: North Texas Kids : Your family guide to raising happy, healthy kids

National Car Seat Check Saturday Sept. 21st

Keeping Kids Safe in Car Seats

During Child Passenger Safety Week (September 15-21, 2013) many communities will have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to provide free, hands-on, car seat education and inspections. The week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on September 21, when certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be available at car seat events across the country to offer advice and instruction. To locate a car seat inspection station near you, click here.

Yelling at Your Teen Doesn’t Help

What Yelling Yields: The Truth About how it Impacts Your Teens

There is much buzz about a recent study that concluded that yelling at teens yields little benefit. Specifically the study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and University of Michigan, found that the teens of parents who reported using verbal aggression to discipline were more prone to symptoms of depression and problem behaviors including lying and fighting. The study highlighted that the verbal aggression parents displayed during altercations with their teens had a strong negative impact on teens. These effects were not moderated by displays of warmth and support by parents at times when parents and teens were not in conflict.

Physical and Emotional Health: The Best Gift for Our Children

Dealing with Suppressed Emotional Issues Helps Us be Better Parents

by Amy Egan

I love working with parents on their quests to better relationships with their children, more harmony within their families and more joy in parenting. There are many aspects to reaching these goals such as feeling comfortable saying ‘no’, allowing kids to make mistakes, listening and validating kids’ feelings, realizing you as parent are not responsible for fixing their problems, loving children no matter how happy or sad they make their lives, being truly present with them, etc. But there is another aspect that I realize I’ve not given ample focus. The aspect of getting healthy, yourself, is vital to a child’s well being. Of course, this means physical health, but it also very much means emotional health. A parent who has inner turmoil – issues not dealt with such as, suppressed anger, addiction or emotional scars, will parent their child from a clouded perspective. A parent who is emotionally unhealthy is far more likely to under react or over react to children’s issues and behaviors throughout their lives.

You are NOT the Boss of Me!

Being Firm but Not Controlling with Your Kids

Guest Post by Dena Soliman, co-owner of Kids ‘R’ Kids of West Allen

Recently I heard the neighbor’s young child turn and say defiantly to her mother: “You’re not the boss of me!” I hid a smile as I thought back to the many occasions I have heard that same phrase from countless preschoolers, often four-year-olds, who chafe under the restrictions of adults.

How Kids Process Feelings

Understanding How Your Children Process Feelings

by Amy Egan

I am extremely fortunate to co-lead life coaching groups for women with a dear friend and fellow life coach. Not only is the power of the group amazing and not only do the members learn from the coaches and from each other but we coaches also learn from the members and from the other coach. So what I am going to write about today is something I learned from my fellow coach, Robin.

“Sue”, a mother in one of our groups was bemoaning the fact that her thirteen year old daughter, “Kelly” seemed to share aloud many of her emotions, ideas, worries, hurts and disappointments. It seemed to Sue that he daughter was attempting to download her every thought upon her mother or anyone else who may be in ear-shot and it was driving this mother crazy. It was especially difficult for Sue when her daughter was upset about something.

Happy Parents and Kids: Free Parenting Telesummit

Free Parenting Telesummit: Tools and Strategies on Raising Happy, Inspired Kids

Ongoing through end of August

by Minette Riordan

Would you like to feel happier? Would you like to have happier children? Could you benefit from spending 45 minutes learning from the top experts in the world on happiness and parenting?

Back to School Shopping: Clothes that May be ‘Too Old’

Back to School Shopping ‘What Not to Wear’

by Ageleke Zapis

I remember back to school shopping with my mom as clear as any childhood memory. Like many things from the way back machine, it was a rose-colored PG-rated experience, another thing from America’s kinder, gentle and long-gone past.

My mother and I always shopped at the May Company for my school wardrobe. Together we’d pick out a couple pair of jeans and pants, couple tops, skirts, a couple of dresses for church and a few pairs of shoes. It was all relatively basic clothing, no “fashionista” here. My options consisted of what color T-shirts I wanted, as opposed to today’s lipstick wearing little ones. Though I’m all for letting kids experiment with clothing, buying children’s clothes for school has changed dramatically. The choices can be overwhelming so as a public service I’ve developed some rules to follow when back-to-school shopping, to help steer parents clear from “7 going on 22 Day” at school.