The Illusion of Power

Each of us experiences thoughts and emotions that trigger us to disconnect from our sense of balance and clarity. Most parents believe that it is their children’s behavior that is responsible for the way they think and feel. This illusion gives all the power for our happiness over to our …

10 Best Practices for Encouraging Positive Behavior

  1. Set up consistent, predictable routines. Be careful not to confuse this with being rigid. You are aiming for a safe and nurturing environment where children know what to expect.   2. Have clear, consistent, age appropriate expectations. Children will push, test and manipulate when boundaries are inconsistent or …

Flashes of Connectedness

Parents often brush their child’s cries for validation of their worth aside. Adults are so focused on their own issues that they forget to appreciate the essence of the child’s perceptions. They can become so consumed with the pressures of modern living, earning money, and getting their own needs met …

Ditch the But

One of the quickest ways to ‘kill’ a relationship is to utter these three words: “I understand but…” To say that you understand how another feels, thinks or perceives and to follow it with an immediate ‘but’ is to erase any of the connections that come from understanding. A true …

You Can Control How You Feel

“You cannot change a circumstance but you can control the way you feel about it.” This message has been coming to me over and over again in recent days. It has become one of my daily mantras. It is fuel for personal empowerment. For most of us it is natural …

Perspective

Most disagreements and misunderstandings come from different perspectives. We each experience life through our own unique filtering system and what appears to be absolute truth to one person may take on a totally different view to someone else. It is only natural that we will have different points of view. …

Parents Must Model Wanted Behavior

When children feel threatened their ‘lower’ brain immediately responds with a fight, flight or freeze reaction. It is vital that parents not take these responses personally. When your child runs away from you, fights back or just gives you a blank stare it is an indication that their lower brain …

5 Tips to Help Children Master Self-control

What do impulsivity, self-discipline and willpower have in common? They often require a conscious decision to delay gratification and for many people, that is a real challenge. Here are five strategies you can begin practicing immediately that can help your children experience success with delayed gratification:   1. Make Waiting …

The Remedy for “TGF” (Taken for Granted)

Ah; how many times has a parent felt taken for granted?  Children seem to just expect that laundry will be done, food will be prepared, they will be chauffeured to activities and the ‘stuff’ of daily living will be taken care of…. The remedy for TFG is awareness, consciousness and …

Is Your Child An Empath?

Children who are labeled as ‘highly sensitive,’ ‘intense reactors,’ or ‘overly emotional,’ may actually be empaths. Parents who have never experienced what it feels like to take in the overload of energy that constantly surrounds us are likely to misunderstand their empathic child’s behavior. In the same way that we …

Getting Kids to Talk

Parents often lament that their children don’t talk to them and when they do they give one word answers, “Fine.” “Nothing.” When children are little they jabber freely, sharing their thoughts, questions, desires, needs, feelings and vivid imaginations. Many times adults meet this outpouring of their inner world with condescendence, …

Who We Be

Powerful parenting is not about what we ‘do’~ but who we ‘be.’ Since humans are not machines, the answers to children’s behavior do not come from a manual with specific instructions. We are human be-ings and our parenting genius must come from learning how to be: be-coming our own authentic …

Our Inner Little Girl

We still carry our little girls around inside of us and our physical, emotional and spiritual history sometimes gets in the way of being the mother we dreamed of being. Moms are just little girls who grew into a bigger body. Becoming a mom is a rite of passage that …

Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are obstacles to attracting and manifesting what we want. They color our perceptions and can render us powerless. Our behavior and reactions stem from an unconscious set of truths that are very powerful and, ultimately, determine our parenting style. Many limiting beliefs sound like this: “I’m not good …

Successful Parenting

Successful parents are willing~ Willing to look inward… Willing to wonder… Willing to try new approaches… Willing to think new thoughts… Willing to take things less personally… Willing to forgive… Willing to let go… Willing to shift limiting beliefs…  

Natural and Logical Consequences

We all make choices and engage in behavior that creates the next experience. Consequences should not be used as punishments~ They need to be: • Naturally or Logically connected to the behavior • Known in advance when possible • Given in a firm but calm voice • Easy to apply and …

Judgement to Joy

We were sitting in a restaurant when I noticed the young couple in the corner. They were snuggling and kissing and just plain lovin’ each other. My initial thought was that it seemed inappropriate, but I realized if I stopped judging I would free myself to enjoy their sweet energy. …

Getting Them to Talk

Parents sometimes lament that their children don’t talk to them and when they do they give one word answers, “Fine.” “Nothing.” When children are little they jabber freely, sharing their thoughts, questions, desires, needs, feelings and vivid imaginations. Many times adults meet this outpouring of their inner world with condescendence, …