What does raising a mentally healthy child mean to you?  For many parents, it means raising kids that generally feel good and positive.  Unfortunately, this definition can have parents trying to protect their children from “negative” feelings and challenging situations, and detract from their developing mental strength and resilience.

As a coach for parents of kids struggling with BIG Feelings,...

Do you ever stop to think that it might be a good thing when your child challenges you?  My daughter was particularly strong willed as a child and did not always cooperate easily.  To be completely honest, I did not think that it was a good thing at the time.  I wanted her to listen and cooperate more often, but she truly had a mind of her own.

The battles I remember most were over her clothes, and...

Do you struggle to get your kids to listen?  A Mom at a recent workshop shared her frustration around her daughter not listening to her, and I could see other parents nodding their heads because they struggle with the same thing.

When parents are struggling with getting kids to listen, they are typically looking for tips and strategies for their kids.  As a coach, I know that how the parent responds to their...

When you ask your child to do something, do they respond by yelling?  I had a Mom tell me that her biggest issue is that her son’s first reaction to anything he doesn't like is to yell, and I can share that she is definitely not alone in this struggle.  

As a coach for parents that are struggling with kids that have BIG feelings, I hear many parents tell me that their kids are defiant, difficult,...

When your child isn’t listening or behaving as you would like, do you find yourself saying: 

If you don’t stop that you’re going to lose the iPad!
If you don’t listen, you can’t go on your playdate tomorrow. 

In my recent blog about threats, I shared how many parents end up using threats because they think their kids are out of control — but that’s not usually the...

Do you know what single parenting habit would make the biggest impact and help you remain more in control in every single difficult situation that arises with your kids?

The answer might surprise you because it’s so simple.  

The parenting habit that enables you to remain more in control is the PAUSE.

The pause is when you add space between whatever your child says or does, and your response.  That...

When your child is frustrated or upset, how do you typically respond?  If you’re like me, you typically try to help fix whatever is causing the frustration or you try to help them see it from a different perspective.  We just want to help, but unfortunately that approach can often backfire.

This happened with me and my daughter over her college schedule.  She had worked with her advisor to pick out...

In an average week, how much free time do your kids have to just play?  For many families and children, unstructured free time to play has decreased as practices, activities, lessons, and electronics have increased.  

As parents, we want what’s best for our kids and we think we are giving them a head start, but the research is telling a different story.  According to Boston College research...

Do you struggle to get your kids to help clean up after themselves?  Does the chaos and clutter that comes with young kids have you at your wits end?  A writer from the Redfin real estate and lifestyle blog reached out to me asking for tips on how to keep a clean house with kids recently, so know that you’re not alone!  

If you are a parent that has given up on the clutter or getting your kids...

Do you use threats to get your kids to behave?  If I ask parents how often they use threats, most don’t think they use threats all that often — but if I ask how often do you hear yourself saying “If you don’t sit down, we’re going to have to leave” or “If you don’t stop fighting, you’re both going to lose the iPad” they realize that they are using threats...

Do you stress over whether you’re doing the right thing as a parent?  In my recent live workshops, I had almost every parent asking questions about challenges they were having with their kids.  There were also quite a few parents that were looking for confirmation that they were doing the right thing.  

I could feel the stress and tightness in their shoulders, the boulder pressing on...

Do you have a child going through a tough time with a friend?  Learning how to navigate friendships can be hard for children, and heartbreaking for parents.  

At one of my recent workshops, there was a Mom whose 7-year-old was struggling with his long-time best friend.  Her son was coming home in tears, and she was in tears herself not knowing how to help.

I started by asking the Mom to check in...