I awakened today to more than a few emails pleading, Help! How do I explain the election results to my kids? This processing of the election is not meant just for those who are unhappy with the outcome. It is for both those who are deeply disappointed and those who are ecstatic. There is just no way that yesterday’s election went unnoticed by any child who lives in a family who votes. Strong feelings have run hot and heavy in homes across America for many months. Your kids have heard … [Read more...] about Talking to Children About the Election
Behavior
Post Covid Parenting Reboot
All of us who lived through the Covid shut downs will not forget that period in our lives. At first we were kind of grateful for the forced time at home with our families. It was close and cozy and not so bad after all. And then, the world stopped. Weeks morphed into months and months and more months. We all began to see and feel what our children were missing. The losses they experienced were experiencing were real. As the world reopened, slowly our children’s lives have resumed. The … [Read more...] about Post Covid Parenting Reboot
Timing is Everything: Set yourself up for successful conversations with your child
Finding the right words to use with children is undeniably powerful. But coming up with the “right” response in the moment, creating just the script that is called for can be challenging. In fact, knowing this led to writing my first book, Just Tell Me What to Say. Successful communication with children of all ages, however, is more than your words and your script, (and your tone, your facial expressions, your body language.) It is also about your timing. Most parents know, for example, … [Read more...] about Timing is Everything: Set yourself up for successful conversations with your child
Do You Love Your Child Enough?
Seems like a ridiculous question, I know. But since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it feels fitting. One of the lessons our children will learn as they mature is that are lots of different kinds of love… the love for chocolate; the love for your favorite song; the love for your most comfy jeans; the love that grown up partners feel for one another; the love you have for your best pal; …And the deep, enduring love that a parent feels for her … [Read more...] about Do You Love Your Child Enough?
Teaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids
I was transfixed by the coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death and funeral proceedings. The pageantry, the ritual, the lock steps, the salutes, the uniforms…I was mesmerized. The English loved their queen. Her passing marked the end of a 70 year relationship, and so many were really sad. Children watched their parents weep, curtsy, and bow their heads in silence. Their parents’ motions were the language of their feelings as they demonstrated their respect for the crown. While the … [Read more...] about Teaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids
What’s Wrong with “I’m Sorry?”
Years ago, I walked into the 4 year olds’ nursery school classroom and watched Mimi, a fabulous, feisty, third born child, collect all the playdough from the other three children at the table. The three were shocked; one protested loudly. Mimi looked up at me and said, “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” “Mimi,” I said, “Sorry isn’t enough.” Every time I hear a parent insist that her child apologize to another, I cringe, and I think about Mimi. Sorry is not enough. Teaching a child to say I’m sorry … [Read more...] about What’s Wrong with “I’m Sorry?”