Helping Children Tell the Truth

Even the most well-behaved children tend to lie. Sometimes the lies are about things that don’t really matter, but it can be frustrating when your child continues to lie in the face of overwhelming proof to the contrary. As a child, how many times were you told that you wouldn’t get into “as much” trouble […]

Parenting-Roots and Wings

parenting-father and son

When you give your child wings, you need to allow them to do things their own way, even if you are sure a better way exists.

Developing Win/Win/Win Outcomes

family

Whenever there is a conflict or disagreement, the natural inclination of both parties is to fight for their way. Humans are wired to win. Our need for power must be satisfied somehow, and we learn very early how to power over other people to get what we want. Negotiation is a behavior a person has […]

True Happiness

When looking for the cause of their unhappiness and frustration, most people look outside of themselves. After all, wouldn’t life be perfect if the significant people in our lives would simply do things the way we think is best? Unfortunately, it’s this kind of thinking that perpetuates the misery. Most of today’s unhappiness centers on […]

Cooperatively Parenting Children through Divorce

If you and your spouse have decided to divorce, for your children’s sake, you must cooperatively parent them through your divorce as a team. Even if it seems like one day your spouse announced to you he or she wants a divorce, you can be certain your spouse considered it for a long time. Divorce is rarely an easy snap decision, especially when kids are involved.

Helping Kids After Divorce When One Parent Stops Parenting

The ideal divorce is done respectfully, without malice and blame. Throughout the transition, the parents support each other and work together to co-parent their children. If step-parents are introduced, everyone works together to create a unified parenting team. Does this sound like a fantasy to you? Is this not the way your divorce is going? Are your children suffering because your ex has left them in the divorce too? This is not ideal, but there are still things you can do to help your children through this.

How to Stop Yelling at Our Children

Are you a parent who frequently resorts to a raised voice to get your children’s attention? Do you believe they won’t hear you if you don’t yell? Are you thinking the only way to get them to listen is to yell? Do you think yelling is the best way to get compliance? What other effects to do you think yelling is having on your children? Would you like to consider some alternatives? I was recently asked the following three questions, and thought I’d post them to my blog for you to see:

Take Charge of Your Life Book Review

Dr. William Glasser’s latest book, Take Charge of Your Life, is a great book for people who want to take responsibility for their own happiness instead of waiting for others to change so they can be happy.

Parenting Q & A

Q: When I was growing up, my parents were really strict and I didn’t DARE go against their wishes. I knew it just wouldn’t be worth it. They definitely controlled my behavior and that is exactly the way I intend to raise my daughter. How can you say that my parents didn’t control me and […]

Book Review: Raising Happy Kids

Raising Happy Kids by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer Raising Happy Kids is a book that espouses conventional wisdom about democratic parenting. It measures whether or not something is effective with kids by whether it will increase self-esteem, self-confidence and self-reliance. It speaks in favor of parents retaining their parental role and providing boundaries for their children. It […]