A study at Harvard University shows that a loving parental relation is the strongest predictor of a child’s future success. I recently reread the parenting book, “The Power of Showing Up” by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson. They suggest that having positive connections with our kids are key factors in raising happy, fulfilled & successful kids. The authors state that “It’s ...
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How do we model resilience?
School is back in person and most kids & families have settled back into their old routines. Covid is here for at least the foreseeable future & what will matter most is how we learn to live with and adapt to adversity. These are tests of our resilience. Never has resilience been more necessary than in this last year and a half of our lives. Resilience has become the buzzword of late. ...
It’s Back to School Time!
September always symbolizes “Back to School. . There’s great anticipation and excitement about the new school year...New teachers, a new crew of kids in the class, new class schedules & whether your kids admit it or not, they’re mostly excited about getting back to “learning." Perhaps, not the homework, tests and studying that go with it! But, for parents “back to school” symbolizes your ...
It’s time to recharge before the school year begins!
Happy August! It’s a great time to relax & recharge before the demands of fall. Take time for yourself this month and do things you really enjoy. I grew up in the suburbs of New York when childhood was more free & parents didn’t micromanage our whereabouts. I remember my parents saying, “Go outside, ride your bicycle, read a book”. I would meet up with my friends in the neighborhood and ...
Letting Go & Holding on. How do we Strike a Balance?
Recently, I had the privilege of conducting a workshop with a group of moms whose children just graduated from elementary school. All the moms who attended were talking about this beautiful day and how they were overcome with emotion and pride. There were celebrations with family, graduation parties with friends, lawn signs and balloons. Graduations are so monumental for parents. Parents are ...
Finding Balance for Kids this Summer
This month we celebrate dads. Father's Day is a celebration of fathers, honoring fatherhood, paternal bonds and the role fathers play in society. Dad’s often get relegated to 2nd tier status compared to mothers, so why not honor all of our dads and father figures on this day. Help your children celebrate their fathers through homemade cards, helping out with household chores for the day, or doing ...
Celebrating moms in May
In May we celebrate Moms... Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. May also has its roots and meaning coming from the Roman word, Maia; a goddess of fertility and spring. April showers really do bring spring flowers from the seeds that are sown months earlier. This made me think of what we ...
Parenting – A Spring Renewal!
Spring is finally here. The days stay lighter longer, the weather is getting warmer and the trees and flowers are starting to bloom. The advent of spring brings a sense of renewal; optimism is emerging. This was possibly the toughest year for parents. We were challenged in ways that were anything but typical; working & living in the bubbles of our homes with our children. For many of us who’s ...
Women’s History Month and Celebrating Moms
This month we celebrate women & that means we celebrate moms! Many moms were having a hard time juggling it all before the pandemic. Now they can't send their kids to school while they work. There are no playdates to help burn off energy. They've lost the network of family and friends who can help out. And they're expected to supervise remote learning while working at their jobs. All moms ...
February Parent Tips: What has the pandemic taught us as parents?
What has Covid taught us about parenting? What have we learned in this last year of “quarantine”? You know the expression we make our own luck? Well, we must make our own “good” too. This is something I read from a young middle schooler (a very wise young person)! What has the pandemic taught us as parents? Maybe we learned to slow down. Before Covid, were your children’s lives overly ...
