Tag Archives: parenting tips

Gentle Parenting Offers Empathy

Think back for a moment about how you were raised. Did you parents threaten punishments (perhaps including physical violence)? Did they offer you rewards for doing your chores? There’s a new, more emphatic way, to parent called gentle parenting. It offers parents and children a way of partnering together to connect and solve problems.  What is gentle parenting? The Conversation reported that gentle parenting throws out the old ways of disciplining children. Gentle parenting encourages a child to internalize good behavior for its own sake.  Here are a few examples from The Conversation about what gentle parenting looks like: Start … Continue reading →

How to Raise a Moral Child

Posted on by

All parents hope to raise children that have good moral values. But, how does one do it? The short answer to that question has to do with they way a parent praises a child for doing good things. The words you use make a huge difference! Adam Grant, a professor of management and psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, wrote a very detailed piece for the New York Times called “Raising a Moral Child”. In it, he explains the results of different studies that tried to discern what parents could do to raise a moral child. … Continue reading →

Keeping the Peace

Any semblance of peace that may blanket your home tonight will be shattered once dawn breaks on Easter Sunday. Kids will be running around like Energizer bunnies looking for sweet treats left behind by the holiday hare, and once they hit pay dirt, they’ll be even more amped thanks to the endless amount of sugar coursing through their little bodies. However, sugar highs only last so long.  So, how do you stay calm when your kids start to crash? Say “No” without saying “No”:  Your preschooler wants to polish off an entire family of Peeps before you leave the house … Continue reading →

Somewhere in the Strict Zone

Time outs don’t work with my kid. Sorry, Supernanny. I understand the method behind the discipline technique and follow the directives explicitly; unfortunately, sitting in a chair and allowing my child to simply think about her poor behavior doesn’t yield positive results. So, what’s a parent to do? Ramp up the punishment? I am by no means a permissive parent, but I’m not a super strict one either. I’m somewhere in the strict zone hoping not to tip the scales too far in either direction. However, I am more concerned about entering the overly strict zone. I don’t want to … Continue reading →

Molding Future Adults

Amid the chaos of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture of parenting. Very easy. When you’re in the trenches dealing with your baby’s dirty diapers, your tween’s potty mouth and the host of other excrement that comes with raising children, it’s hard to focus on the fact that you are molding future adults. Well-adjusted, responsible, thoughtful, charitable, productive adults. That’s the goal. The challenge is looking beyond the moment. These moments. The times when it seems easier to give up, give in, or frankly, not give a damn, rather than digging deep to teach your … Continue reading →

Consistency is Key

“Life is hard enough for kids without having parents who are constantly changing the rules.” I wish I could remember which so-called parenting “expert” drove that bit of advice into my head. Regardless, it’s in there; squeezed in between the importance of providing a child with an established routine to alleviate any chaos, fostering a sense of security and checking underneath piles of mashed potatoes for hidden broccoli, carrots, peas or other items that kids would rather chuck than consume. When it comes to kids and consistency, it’s not just about setting and enforcing a decent bedtime, making sure teeth … Continue reading →

Preserving the Peace

Much like with marriage, to keep the peace between you and your children, it’s important to learn the fine art of picking battles.  The phrase may seem trite, but knowing how to correctly apply it to your family dynamic can make a huge difference in your quality of life. For example, my daughter struggled with sleep issues for a long time.  And by long time, I mean years… and years and years.  The kid would fight me at bedtime like a combat ninja.  The nightly battles were frustrating, exhausting and downright ugly.  It got so bad that I ended up … Continue reading →

Parenting Advice Challenges

You may think you have the absolute best parenting advice EVER to share with every mom and dad on the planet, but the fact is if said mother or father didn’t ask for your tips, it’s highly unlikely he or she is going to follow them. Unsolicited advice is invaluable advice. If you want to share your tried and true parenting techniques with other moms and dads, wait until you are asked.  Parents are more apt to follow advice if they are seeking it rather than having it forced down their throats.  What’s more, it’s important to remember that a … Continue reading →

Don’t Pay For Convenience

As chaotic as most parents’ lives are, it’s no wonder products such as bagged salad, pre-cut cantaloupe and rotisserie chicken are in high demand. Unfortunately, convenience often comes with a hefty price tag.  Think about how much you spend on items that make your life easier.  Even if you purchase four cheap bags of salad each week for an entire year, you’re looking at paying at least a few hundreds dollars.  You could save money by purchasing a head of lettuce, whole carrots and some celery, and then chopping them up yourself, but how do you put a price tag … Continue reading →

Christmas Nightmare: Shopping with Kids

  It’s hard to play Santa when you have kids hanging from both of your arms and one of your legs. Running into a store to pick-up a handful of necessities can be a frustrating and exhausting experience when you have young kids in tow.  However, having them tag along while you Christmas shop can be a downright nightmare. No parent willingly chooses to purchase a long list of holiday gifts while their kids are present, but if you are working under a strict deadline and can’t find childcare, then you do what you have to do. Fortunately, there are … Continue reading →