For lots of parents, simple conversations can quickly escalate into a power struggle. As our kids start flexing their own muscles of independence, one of their developmental jobs is to find the outer boundaries of appropriate behavior. How far can I go? Who cares? This is especially true during key developmental windows (namely, the “terrible… Read More →
My daughter seems to be “dating” a different boy every few months. She is in high school and we have talked a lot about respectful relationships etc.. and she seems to be doing all this okay but she doesn’t seem to stay in relationships very long. Should I be worried? Thanks, Sue, Kentucky Sue, Most… Read More →
Even though you might anticipate some distancing while parenting teens, it is still not easy emotionally. My son Brian starting asking for a “divorce” from our family when he turned fourteen! He even started looking at apartment ads nearby and no doubt would have flown the coop if we had let him go. Loosen, but… Read More →
Just last week my (now grown) kids and I were looking through old photo albums. Brian and Erin couldn’t believe how chummy the two of them looked as little kids. There was hardly a picture where they didn’t have their arms around each other or their chubby little hands weren’t tightly clasped. Their sweet little… Read More →
At the end of a conversation with your teen, you might be hard pressed to identify the exact moment when it went from a calm, cool conversation to doors slamming. Depending on the day, talking with your teenager might feel like walking through a minefield blindfolded. There aren’t a ton of great models out there… Read More →
My daughter is 7 years old. She is having a hard time hearing the word “no”, and always has. My daughter frequently melts down and has a tantrum, yells etc. We do not back down, but constantly have to move into consequences, which result in the tantrum escalating, it is exhausting. We try to keep… Read More →
Hello! Is there any research that shows a time of day for learning, retention of information, and developing skills that is better than others? Are there certain groups of people that do better at certain times of the day or does it depend more so on the individual? At this facility, our morning classes are… Read More →
We are learning more and more about alcohol effects on young brains. This gives us more information to share with teens themselves and more scientific reasons to set clear limits and consequences around underage drinking. It also helps make clear why hosting drinking parties doesn’t do teens any favors! Alcohol and the brain Adults issue… Read More →
Does this sound familiar? You are driving your daughter and her two friends to a soccer game and the car is unusually quiet. They must be mentally preparing for the big game, you think. How nice. You maintain this illusion until you hit the first long red light at which point you glance into the… Read More →
I just wrote a post on the importance of face-to-face interaction for tweens. Here are a couple of ways to make sure you are striking a good balance between online and offline time: Make meal times screen free. This is a great time to start conversations about the day and connect with one another. Ask… Read More →
