Around the age of 4 years, most children begin to ask about death. It surfaces in their play, they say things like, “I’m gonna kill you,” they ask if you are going to die, among other questions and references. Unless they have experienced death at a younger age, this curiosity and sometime seeming obsessiveness are age appropriate and typical. It is a part of growing up. The answers to these questions are hard for all parents. No one wants to create fear or pain for her/his child. But … [Read more...] about Kobe Bryant’s Death: Talking to Kids About Premature Death
Learning
“Is Santa Real, Mommy?”
One of the signs (sometimes laced with a bit of sadness) that your child is growing up is when the inevitable question comes, Is Santa real? While it seems so simple, it is one that puts many a parent into a tail spin. What should I say? Should I tell him the truth? Should I lie? Won’t he be so disappointed? What if he accuses me of having lied to him when he finds out the truth? Let me put your mind at ease. You have not been lying to your child if you have allowed Santa … [Read more...] about “Is Santa Real, Mommy?”
Parent – Teacher Conferences
Communication between home and school is essential to a child’s successful school experience. Fall is the time when many schools, public and private, have their first parent-teacher conferences of the year. Unfortunately, these conferences are usually short, sometimes only twenty minutes. You want to use your time well. Save the chit-chat and small talk for another day! Just as your teacher prepares for the conference, so should you. Whether your child is in 5th grade or in his first … [Read more...] about Parent – Teacher Conferences
Tips for Dealing with Scary Current Events with Children
Whether it is the horror of a violent event, an act of terrorism, or a natural disaster, the news of such things can have powerful impact on children of all ages. It can cause tremendous fear and anxiety, or it can just raise some questions. Each child will react differently. But no one goes totally unaffected. In dealing with your child, here are some tips that will help you to help your child process what has happened. First of all, take care of your own feelings. Children take … [Read more...] about Tips for Dealing with Scary Current Events with Children
Talking to Your Children about the Terror Attack in Manchester
The bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester is all the more horrible and deeply troubling because the target was an arena filled with adolescents and children of all ages. Parents all over the world are left tongue tied when needing to answer what happened, why it happened, and will it happen to me. I have written about how to talk to children about terror attacks too many times. With a heavy heart, I remind you of the following tips: Your children are watching you. You need … [Read more...] about Talking to Your Children about the Terror Attack in Manchester
Grappling with Presidential Prose
Whether you hate or love President Trump’s politics, most parents agree that his behaviors and style of communication are not very presidential. With all the different goals parents have for their kids, there is one thing most parents share: wanting our children to behave respectfully, politely, and within the bounds of propriety. We want them to live a life defined by the morals and character traits we value. To that end, we model the language, the behavior, the actions, and the values we … [Read more...] about Grappling with Presidential Prose