Long Arm Of Domestic Violence Public attention to domestic violence tends to focus on the immediacy of the problem. In other words when the average persons thinks about domestic violence, thoughts go to the fright of the victim in the situation and physical harm caused. Media attention ...

Published · 889 views

It’s hard to believe, but here we are again, another school year! Is it me or are the summers getting shorter? This week the kids are reconnecting with their friends, meeting new ones, excited to see who’s in their class, which teachers they have and dawning all their new gear ...

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February is heart month…and the focus is on love. From the romantic love surrounding Valentine’s Day; the compassionate love evoked as we are encouraged to support Heart and Stroke Foundations; to the acts of love from our hearts as we participate in the 14th anniversary of Random Acts of ...

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Understanding Is Not Enough In the course of normal childhood behaviour, children misbehave. When they do, some parents opt to clarify the expectation of appropriate behaviour and seek to hold the child accountable. If the child misbehaves again, the child may receive a consequence such as time ...

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When parents are dictators, the family culture becomes miserable. Today let's explore two different dictating styles and one big solution. Let's find out how to make your family culture even better. 1. The Silent Dictator He rules his family with no questions asked. His face somber shows no emotion and his voice is rarely heard. He intimidates with silence. When he does speak, members listen.

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Spring Break is here and the kids are off. Many parents begin to panic at how they will fill their child’s time. So, they source out a bunch of outings they can take their kids on. Ah...Now the only down time they’ll have to manage is from dinner till bedtime. “Keep them busy!” is everyone’s motto.

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There are two ways you can approach parenting: one, from a reactive place and two, from a proactive place. Although you need to know and consistently use a simple, loving and effective discipline approach like I teach my clients, it is important, if not crucial, to learn proactive ways of avoiding misbehaviours in the first place.r

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Have you ever wished you had the perfect words to say when your child misbehaved? How many of you have had the experience where you are at the grocery store and your child keeps begging you to buy something, and no matter how many times you explain or say an outright, “NO!” they continue? Wouldn’t you LOVE to have a single phrase that would stop their badgering immediately?

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The one thing working moms have in common is that they’re busy ladies with a lot on their plate. The second thing they have in common is that they feel guilty a lot of the time. One of the main sources of that guilt comes from the feeling that they don’t have time to spend quality moments with their children; “life is just a race” moms tell me.

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I love the warm summer days, even the humidity, when I can run outside instead of inside on the treadmill, get back out onto the golf course with friends, lounge by a pool and drive with the top down, feeding my inherent sun goddess that probably comes from being a Leo!

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Affairs Are About Anything But Love Participants present affairs as arising by chance and based upon love and mutual adoration. The relationship advances from flirtation to infatuation. This can happen quickly or over considerable time. Eventually there is an expectation that the affair advance ...

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Ah, Newlyweds… then reality sets in. The wedding day is met with much anticipation. Bright eyed, eager, some butterflies, plans in place. So much thought and preparation for a single event. Then the honeymoon and then back to real life. There is often magical thinking that goes into a wedding. ...

Published · 1,104 views

Am I Fat? Most husbands would agree that to hear that question from their wife is akin to being asked to boil oneself in oil. However, what about when a child asks or needs to be informed? As recently reported (July 2006), the American Medical Association and the Center for Disease Control ...

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Assessing and Managing School-Age Children with Behavioral Problems Your child is about 7 years old. The teacher reports problems listening in class, sitting still and getting into conflict with peers. First thought always seems to be ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). But what if ...

Published · 1,494 views

Assessing Change You’ve been for counselling and you are not sure if it is working. Part of you feels nothing has changed and another part feels like something is different. You are probably right on both counts. Most folks when seeking change look for dramatic differences. When results are ...

Published · 931 views

Bless the Coach Be it t-ball, baseball, soccer or hockey, most little league coaches are there for the love of children. For some it’s even more personal. Their kid is on the team. The value of participation by children in little league sports is manifold. Children get to learn the game, ...

Published · 1,441 views

Bully...someone who gets pleasure from inflicting physical or emotional pain on another. Throughout this 4 Part Series we've discussed who a bully is and realized that there are no stereotypes of exactly who can be a bully. We also discovered the reasons why people bully. Now, I want to discuss what to do if your child is the victim of bullying OR if your child is a bully.

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This week my son started a conversation with me out of the blue; something was on his mind and bothering him. He began by saying, “There’s a naughty boy at school. He’s bigger than me and older than me.” “Why is he naughty?” I asked. “Well, he doesn’t let me do things.” “Like what?” “He stops me from running or going places.” Being a former school teacher for 16 years, my stomach clenched as I knew that what he was describing was in fact a Bully.

Published · 1,449 views

Last week I talked about who and what a bully is. In that article we discovered that there are NO stereotypes when it comes to a bully; they can BE anybody and LOOK like anybody. We also differentiated the difference between bullying and two people fighting or having an argument. This week I’m going to discuss why kids bully. With this knowledge we can change things around, both for the bully and the child being bullied. The biggest misconception about bullying is that it’s about anger. Anger is always a bigger emotion that is covering up a hidden emotion.

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Eeny, meeny, miny, moe… Can a child choose which parent to live with? Sometimes parents involve their children in custody, residency and access matters hoping the opinion of the child sways the outcome. At other times, children may seek to initiate a change themselves. The child’s desire may be ...

Published · 2,764 views

Moms, let me share something with you. In order to be a great mother you MUST nourish yourself. Once you do this, you will have the energy, enthusiasm and patience to be that great mom you truly want to be. This may seem contradictory to what your brain is telling you – isn’t it child first, then you? No.

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Check Ingredients Before Blending Blended family is the term used when previously separated parents remarry and combine families. If you are looking at “blending” consider these points to facilitate the children’s adjustment: 1. Have a suitable courtship period. The purpose of courtship is to ...

Published · 1,008 views

Children and Parents Adjust to Separatio You haven’t separated physically yet, but the ink is dry on your parenting plan agreement and you are ready to go your separate ways. Now reality bites! Although many parents don’t talk about it, the final act of separation cuts like a knife, ...

Published · 1,229 views

Choosing Mr. Right Some women find it difficult finding Mr. Right. They may be jumping into the relationship too quickly. These strategies may save a lot of disappointment and hurt: Determine if this should even get started: For whatever reason, men of limited virtue seem to have radar for ...

Published · 1,111 views

Conflict of Libidos? Libido refers to sexual drive. Over the course of the human life span, libido can increase or decrease depending upon numerous factors. Those factors can be divided into biological, psychological and social. Of the biological factors, a woman’s menstrual cycle is ...

Published · 1,578 views

Cross Cultural Conundrums His parents just won’t leave us alone. They drop by unexpectedly; his mother rearranges my kitchen cupboards; they get angry if we don’t visit them every weekend. I want to have a life, alone with my husband! Meanwhile; She is so cold and distant that her behaviour appears disrespectful and I am left defending her to my family who doesn’t understand why I married her. I wish she would get along with my family.

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June returns every year at this time, and the cycle of this month’s events and celebrations continue year after year! Our lives are also cyclical in nature, a baby grows into a toddler – little girl to woman – youngster to teenager – little boy to man – birth to death. These are just some of ...

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When I was younger, I always knew that I wanted to be two things in life: a teacher and a mom. The first came true for me as I taught swimming throughout my high school and university summers. In 1991, after three long years of trying, I finally realized my dream of being a mom! Giving birth to ...

Published · 1,701 views

One of the many problems for children exposed to domestic violence, is that for some, it comes to be included amongst their own interpersonal management strategies. Children exposed to domestic violence learn the use of violence as a strategy to mediate their needs and wants. They see the ...

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Jump the Pond Every one was raised in a particular pond: Their home, their community. And in that pond, the fish tend to look alike and swim in schools of similar fish. The pond becomes familiar; it is what the person knows. It is the sum of their experience. It is their normal, even if polluted.

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Getting Kids Out Of The Cross Fire Heaven help those children whose separated parents are involved in a litigious parenting dispute. Not only might the children have to contend with possible sub-standard parenting as often alleged in various forms, but many children are also subject to the ...

Published · 940 views

You may have heard in the media recently that people who are suspected of abusing their partner could be removed from there homes by the police. This is part of the government’s proposals to manage the rising domestic violence situation in the UK. The government will be implementing its Domestic Violence and Abuse Go Orders proposals as a year-long pilot scheme in Greater Manchester, Wiltshire and West Mercia commencing summer 2011.

Published · 1,755 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Goal setting with pictures fit together like laughter and fun. Both end with feelings of joy and contentment. Yet many grown-ups don’t experience this. They fail to turn their dreams into goals. Don’t let this become your child’s fate. Childhood is the best time to teach your child the tools for ...

Published · 1,005 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

I just read this online while I was searching for some beautiful wedding dresses and sweet love stories. I thought it'll be great sharing this one to all of you. Lesson about love, life and happiness.

Published · 2,722 views

How Do You Rate Your Separatio When parents separate, they worry about the effect of their separation on the kids. Not only is there data to suggest that adults whose parents separated when they were children are at greater risk of divorce themselves, but also data that suggests the greater ...

Published · 969 views

How long does it take to rebuild trust? Sometimes it’s couples where one partner has had an affair. Other times it’s between parents and a teen where the teen has stolen, lied or has been doing drugs. The issue is trust and the question is, “How long does it take to rebuild trust when ...

Published · 6,614 views

“I’ll be happy when..”, An all too familiar phrase that rolled off my tongue over and over again, as I looked at the myriad of things that I wanted and didn’t have in my life. I was convinced that there was this destination called happiness that I would arrive at once I found my soul mate, ...

Published · 1,068 views

Imagine… A Collaborative Approach To Divorce There is a movement in family law whereby divorcing couples can sign agreements with lawyers to not go to court. More specifically, the process is known as Collaborative Family Law (CFL) and the agreement to not go to court is binding upon the ...

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Let’s make June Awareness Month! June can be a very busy month as we celebrate and honor our fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers and other significant male/father figures in our lives. We anxiously anticipate the arrival of summer along with the brightest and longest day of the year, the air is ...

Published · 1,264 views

Kids of Separated Parents: The Annual Holiday Access Dispute Forget about the last minute gift shopping. The real issue for separated parents this season is who gets what time with the kids. With divorce seemingly as popular as marriage, more and more kids will be subject to the annual access ...

Published · 1,583 views

Let Go To Wi Monkey hunters have an ingenious way to trap their prey. They carve a small hole into a gourd and then hollow it out. Into the gourd they place a small piece of fruit or some nuts. They strap the gourd to a tree and then wait. In a little while a monkey shows up and sniffs at the ...

Published · 1,828 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

In January, we say to ourselves, “This is the year! I’m going to be on top of things and be organized.” But by June we not only wonder where the first half of 2007 went, we may once again find ourselves rummaging through the picked over remnants of graduation and Father’s Day cards, trying to ...

Published · 1,566 views

Marriages On The Cusp There are three general scenarios that bring couples to counselling. There are those couples that are jointly committed to the relationship and are seeking improvement. There are those couples that are jointly seeking to dissolve the relationship and are seeking to manage ...

Published · 998 views

My Child is Odd The child may act the class clown. The child may prefer to hang out with the adults. The child likely uses phrases, innuendo, jokes or sarcasm heard from others, but uses them inappropriately, at the wrong time, with the wrong persons. The child has a poor sense of boundaries, ...

Published · 1,094 views

Some parents of teens confuse their parenting role with that of friend. In so doing, they abdicate their parental authority and minimize their ability to provide direction, guidance, limits and structure. In such cases parents may feel their teenaged son or daughter must like them. The parent ...

Published · 1,057 views

Normal Childhood Behaviour Misconstrued There is a quote attributed to Sigmund Freud, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar”. So too of childhood behaviour and incidents; they may be simply within the range of normal childhood life. However, in the context of high conflict separated parents, the ...

Published · 1,197 views

On Coping with Death… Death. It hits hard and with a loved one, no matter what the preparation, the loss is heartfelt. Now imagine you are a child. Coping with the death of a parent in childhood will be different depending on the age of the child and the nature of the relationship. While all ...

Published · 1,716 views

Parental Guilt and Kids with Special Needs For the most part pregnancies are met with the anticipation of a good delivery and healthy baby. Upon delivery parents do a quick scan of the child checking for ten fingers, ten toes and if unknown, a check of the genitals to determine gender. A ...

Published · 757 views

There is a dynamic that naturally evolves when parents only see lawyers to determine their ongoing relationship to children, post separation or divorce. Regardless of the disposition of the lawyer, on the mind of the parent, is winning or coming away with a particular outcome. The parent races ...

Published · 1,058 views

We have all heard by now of the rise in self harm amongst young people. For some parents this news will have come as a complete shock on hearing that one of those young people is their son or daughter. Then starts the challenge of knowing which is the best approach to adopt in supporting your child, in supporting yourself and the rest of the family, and of course, dealing with the self harming activity itself. This is also coupled with the challenge of knowing where to turn for help and which professional to approach!

Published · 1,938 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Parents can help prevent teen driver car crashes Whenever one gets behind the wheel of a car the process of risk assessment begins. This is why drivers look both ways before entering the roadway. The driver is determining issues of risk before taking action. Often, the driver is also trying to ...

Published · 1,250 views

Reconciliation Counselling Some people look across the great divide of a fractured relationship feeling it can never exist again. In such situations, the parties may be at odds with respect to their version of events. They may feel there must be agreement on the version of events, without which ...

Published · 2,913 views

Separated parents in dispute: Don’t drag in your service providers! Separated parents in high conflict have a way of dragging others into their dispute. Not just family friends, and neighbours, but every professional associated with the children. The parents seek to bolster their claims to ...

Published · 1,115 views

Settling Custody and Access Disputes… Court, Counselling, Mediation, Parenting Coordinator: What’s the difference? Parents who are separated need to sort out the ongoing care of their children. Statistically, most do so between themselves without any help or support from outside resources. ...

Published · 1,175 views

Watching butterflies, going for a run and singing (out loud) to the music, the sun beaming down from a clear blue sky with my hair blowing in the wind cruising in my convertible. Just a few of the many experiences of summer freedom that I enjoy. It’s July, and the kids are on vacation with a ...

Published · 1,591 views

The Adventures of Babadooga: Back to Big written by Kristin Hamilton and illustrated by Noemi Faludi Varga was written for kids and kids at heart.

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The First Few Years Of School As a preschooler, your child was well behaved and didn’t exhibit any particular problems. Next your child enters school, perhaps Kindergarten, and then Grade one. Slowly issues with some classes and subjects appear. Maybe they are thought nothing of in Grade one, ...

Published · 1,154 views

The Granddaddy of All New Years Resolutions What if you really needed only one New Years resolution? It could be the granddaddy of all resolutions and cover off all things from more time with the kids to quitting smoking and even saving money. Well, there is one such resolution and it comes ...

Published · 867 views

I used to be one of them; a self-centered, sometimes ornery, disrespectful and challenging teenager! I’m not saying that I am proud of my behaviour of over 30 years ago…it was what it was! Having my own experiences to base my parenting on, it stands to reason that my expectations would be that ...

Published · 2,088 views

The Lighter side of Stress We feel it, we say it, we live it, we affirm it and we teach it…life is stressful, right? We’re so busy running on life’s treadmill, worried about our kids, work, finances, world issues, our health and relationships. Rushing in the morning to work to meetings and ...

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The Pre-Marital Toilet Test We enter marriage with hopes, aspirations and faith. When marital discord strikes we are overcome with disillusionment. A year into the marriage, the notion of “tell death do us part”, smacks us in the face like a glass of cold water. Not only do we enter into ...

Published · 1,154 views

Self injury or self harm, generally speaking, is a wider range of different things individuals do to themselves which is either in a deliberate or hidden way. It includes burning, cutting, banging the body against hard objects, pulling the hairs, scalding, biting, poisoning, and inserting or swallowing objects. However the harm is done, it still is damaging not only physically but also emotionally for both the person self harming and their loved ones. SELF HARM AWARENESS

Published · 2,024 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

As we embark on the first month of a brand new year, most of us have made them, New Years resolutions that we have every desire and intention to keep, but sometimes find it difficult to follow through. Many of us may want 2007 to be the year that we finally shed those extra pounds, exercise ...

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Part of self harm help is knowing that being close to individuals who self harm like cutting or burning themselves makes coping really tough and sometimes hard to comprehend. Take note that the reasons why people cut themselves vary from person to person and come in several forms. It is really good to know that included also in self harm awareness is the objective of informing people that self injury or self harm is not suicidal or attention seeking. Normally, self harming pupils do this because they have an immense amount of pain and suffering within them that they find difficult to express.

Published · 1,739 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

It was a hot summer day and with little rain having fallen lately, I went outside to get the hose. I was just about to turn on the water and then I saw it. There it was, in the middle of my garden, a spectacular sight, something I had never seen before. Imagine this image - two rose blooms – ...

Published · 1,580 views

Ahhhh Love….it can be quite an abstract concept to explain. Is it a feeling…an action…an experience...a thing? The age old question arises, what is love anyway? Its intangible nature feels its way to capture the attention of our hearts as we read novels of passionate love, listen to the lyrics ...

Published · 1,180 views

When a Child With Special Needs and Complex Disabilities Surfaces with Behaviour Problems Some children present with an abundance of challenges involving academic functioning, communication and physical difficulties. Combined these children face a remarkable struggle keeping up with their ...

Published · 1,463 views

Who’s in charge anyways? It’s not uncommon to find parents and grandparents living together with everyone minding the young. In fact, by many cultures, this is a very normal situation that works well for everyone. It tends to work best when everyone knows his or her place and it is clear who is ...

Published · 976 views

When was the last time you picked up a book and read it actually? Blame it on the fast emergence of technology in our era today. But reality is, you've been missing a lot on the benefits of reading books or manuscripts. I just feel so bad that not many of the people today bothers to read a book.

Published · 3,849 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Your kids are away at camp and although you thought you’d be using this time to flop on the sofa and vegetate, you find yourself ancy, walking around, wondering what to do with all this time on your hands! The very fact that you have some extra time is, funny enough, stressing you out! You don’t know what to do or where to begin! Here are 10 fantastic things you can do to fill that precious time: 1. Sit down with your partner and brainstorm a list of things you used to love doing together then schedule at least 3-4 of those on your calendar.

Published · 1,047 views

Why is it easier to say something to our kids when we’re angry at them than when they are doing what we want them to do?

Published · 1,785 views

Every mom wants more me time. In fact some mom tell me they don't remember when they last had some! Luckily, there are some sneaky ways that you can find and enjoy some well deserved time by yourself. Here are just a few ideas:

Published · 1,285 views

Has your older child been overly aggressive or desperate for attention since your new baby arrived? This situation can be very stressful for a tired mom and dad, however it needn't be. Here are a few tips on how to turn this tiring situation around.

Published · 1,384 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

When one of my newest coaching clients came to me a month ago, she was nearing her whit's end. Cody, her 7-year-old son, was talking back to the teacher at school and getting into arguments with friends. "It's been getting worse over the last year or so since my daughter, Kayla, was born. I love both of my kids but the baby takes up so much of my time and I know that Cody needs me too. I don't know what to do."

Published · 1,083 views

Well, we’re all prepared and everyone is excited. In order to continue this bliss, there are 5 steps you will want to take to ensure that your kids do not fall down the slippery slope of sugar highs, tiredness and tantrums. Step 1: Have an easy, but healthy dinner prepared like soup and sandwiches along with raw veggies and dip. Eat earlier than usual to give yourselves more time to dress up and prepare for the evening. While eating, review how to call out “Trick or Treat” in a non-shouting voice and speak about Trick or Treating manners (ie.Thank you very much, etc.)

Published · 1,546 views

According to a recent survey, stress affects 30% + of the population on a daily basis. Too much stress can contribute to a long list of health problems as well as family problems. The good news is that there is plenty you can do to help get balance back into your life. The Tell Tale Signs of Stress * Not being able to sleep properly * poor concentration and increased irritability * Drinking excess caffeine, too much alcohol and smoking more * An inability to make decisions and feeling frustrated by this

Published · 1,001 views

Summer is a great time to relax and enjoy our families, but it can also be a great time for some reflection. Use a prviate, quiet moment this summer to reflect on how your year as a parent has been. The checklist below will help you with this process. It will allow you to see where you might need to do some tweaking or it may allow you to give yourself a great big pat on the back for doing many things well. Checklist: 1) I have read to my child. 2) I have read a book, novel, magazine, newspaper or newsletter while my child is in the same room

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Here's a question to ask yourself: Are parents who take their children to many after-school classes better parents than those who don't? Thought provoking, isn't it? With the amount of choices that exist today, parents feel pressured to send their children to music class, dance class, swimming lessons, gymnastics, art class and maybe even a tutor. When they hear their friends talk about the activities that their children are involved in, they think..."Oh, Gosh, maybe I should be doing that".

Published · 5,088 views

The time is 5 o'clock and your stomach clentches - what to make for dinner is the question racing through your mind. You know you want to prepare healthy meals for your family, but you are tired and do not have all the ingredients for your favourite "go to" recipe, so you pull out the frozen pizza instead. There are two fantastic and fun ways you can solve this ever-arising problem.

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Also known as "Sinampalukang Manok" in Tagalog words. Just wanting to share with you this recipe that my family loves.

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Wondering how to make Christmas morning a hit for your child without breaking the bank or bringing in more brightly colored plastic toys to your house? I have some time- tested ideas for you! I'll list them according to the age of your children. Some items listed will be of interest to all ages, so feel free to mix and match! BABIES and YOUNG TODDLERS Box of Kleenex to explore and watch each new piece pop up (It's only Christmas once a year!) Toilet paper roll to explore (keeps baby busy while others open gifts)r

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We can never escape death. It is inevitable and yet when a loved one or a close friend died we suffered a great range of emotions. We desperately try to avoid the hurt, the pain, anxiety and feelings of helplessness we feel when we lost a loved one. Then we feel like life has gone back to normal, until at least we realized that our lives changed irrevocably. Grieving for someone helps us cope and heal for the loss. The intense anguish that is heart breaking shows that a deep connection has been severed or damaged. Undoubtedly, grieving is painful but it is necessary.r

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Usually parents expect to play with their baby - quite a lot at first, and then increasingly less as they grow older. However, if you are the parent of a toddler or preschooler, you may have learned that the more you play - the more they want, until some children simply do not know what to do for themselves if no adult is involved. If this is the situation at your house, you may be interested in learning how to set up an Independent Playtime as part of your child’s regular, daily routine.

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Family vacations are supposed to be fun, but many times parents dread them because they feel out of their comfort zone when their children misbehave; they know their discipline options are limited and having to apply consequences in public is for some, quite embarrassing.

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A common theme over the past 20 years has been how much children have changed from when we were growing up in terms of how they show respect. I know that for the most part in the 1960's, anyone in a position of authority commanded respect which included parents, teachers, police officers, principals, bosses, coaches and anyone else we viewed in some way as a person in authority. We in fact were taught to "obey" and do as we were told; no questions asked.

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Meal times are one of the cornerstones of your daily routine. They can be the most joyous part of your day or the most dreaded part of your day. When you have small children it is very important that you be consistent and that they sit down to eat at roughly the same times every day. It's also important that those times are spaced far enough apart so that your kids have an appetite for what's put in front of them, but not so far apart that the run-up to every meal is marked by the kind of bad behaviour and irritability that's triggered by hunger and low blood sugar levels.

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In Part 1 and 2 of this article series, I spoke about eye contact and physical contact being important to making your children truly understand and know that you love them. These two things seldom require real sacrifice by parents, however, the third item, focused attention, usually scares parents when I bring it up because they think it means to spend loads of time with their kids - time they don’t have.

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Almost every study I know indicates that every child wants to know of his parents, “ Do you love me?” and that a child asks this emotional question mostly in his behaviour, seldom verbally. By a child’s behaviour he/she tells us what he/she needs, whether it’s more love, more discipline, more acceptance, or more understanding. The answer to this question is absolutely the most important thing in any child’s life.

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What kind of physical contact do most parents use with their child? It seems obvious, doesn’t it? A hug. We hug our child because we love them and we hope they feel this love. However, what if I told you that there is other physical contact that can be even more powerful in terms of showing our kids we love them?

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Does trying to get your children to open up about their day feel like an inquisition? Do you feel like you’re giving your child the third degree to tell you anything about their life? If so, here are some simple, effective ways you can help your child open up and share more about their day and life. You: “What did you learn today?” Child: “Nothing” You: “Do you have any homework? Child: "Nope" You: “Did you make a new friend?” Child: "Yep"

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Parenting can be full on - if you're a single parent you know this well. Beyond work, there are many details to take care of: banking, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, disciplining, etc. Many moms I coach tell me they feel overwhelmed and when I dig deeper I find that one of the reasons they feel this way is because they're doing a lot on their own.

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This time of year can bring loads of happiness and joy however it can also bring loads of stress and anxiety, particularly for parents. Is there a way to authentically celebrate the holidays without feeling stressed and going into debt? Absolutely! There are many ways to take the focus off material things and on to what truly counts: FAMILY. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

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If I asked you what a typical day for your family looks like, what would you say? Often times when I ask parents this question most say, “There is no typical”. Family life today is more about randomness and improvisation than rhythm. Wednesday wash day? Snack and milk after school? Sunday dinner? These kind of weekly traditions rarely occur anymore. The consequence? Stress, misbehaviour, lack of family connection and overwhelm. The antidote? Creating more rhythm in your home.

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Good manners are the backbone of a civilized society and make interacting with people a joy. Manners also create a strong first impression, and they pave the way to good jobs, smooth relations with family and friends, and an easier time out in the real world. The lesson here? Make it a priority to teach your children the manners suggested below before they turn thirteen. Here are some basic manners you might want to consider: General: 1. Saying "Please" and "Thank you" should be as automatic as breathing.

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Being a single mother, most of us happen to have a hard time getting into a serious relationship. Almost all the time it always ends up to a short lived love affair. There are some men who thought that when you are a single mother, you are that desperate to have a relationship and most likely more desperate to have sex. Most single moms have a lot of experiences when it comes to indecent proposals for quite a few men of different age brackets. But mostly the old married ones are more prominent and more vocal about their desires.

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Starting school is a huge change, and some children cope with change better than others (parents too!) But what are the signs that your child is ready for school? These are the factors to consider if your child is ready for school. CHILDREN MAY BE READY WHEN THEY: Have reasonable control over their behavior and emotions. Can hold his pencil correctlyr Can write her namer Can dress himselfr Can hop, jump, and skipr Can cut out neatlyr Can draw shapesr Knows her numbersr Can cope when minor things go wrong. Can talk confidently to adults, ask for help and express their feelings.r

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Mate al separation anxiety is experienced when a mother besieged the feeling of guilt at the thought of a short-term separation with her kid. Who says that separation anxiety is just for kids? It is in fact that a lot of us parents have this feeling of acutely nervous when our child begins school or leaves the house. At times, we parents worry about our child's adjustment or simply just missing spending time with him/her. This feeling is completely normal, and the good thing is that there are certain ways we can alleviate our stress when our child is away.

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The most important part of discipline is the one most people struggle with- staying calm and speaking without emotion.

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Our role as a parent is to guide our children through life which means setting boundaries and saying “No” quite often. I would like to suggest a slightly different approach, or at least one that puts the emphasis in a different area.

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One of the most encouraging things a parent can do for their child is to spend regular, scheduled time with them. Many parents may think they already spend a lot of time with their children, however there is a difference betwee "family time", "have-to time" and "scheduled special time".

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Most parents of children under the age of three realize quickly that the best way to handle a tantrum is by ignoring it. They find out that the number of tantrums and their length or intensity will decrease once they learn to walk away. However, after a child turns three and those temper tantrums turn from rolling on the floor to verbal, it seems the tantrums take on a quality that either makes parents want to scream themselves or cry because they're so hurt.

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Every responsible human being has acquired certain virtues useful in getting along with others. Topping the list are kindness, being responsible, friendliness, charity, honesty, trustworthiness, compassion and respect for others. All are reasonable and desirable tools for successful living. Thinking that the acquisition of these traits can be left to chance would be a big mistake.

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Have you ever talked sweetly to your child trying to explain that what they are doing is not very nice? What about the opposite? Have you ever yelled at your child out of frustration and hoped that by seeing you so angry your child would naturally want to stop their naughty behaviour? Or, how about this scenario - you start out trying to be the patient parent who wants to calmly and sweetly explain to your child why their behaviour is unacceptable, but when they ignore you your anger swells and you begin yelling.

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We often hear people saying, “Gosh, life is more difficult than when we were kids.” Yes, it is very different in terms of how global the world has become and how the world feels faster-paced. This pace is what has caused parents to feel so overwhelmed by their responsibilities. From my experience of working with families all over the world I have found that there are seven clear reasons why families are stressed today. Do any of these match your life?

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Ever wonder why some days your kids just seem to test you, rebel against you or resist everything you ask of them? That happened to me a couple of days ago and I want to share with you how I resolved this issue.

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We often think that the holidays are for spending quality time with our family, carrying out traditions and enjoying time at home with the ones we love the most. Although the holidays are truly a special time for our families, so should it be for you and you alone.

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Is your child struggling in school? Does your child stall when it comes time to do homework? Does your child's teacher often comment that your child is capable, but is just not working to his or her potential? Or, does your child do alright in school, but seems a bit bored or lacks enthusiasm for learning? There is a little secret that you need to know in order to change this.

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Since the success of the program "Supe anny", many parents have begun using time-outs in one way or another. While they are finding time-outs to be very effective, parents often have the same questions regarding certain problems they encounter. Here are solutions to the top 4 most commonly asked questions. 1) What happens if my child won't go to the time-out spot? Solution #1

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Relationships are a topic I thoroughly enjoy researching and discussing, specifically one between a husband and wife. It is, in fact, one of the most significant connections we will ever have, one that can impact our lives for better or worse.

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Here's a question to ask yourself: Is a family that is constantly out and about, going here and there, attending music classes and swimming lessons, etc. better than one who stays home most evenings, and doesn't have their children in a bunch of different classes? Thought provoking, isn't it?

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Here's a question to ask yourself: Is a family that is constantly out and about, going here and there, attending music classes and swimming lessons, etc. better than one who stays home most evenings, and doesn't have their children in a bunch of different classes? Thought provoking, isn't it?

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Here's a question to ask yourself: Is a family who is constantly out and about, going here and there, attending music classes and swimming lessons, etc. better than one who stays home most evenings, and doesn't have their children in a bunch of different classes? Thought provoking, isn't it?

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If you celebrate Christmas then you're going to love the ideas given here. You will be guaranteed that your child will love the present they receive and but can also be assured that the gift you are giving is appropriate, meaningful, and will help your child explore their own sense of curiosity and creativity.

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One of the most common expressions parents can be heard saying is, “I don’t understand why he’s/she’s doing that”. There are eight, very common reasons why children misbehave. It is extremely useful for parents to know these because if they can pinpoint the root cause of the misbehaviour, they can be more successful at reducing it. Listed here are the eight most common reasons why children misbehave and a solution to help reduce or eliminate the problem: 1) They want to test whether caregivers will enforce rules.

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Have you ever walked down to the basement, saw piles of laundry in the corner of your eye, felt a pit in your stomach at how behind you are then tried to forget about it so you didn’t have to feel overwhelmed anymore? This is a common story that working moms talk to me about; it’s their “nemesis”.

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