I have a fear, and I don’t believe there is a medical term for it yet. Although it most likely exists among other childrearing folks. It’s the fear of placing my kids in public situations, such as restaurants, weddings, airplanes, and holiday parties, even if they say they are the “kid-friendly” kind.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Children's behavior can be frustrating and challenging for parents. However, with a few parenting skills and a little insight, you can learn to redirect your child's behavior lovingly and firmly. I did just that.

When my son was a toddler, I can vividly recall taking him to an open gym event in my town. These events were set up by a local parenting support group to give parents an opportunity to get out of the house, with children in tow. The kids could play, run around, socialize in a new space, which was a lifesaver for me during the cold Montana months.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Are you ready for the unexpected? Do you have the resilience needed to handle life's bumps and curveballs calmly?

One of the most valuable EQ skills of all is resiliency. Developing this emotional intelligence skill will positively change your life!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Everyone is familiar with the 19th-century fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As you remember, in this story the queen boldly asks her mirror, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" She is outraged when the mirror answers that her stepdaughter Snow White is the fairest, and the queen sets out to destroy Snow White.

Wouldn't it be great to have a mirror that would answer your life questions?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Every day presents us with dozens of challenges to our inner peace and emotional well-being. At any moment, the unexpected can disrupt our lives. Some situations only tug at our hearts, while others can quickly trigger us to react in anger and upset. Whether we're faced with an irate boss, a tired and crabby spouse, or a whining child, our response determines the outcome of all communication. 

Estimated reading: 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

While attending my son's football game, I observed an impatient mother. Before the game, we stopped and filled up at a local gas station. As I was waiting to use the restroom, a mother and her two young girls were coming out. The mother held the door wide open while waiting for her oldest daughter, who was meticulously washing her hands. She bombarded her with "Hurry! Hurry!" then turned to me and said: "Kids! They have no sense of hurry!”  

Yep, rushing and stressing—moments we've all experienced, right?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Anger is misunderstood and underappreciated! Most people don't like anger, even angry people say they wish they didn't feel angry so much. Many people are afraid of anger, so they try their best to hold in their anger and heroically avoid making anyone else angry.

There are many unhealthy ways we deal with anger: we dodge it, judge it, repress it, disown it, cloak it, reject it, or lash out at others. And being on the receiving end of anger is intense and often feels threatening.

Why do we dislike anger so much? Why do so many people need anger management? And how can we express anger in [...]

How often do you actually stop what you’re doing and look someone in the eye when they’re talking to you, truly listening to every word? I’m betting, if you’re anything like me, with very little free time and little kids running around your house, that it’s not very often. Here are some common scenarios for me:

My first grader is tugging at my jeans and telling a story while I’m chopping some vegetables and asking the other one to get off the dining room table. I can barely hear what the story was even about. “Oh, that sounds cool,” I say pretending I caught it all.

Why is it so difficult for people to ask for help? Is it because we associate asking for help with vulnerability, with being weak, with not being enough?

Everyone's experience is unique, but vulnerability doesn't come easy for many people. It requires courage!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes