When parents are respectful of their child's feelings and opinions, it is possible for the the child to take the parents' wishes into account. Being respectful of children not only models respect, but it also let's the child know that the parents care about the child and take the child's point of view into account.... Continue Reading →
banana nut pancakes…
banana pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, topped with banana slices, homemade maple whipped cream, and pecans (or walnuts depending on the family member) partially eaten because they couldn't wait any longer.....
bedtime is no longer a one person job…
For 7 1/2 years, I was exclusively in charge of bedtime. Bedtime at our house is a relative term. It describes the time we go to bed, rather than describing a certain time of the day. There is no set bedtime at our house. When little people start to get tired, we start getting ready... Continue Reading →
educational toys…
When our first child was born, my husband mentioned to his parents that we really only wanted educational toys. They readily agreed, and we didn't think anything more about it until the holidays rolled around. It was then that we realized our definition of educational toys was vastly different from their definition of the term.... Continue Reading →
I’m fat…
Two days after the birth of my fourth child, I sat in a chair in the living room, crying. When my husband asked me what was wrong, I exclaimed that I was fat. It could be said that I as hormonal. It could be said that my body was still recovering from having a human... Continue Reading →
anger is a secondary emotion…
Anger is a secondary emotion. It always follows after other emotions. While emotions point us toward our met and unmet needs, as a secondary emotion, anger doesn't let us know what is going on. It is important to take the time to discover the primary emotion we are experiencing in order to address what is... Continue Reading →
change the environment, not the child…
Sometimes children need a little help getting out of a mood or mode. We can't make another person do something, but we can help by proving an optimal environment. Sometimes a simple change to the environment is all it takes for a person's needs to be met. Ways to change a child's environment: Enrich the... Continue Reading →
swimsuit shopping…
The warming temperatures and lure of sprinklers and pools had us out shopping for swimsuits earlier this month. Finding swimsuits for boys isn't very difficult, even if like me, you prefer not to buy anything with commercial characters or branded names on it. While colors and designs differ, they are all basically the same and... Continue Reading →
modeling compassion…
Empathy allows us to listen to our children without changing their feelings. We can listen and acknowledge their feelings and thoughts regardless of whether or not we agree with them. Through this, we model compassion. Through our compassion, we open ourselves to communication and cooperation.
approaching mistakes…
How we, as parents, approach our children's mistakes can have a profound effect on how they approach mistakes for the rest of their lives. Attribute negative interpretations to their behaviors, and our children learn that their mistakes make them bad. Approach mistakes from a positive position, and they learn that mistakes are merely learning experiences.
living peacefully with children 