It is a growing trend today that more and more adult children live with their parents instead of leading independent lives. In 2020, a record number of adult children returned home to live with their parents. Of course, it was understandable, given the circumstances of the pandemic and the unprecedented job losses and business closures. However, jobs are plentiful now, and yet Pew Research Center reports that in July of 2022, half of adults ages 18-29 lived with one or both of their parents.

Given this trend, what parental support is helpful, and what stifles independence, resiliency, and [...]

The holidays can be a trying time, even if you love all the celebrations and socializing that accompany them. This year (and every year afterward), it’s a good idea to shift gears mentally and focus inwardly on reducing stress and being happy.

This shift is where mindfulness comes in.

Estimated reading time: 4.5 minutes

Kids love to contribute to the holiday decorating process, and it’s even more fun and meaningful if their involvement is about creating, not just hanging store-bought ornaments throughout your living spaces.

There are lots of engaging projects to try with your children during the festive season, so why not plan a crafting session with a few of the following ideas so that this Christmas is extra-special?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Watching children grow and develop is as rewarding as it is fascinating. Children are like little sponges, soaking up information and discovering all they can learn about their environment.

Within a family, parents, siblings, and grandparents all play a significant role and greatly impact a child’s emotional development. However, they are not the only influence on children at home. Growing up with a pet can positively impact early childhood development and help establish healthy emotional regulation and mental health in children.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Parenting is hard work. But when we're critical of ourselves and have a lot of negative self-talk, it can become downright discouraging. Maybe, you're even feeling burned out as a parent. In that parenting exhaustion, have you ever thought to yourself, "I'm really a bad mom!"?

With this full-time, never-let-up job, it's easy to slip into feeling overwhelmed. Many of today's parents live thousands of miles away from grandparents and extended family, which was a major support in earlier times. So how do you parent consciously, keep a work-life balance, and create a fun-loving, happy family, [...]

Einstein once said, “not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” Money is heavily pedestalled these days, and it’s essential to teach your kids a balance between financial literacy, social responsibility, and emotional intelligence (EQ) when exploring life lessons with money. The goal is to prepare your children to create a healthy, happy, and successful future while teaching them to be responsible, empathetic human beings.

Yet, it’s not always easy as a parent to keep long-term values in mind when faced with the demands of everyday life. So, [...]

When or if your teenager starts to act out and rebel, it can be difficult to know what to do as a parent. You can feel like you're losing control of your teen when dealing with teenage rebellion and disrespect.

It’s true, teens sometimes engage in risky behaviors that terrify their parents, so your concern is justified. However, many parents overreact by immediately taking away their smartphones or grounding their teen “for a year!” These reactions can backfire by increasing oppositional behavior or creating ruptures in your relationship.

So, how do you best support and help your teenager [...]

Have you ever asked yourself as a parent, "What does a normal teenager act like?" Teenage rebellion and defiance are common challenges that parents often navigate. On top of teenage push-back are social media and smartphones competing with the teen-parent connection. (Or shall I say "screen addiction"?) As a parent coach and parenting instructor, I get scores of S.O.S. calls from parents. Many parents are fearful and remark, "Where did my 'sweet child' go?!"

So is teen rebellion normal? And what is dramatically outside the realm of healthy development and accompanying behaviors? Let's [...]