Do you find that when your kids complain about something or share something that didn’t go well your first instinct is to help them find a solution or at least a positive perspective?  I’ve had a lot of those moments myself lately, so I’ve been able to see how my responses affect whether I’m able to stay connected to my kids or if they end up more frustrated and then distance themselves. I...

As parents we all know that reading to our children is important, but did you know that you can help your child develop empathy for others and learn other lessons through reading?  Studies have been done with children as young as 18-24 months, finding that parents were able to help teach their children about helping and sharing through reading.  To teach your kids to help and share through reading, the key...

Is your child excited about the upcoming school year, are they a bundle of nerves, or are they dreading going back to school?  I have a first-time college-bound teen experiencing a mix of emotions so it’s possible that you might have that too. Your child could be excited to see friends, but nervous about a new teacher, new sport or activities, or having schoolwork and homework again.

As parents, we can...

Is your child nervous about going back to school?  Even when kids are excited, each year brings some new unknowns which can cause some anxiety.  How we guide our kids through that anxiety is key, and is an area that I address with every parent that I coach.

I invite you to take a minute and think about your typical response when your child is hesitant of facing a new situation.  Is your first...

Do you find that your kids start to act irrationally in the weeks leading up to a major change or transition?  If your child starts to react or blow up over seemingly small things that aren’t typically a problem before an upcoming change — and you’re left wondering what in the world has gotten into them —  know that it’s completely normal and nothing has gone wrong.

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Do you think your parenting partner is too strict, or too lenient?  We all have opinions about the best way to parent, and it’s not uncommon to disagree with our partners about how to raise and discipline our kids.  But we can run into a problem when we are parenting in response to our partner, spouse, or co-parent — and then end up too far in the opposite direction.

This was an issue that I...

As a parent, do you spend more time focused on your child’s negative behavior that concerns you — or do you focus on helping your child develop skills that will help them thrive?  If you’re like most parents I coach (myself included!), you tend to focus on what you want your kids to stop or what you think they need to improve.

Before you have any self-recriminating thoughts, know that there is...

How often do you appreciate your efforts and celebrate yourself as a parent, or as a human?  If you’re like most of my clients, you spend a great deal more of your time looking at what you’re doing wrong or where you’re not measuring up than you do celebrating and appreciating yourself for all that you give and do.

We celebrate so much for our children when they are little — learning...

When your child is upset and experiencing big feelings, is your first instinct to solve the problem that is making them upset?  If you’re like most parents (me included!), you want to know what the problem is to see if you can help get it resolved and calm down your child.

So if your child got upset because their balloon popped, you are likely to want to get them another balloon right away.  That seems...

It’s summer and vacation time!  How are you envisioning your family vacation? I don’t know about you, but I always had visions of fun family times together with happy and grateful kids.  Unfortunately, my dreams of vacation never matched my reality.  As the vacation went on, my kids fell apart, and I couldn’t wait for it to end.

I was coaching a mom recently whose family had gone on...

Are you a parent that looks forward to summer and your kids being out of school, or does the lack of routine or change in schedule fill you with overwhelm or even dread?  In full transparency, I was one of the latter.  The end of the school year was always bittersweet.  Yes, it was nice to have a break from the early morning routine of getting the kids ready, lunches made, and making it to the bus on...

I connected with two of my child therapist friends this past week, and I took the opportunity to ask them what they want parents to know right now.  They both had similar answers but one rose to the top.  As child therapists, they wish parents would relax and stop catastrophizing.

Phones are ringing off the hook for child therapists everywhere — my friends included.  Parents are anxious and scared,...