Whenever I meet someone who is creative, artistic, or moving through life to the beat of a somewhat different drum, I wonder what it was like to be that person’s mother. Just in case you are, indeed, the parent of a child who might experience the world a bit differently …
Invite Your Creativity to Come Alive
Fifteen of the most important CEOs in America have stated that the most important skill for the leaders of our future is creativity. Did you get that? Not math skills….not getting A’s on tests…..but CREATIVITY! I read that statistic on the same day that I heard a report on CNN …
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 …
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, …
Choosing New Truths
Old Truth: The way to be successful is to do well in school. Sometimes I am shocked when I hear myself tell parents not to worry if their child is not bringing home A’s and B’s in school. I grew up with the mentality that if you do …
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 …
The Gift of Understanding
Have you ever savored a moment when you were understood and appreciated as a unique and precious human being? Do you remember how pleasant it felt not to have to please anyone or complete a task and just rejoice in the freedom of being yourself? With all the pressures of …
Lit With Joy
I can’t get this question out of my mind: “When your children walk into the room do your eyes light up with joy?” I work with so many parents and grandparents who search for ways to enrich their children’s self esteem. I usually suggest they stop noticing what the kids …
Ten Successful People Who Struggled In School
As the new school year quickly approaches many parents feel a knot in their stomach as they begin to worry about the challenges their kids will face. While many successful people were top students, there are famous intelligent, creative folks who struggled with the demands of school. They became some …
A Lesson About Fear
Fear can be paralyzing. It can insidiously creep into your mind and take over your body, making you doubt yourself, squash your joy and leave your dreams unfulfilled. Sometimes it appears with the force of a racket that is triggered by a catastrophic event, reeking havoc with daily reality. While …
Same Opportunity, Different Experience
I was sitting in the lounge area, waiting for my car to be washed when two moms walked in, each with a little boy. The children were about 3 years old. I could sense that a nugget was quickly developing. One mom was engaged in conversation with her child, explaining …
It’s All In Our Perception
I was taking my daily walk when I passed an elementary school playground with children at recess. “You’re lucky!” a young girl shouted to me. “Why do you say that?” I smiled back. “Because you’re free to take a walk and I’m stuck in school!” I thought that her perception …
Mind Chatter
You do not want your children to behave well because they fear you. You want them to make good choices because it feels good, because they want to and because they are in their own power when they do so. YOUR WORK is to shift the mind-chatter that takes their …