Every holiday season, I tell myself that I’m going to get Christmas shopping done early so I can focus on spending quality time with my family. Sound familiar? It doesn’t always happen, but I’ve found that setting an intention to create rituals that support that goal is helpful. It’s easy to lose sight of the spirit of Christmas (or Hanukkah) when our to-do and shopping lists devour our time, energy, and pocketbooks.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

A woman came to me with a caring question on how to alleviate the stress of a major move with small children. She had a friend in the midst of moving who had a 3-year-old son in tow and had been acting out a lot. She asked, "Do you have any suggestions that might help make their move easier?"

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Parents often tell me they don't understand why their preteens react over "nothing" or why their teens are so disrespectful and "in your face." Teenage emotions run the gamut. They can range from elation to depression, from giddiness to gloom, from sullenness to intense anger, and quickly from pouting to a blowup. So how does a parent help a teen deal with their emotions effectively?

Teaching emotional intelligence to teens is a monumental task given their raging hormones, a brain still under construction, school pressures, peer influence, cultural mixed messages, and tech addiction. It's no [...]

A common power struggle for parents of toddlers is getting them  into their car seat, especially when the parent is in a rush—or with strong willed children.

One parent of a two-year-old daughter in my parenting class said that every time she tried to put her daughter in her car seat, she kicked and screamed. Sometimes she cried the entire trip to the daycare!Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Father’s Day is a reoccurring tribute to dads—important for children and families. Recently, as I passed the gift section in Barnes & Noble, I was reminded of my favorite gift to my own father as a teenager—a handmade perpetual calendar. I wrote quips and quotes (specially selected for my dad) on blank index cards and meticulously decorated each one. Then I carefully laminated them with clear contact paper and mounted them on a Rolodex. It was fun for the first 198 days or so, but 365!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Parents yell and lose their patience, after all, they're human. However, many parents make it all the way through adulthood without yelling—until a toddler willfully says no, a 4-year-old refuses to put on his shoes, or a teenager worries them after missing their curfew.

Positive parenting begins with self-care, yet even when we take good care of ourselves as parents, children can throw some doozy curve balls. That's when parenting skills come in handy!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In the summer, families head to city pools and lakes; water sports are always at the top of family fun. And with each season, water safety must stay top of mind. One of the vulnerabilities around the water is in the use of water wings, infant inner tubes, and toddler life jackets. They have become commonplace but are often a misinformed way of keeping our little ones safe.

We need to put water wings (and other inflatables) in proper perspective. One of the biggest problems is that parents believe their children are safe in water wings, so they let down their guard. I even saw a parent at [...]

Toddler behavior is one of the most delightful yet sometimes infuriating experiences of all time. Parenting a toddler with limits yet without squelching their vital energy and spirit requires a combination of skill, patience, and love. And toddler behavior problems tire even the best of parents!

So what is normal toddler behavior? As a new mom or even for a veteran mom, how do you know what is healthy autonomy sprouting? And how do you redirect a child's behavior compassionately, though firmly? Keep reading to learn tips for redirecting children's behavior and increase more parenting ease and [...]

Saying that teenage rebellion is natural is like saying that girls are incapable of academic excellence because they are too emotional. As a culture, we have come to accept and expect rebellion in our teenagers. I would like to challenge that sense of inevitability and lend some understanding and encouragement on the subject.Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Most parents are aware that their children are developing cognitively at an amazing rate. However, in our busy and hectic lives, it's way too easy to turn on cartoons or a movie for our children as a much-needed babysitter.

Do you know how to meet the needs of the different stages of cognitive development? Do you understand just how crucial your engagement with your children is and how everything you say and do is downloaded in the first six years? Being a conscious parent requires us to provide an environment that nurtures and challenges our children. This environment includes parental [...]