Are You a Hypocritical Parent?

How to Avoid Being a Hypocritical Parent

You are your child’s first teacher.  You teach them to talk and walk, what to eat, how to read and how to bully other children.  Wait, what?  Children will do what they are taught and the most powerful parenting doesn’t come through a parent’s words, it comes through the behaviors of the parent. Children observe how the adults around them behave and they take on and repeat those behaviors, even when they have been instructed NOT to.  Lead by example.  If you don’t want them to hit, don’t hit.  If you don’t want them to curse, don’t curse.   If you don’t want them to quit, don’t quit.  If you want them to be kind to others, be kind to others. Teach them to rise above adversity, animosity and to have a positive outlook when things are bleak.  Don’t be a hypocrite.  So, are you a hypocritical parent?

6 Tips on How to Handle Power Struggles with your Children

How to Handle Power Struggles with Your Kids

Ways to Handle Power Struggles with Your Kids

All children love to engage parents in power struggles at one time or another, but they commonly end up being no-win situations as the parent and child each vie for power.

During power struggles with their children, parents usually feel angry, drained, and helpless, wondering if they are the only parents who can’t seem to control their child.

Tips for a Child’s First Cell Phone

With the holidays right around the corner, many parents may consider surprising their child with their first cell phone.  According to the Pew ­Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project,…

How to Handle Reluctant Learners

How to Handle Reluctant Learnes

Reluctant Learners: Keep your Son Engaged with Learning

Parents of boys are more aware than anyone when their bright, eager sons hit an invisible wall somewhere near fourth grade, after which they go from engaged to unengaged, discouraged, and disaffected. But as parents, we don’t always know what to do about that, and we hope the school will solve it. No! Let’s take back the power and pleasure of raising our boys, and figure out what we can do outside of school to help halt that potential slide down a slippery slope.

Ways to Get Kids to Help with Chores

Mom and daughter doing chores

How to Motivate Kids to Help with Chores

Expecting kids to never complain about helping out around the house is probably unrealistic. After all, adults experience days when lying in bed and watching television or reading a book is much more appealing than being productive. But trying to get your children to do chores like mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, cleaning their rooms or picking up toys does not have to be a battle every time. There are some strategies parents can adopt to help inspire children to want to take responsibility and complete chores around the house.

Helping Your Child Transition to Preschool

Child anxious about starting preschool

How to Make Easier for Your Child to Transition to Preschool

Is it just us or is summer flying by?! Before you know it, stores will line their shelves with pencils, binders, paper and all kinds of school supplies. Starting a new school year always comes with a lot of jitters and excitement! If your child is starting her first year in preschool this fall, there are a lot of changes about to happen in her world. Some children adapt almost seamlessly into new social settings because they thrive around new people and environments, but for others, new circumstances can be very stressful.

If your child is slow to warm up to new people and more cautious of her surroundings, then starting preschool may be a source of anxiety that she is dreading instead of celebrating. Consider the following ideas to help her make a smoother transition into the world of preschool.