How Our Reactions to Kids' Misbehavior Steers Their Future Outbursts
The way in which we react to this irritating behavior can influence how our kids learn to regulate their own emotions and behavior in the future.
What a Hostage Negotiator Can Teach Us About Parenting
Most of us will never be in a situation where someone's life is on the line, but knowing how to apply negotiation skills can make daily interactions easier.
My Dog Is Potty Training My Daughter
My daughter has been much more interested in the bathroom use of our Boston Terrier, Judith Weiland, than anyone else in our home.
8 Parenting Lessons From the Dutch on Raising Happy and Resilient Kids
Each culture has its own unique strengths and beautiful ways of living life, and parenting is no exception.
Could Attention Seeking Be Connection Seeking?
The term "attention seeking" generally refers to unwanted and demanding behaviors. When children seek attention, they are seeking connection and validation.
Want to Raise a Capable, Independent Kid? Say Yes to the Mess
Giving your kid free reign of the kitchen may mean spilled milk, dropped eggs and a few mini-catastrophes. But it's well worth the mess.
How Janet Lansbury Made Me a Confident Father
From Janet Lansbury's books, to blogs, to podcasts, I've found her to be my best parenting resource.
Why My Son’s Fear of Failure Terrifies Me, and What I’m Doing About It
This is what I want for my kids: that they believe in themselves, push past their fears, and never feel afraid of making mistakes (if that’s even possible).
The Real Reason My Biracial Son Has Long Hair
Not because I want to control him, but because it’s the one thing to which I’ve hitched the illusion that I can control the way people see him.
Santa Cares: A Holiday Life Saver for Parents of Kids With Special Needs
We got in line early for Santa. We decided to try him out again, this time in a comfortable and familiar environment: the nursery school Christmas party. Our daughter knew everyone in line, and alt...
5 Kid Behaviors Adults Could Learn to Do Better
Adults are always telling kids how to behave. But there are times when kids do things way better than we can.
Kids Waiting to be Adopted Don’t Need Super Heroes
Adoption is special but it is not unreachable. It takes real, everyday people.
These 5 Words Help Me Be a Better Parent
This is a submission in our monthly contest. November’s theme is Gratitude. For years now I've been asking my eight-year-old daughter, Lexi, the same question before we say goodnight: What are you ...
Generations of Tea Remembrances
As I watch my daughter drink tea with her daughter, I’m grateful that this tea ritual I learned from my mother is passed on to my daughter to make her own.
What is the Bechdel Test and How Many of Your Kids' Favorite Movies Pass it?
Whether you're raising daughters or sons, you should know what the Bechdel Test is and how it applies to your life and your children's lives.
What to Say When Everything Is Not Going to Be Okay
Am I doing my kids a disservice by always promising that everything will be okay, when very likely it sometimes won't be?
Yes, Your 5-Year-Old Understands Charity, Believe it or Not
At what age do children begin to understand and act on the concept of charity? A recent study tackled just this question.
Why Lullabies Work, According to the Experts
As much as I’d like to think I have magical singing abilities, I know that there’s much more to the science of lullabies.
Parenting Teenagers: The Wall and the Mason
The "Be a Wall" movement stems from the fact that being a teenaged girl sucks almost as much as trying to figure out how to raise one.
5 Things You Need to Know Before You Can Change Your Kid's Behavior
Before we can hope to change our kid’s behavior, we need to be aware of five things that explain why children act the way they do.
How to Help Your Kids Find Their Place in the World
It’s not enough to pick a college major simply because that was your best subject in high school.
5 Ways to Get Your Kids Focusing on Giving Rather Than Getting This Season
This is a submission in our monthly contest. November’s theme is Gratitude. Halloween wasn’t even over when our mailbox was getting stuffed with holiday catalogs. Before I could blink the kids were...
An Overprotective Parent Asks, "When Do You Know It's Time to Step in?"
Yep, I am one of those: I am an overprotective parent.
Why I Love TV Time With My Kids
Sometimes there aren’t two hours in the day for a family bike ride. But there are 30 minutes to watch a show and lazily connect with one another.