Parenting resources for all who love and care for children
How to Overcome Temper Tantrums and Moody Days!We’ve all had those days. You know, the days where you wake up to the spring bird’s love song, the sun lightly kissing your face. With your morning cup of coffee in hand, you delight in seeing the dew on the flower petals. It’s peaceful. And calm.
And then you hear it. [Read more…]
When children get to those double digit years, they change. The sweet, playful, mischievous children become challenging, moody, argumentative preteens. Parenting becomes more difficult because these new changes wear on parents’ patience. They want to argue back, meet challenges by asserting their authority, and adjust that negative attitude.
If parents become confrontational and negative, they will eventually erode the relationship with their children. It would be difficult for preteens to feel supported when their parents are focused on the negative. A more effective strategy is to reinforce preteens’ positive behavior. [Read more…]
EJ has had an incredibly exciting and busy year as a college sophomore attending a university in the SF Bay Area. We have enjoyed our visits with him at school and during the winter break at home. EJ is now busy with his spring semester and taking a demanding course load.
He recently met with his advisor to plan his upper division courses for next year. EJ must complete a Chemistry Lab before he can achieve his Junior status. Additionally, the Chemistry Lab is a prerequisite for his next sequence of classes. [Read more…]
Planning Spring Play, Raising Lifetime LeadersWhen the sun is out, the air is warm, and the birds are chirping, it’s time to beat those winter blues with outside play! While it is true that free play encourages imagination, allowing kids to “be bored” will unleash their creativity. There’s still lots to be said about helping children plan for play. As parents, modeling our thought process and questioning skills will help our children be decisive decision makers, become strategic planners, and develop leaderships skills. Consider the following scenario:
Child: Mommy, Daddy, can we play outside?
Parent: Sure, what would you like to do? Would you like me to help you think of ideas?
At this point, your child may very well say “No, thank you” to your offer of help. Imagine how empowered your child will feel because you gave him permission to say “No.” This is a very powerful step, as it communicates to your child that you trust him to be decisive in his decisions. He will continue to the next phase with a definitive idea for play all ready to go! [Read more…]
Amy and Joe are madly in love with their baby daughter. They are full of dreams and aspirations for their daughter who they plan to raise in a traditional, two parent household. Joe is a 5th generation Californian with ancestors from Ireland and Germany. Amy is a third generation Japanese-American. Amy and Joe want their little girl to appreciate both of their cultures. Raising their daughter to enjoy a rich cross-cultural heritage can be enhanced when considering the following: [Read more…]
