Parenting
With roots in Adlerian Psychology, we have benefitted from generations of practical wisdom that has been supported in decades of subsequent research on parenting and family relationships. Family relationships are a crucible from which the personality and creativity of the child emerge. The parents' struggles are predictable, although they change slightly with the cultural shifts of each generation. This section of our webzine is an area for us to share some of the timeless practical wisdom we have gleaned from our teachers and clients.
All Parenting Posts
Is the Family Meal Worth the Work?
It is becoming common knowledge that the family meal is correlated with all kinds of ridiculously good things in child development. Here is a useful review of the research by the Washington Post, research that informs my foundational recommendations to parents who are frazzled by mealtime struggles. To claim all the good of this family […]
The most important thing you can do with your kids? Eat dinner with them.
Good for mind and body.
The perennial Fall topic that is well worth the attention it gets
The new school year is the childhood New Year with all the pristine hopes and excitement adults often bring to their January 1 celebrations and resolutions. Children are at their best in the fall, open and ripe for new routine and skills. With a little forethought and timing, children and families can find a new […]
Helpful tips to get your child back in a school year routine
Morning Hassles With Your Preschooler
Sick and tired of getting started on the wrong foot with the children in the morning? Tired of herding the children through the morning sequence – out of bed, dressed, fed, school supplies readied? If so, you are in good company. Some of the most common complaints I hear in my office are related to […]
Morning Routines
On page 78 is an old article on a timeless problem, the stressful morning routine in a family with children. In our community lectures series, this topic is one of the best attended. I estimate 90% of parents are starting their day with some level of resentment or conflict as they find themselves taking responsibility […]
Family Magazine October 2011
Breastfeeding Doll Stirs Up Controversy
This was a very interesting report by local news reviewing a controversy over children exposed to breast feeding and a doll that facilitated children’s play that included nursing their doll. Many are uncomfortable with children mimicking breast feeding because they think of breasts in terms of sexual development and eroticism rather than imaginative play with […]
Breastfeeding Doll Stirs Up Controversy
Hidden Hazard of Parenting Chronically Ill Children
If your child has a chronic and/or life-threatening illness, you’ve been forced into an awkward and harsh world of weighing risk factors and treatment-outcome odds at a level unfamiliar to most parents. And when you have a chance to catch your breath another discouraging statistic may creep into your view: your marriage is at higher […]
Encourage, Don’t Praise Your Child
We parents want to give or children high self-esteem and teach them to distinguish right from wrong. We’ve accepted the fact that too much criticism and punishment can breed resentment and is less effective than rewards. Our parenting culture now leans toward becoming children’s cheerleaders. We give trophies for non-competitive soccer games where there is […]
Natural and Logical Consequences
The Goal of using consequences is to help our children learn self-discipline by allowing them to make choices and to be responsible for the results of those choices.