What Great Parents Do: 75 Simple Strategies for Raising Kids Who Thrive by Erica Reischer, PhD resonates strongly with me because it's in line with both my belief in the importance of our own self-growth and my openness to continue learning how to be my best parent self. It's a helpful parenting book of bite-sized wisdom, easily digestible for parents of any age child. (Personally, I think I'm … [Read more...]
Advice for Parenting Teen Girls: Untangled
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. is a book that will give parents of teen girls hope, encouragement, and new parenting strategies. I'm recommending it to you if you are a parent of a teenage girl. The book is dense with stories and helpful advice based on Damour's knowledge and work as a psychologist for adolescents. Advice for … [Read more...]
How Danish Parenting Results in Happy, Confident Kids
The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Alexander and Iben Sandahl inspires me and I highly recommend it as an excellent resource for parents. Because why are the Danes always rated so happy and how does their parenting raise happy kids that become happy adults anyway? The authors, a Danish psychotherapist and a … [Read more...]
Review of Girls and Sex: Updated Sex Information and Education for Parents
I just finished reading Peggy Orenstein's book, Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape. Whoa. Parents, listen up. Whether you have a son or a daughter, you NEED to know what sexual life is like for your teenagers and college students. Moreover, we NEED (!) to help empower and support our kids through this intense, not-so-brave new world. Because it's a different game now. The … [Read more...]
Why You Should Teach Kids to Say No to Authority Figures
Believe it or not, we need to teach our kids not to be compliant without questioning. We must teach our kids to be respectful but to also be THINKERS who can stand up to authority figures and / or friends who are. This is essential for our children's safety! Did you know that after guide dogs are trained, they are also taught to disobey if the command is harmful? This is called Intelligence … [Read more...]
Whose Business Is This? How to Set Your Own Boundaries With Kids
She's stomping around and glaring. In case we miss how mad she is, her words are laced with contemptuous proof of anger, "I don't like bananas. I've already told you that! Do I need to say it louder so you'll understand?" Like a fountain splashing dirty water, her rage dumps onto me. And I react. With anger. I'm thinking How ungrateful! She's so rude! Her poor sister! I'm sick of this! … [Read more...]
Strengths Based Parenting From Gallup
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath was an important books in my life. I read it and took the assessment at an uncertain time in my career -- would I return to teaching or choose a different path? (You can read more about my discoveries and journey here.) Strengths Based Parenting Developing Your Children's Innate Talents From Gallup by Mary Reckmeyer, Ph.D. with Jennifer Robinson builds on the … [Read more...]
Our Gratitude Practice: Book of Awesome
This month we're building gratitude habit with a family activity: the "BOOK OF AWESOME". It's SO important to me that my children spend time in gratitude each day. Since gratitude is truly a daily practice much more than it is an attitude, I wanted to build in a new family way to find the good in every day. (Because maybe, just maybe, this will curb complaining!?) Our Family Gratitude … [Read more...]
Everything You Ought to Know About Self-Esteem (And Why You Shouldn’t Try To Improve It)
If you only read one book this year, read Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph.D. Not only did it nourish my own self-growth on so many levels, it helped me as a parent, particularly when thinking about self-esteem with my children. After reading this book, I'm no longer pondering how to improve my kids' self-esteem. In fact, I don't even care. Here's why. Self-esteem is more about … [Read more...]
Talking to Kids About Marijuana
I live in Colorado where marijuana is legal for adults 21 and over. (It's also legal in Washington but Washington has only a few stores where as Colorado has hundreds.) It's a heck of a lot easier to get pot here than most places. And that worries me -- not because my kids might use pot intentionally, but because they might accidentally use. So how do you talk to kids about … [Read more...]
Classroom Strategies for Sensory Processing Disorder
Despite the DSM's (poor) decision last year not to recognize Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) as a disorder, it exists. And it affects many of our children. (One of mine included!) Fortunately, in the classroom, more teachers are becoming aware of SPD and the unique needs of children who have it. So what are helpful classroom strategies teachers are using for students with SPD ? First, let's … [Read more...]
When White Kids Call Each Other the “N” Word
After reading a post on a (black) friend's Facebook page about his kids sharing that their white classmates call each other the "N" word, I asked my friend Karen DeGroot Carter to share her thoughts since her (biracial) kids go to that same school. Read what she thinks. Then, please comment to share your own thoughts! ~ Melissa When White Kids Call Each Other the “N” Word written by Karen … [Read more...]