How should a parent react when a child or teen wants to quit a sport, activity, class, or friendship? When my daughters were in kindergarten and first grade, they begged me to take dance lessons. For several months, all they talked about was learning to dance. So I found a local studio that offered classes around the same time (and allowed for monthly signups), plus a place for me to wait with my toddler and baby. I bought them tap... Read more
How can we help children and teens see the best, not the worst, in others? We often misinterpret the actions of others, putting a negative spin on scenarios that meant in that way at all. When we’re deciphering what other people do, having a more positive interpretation of their actions can make the world a little bit brighter for them—and for us. In this week’s video blog, I discuss eight ways parents can guide their kids to view others in... Read more
In raising 10 kids—including a set of fraternal and a set of identical twins—Lynda Satre has learned a thing or two along the way. She is a former pediatric RN, who has experienced having children in her 20s, 30s and 40s. For the past five years, she has transformed families through her local parenting classes, and has a new book, Parenting Sensibly: Turning Messes Into Successes. Her mission is to help others by sharing wisdom acquired while navigating this imperfect,... Read more
Studies have found that parents who overpraise are raising narcissistic children. In this week’s video blog, I give ways that parents can keep narcissism at bay in our children by avoiding overusing praise–and how you should encourage and compliment your children instead. For a written version of this blog, read “7 ways to nip narcissism in the bud” from the Washington Post. Join me and other parent coaches during a free Facebook party on Friday, April 27, from 6... Read more
I have a confession: I can laser focus on the negative and overlook the positive. At times, in my heart of hearts, I’m accentuating the negative and zooming in on the impossibilities. When it comes to my kids, that means I can easily slip into an overly critical mode, hyper-focused on what the child is doing wrong rather than being supportive to help the child do right. This can include worrying more about outward compliance than nurturing a child’s inward... Read more
When a child feels slighted or cheated out of things, it can be difficult for a parent to know how to respond. In this week’s video blog, I address concrete things parents can do both to stop the complaining and to help the child reorient his or her heart. Join me and other parent coaches during a free Facebook party on Friday, April 27, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time to discuss transitions and any issues you face... Read more
Author Jamie Sumner encourages women to find freedom from the often unrealistic expectations of motherhood in her new book, Unbound. Women, especially Christian women, don’t talk enough about the reality of motherhood—the enormous struggles it often takes to get there, the loneliness of being a mom, the unspoken or unmet expectations that come from parenting. Blogger and special-needs mom Jamie Sumner gets that, and she recently shared with me her thoughts about being a mom and her new book, Unbound:... Read more
We often make our lives as parents harder than it needs to be. In this week’s video blog, I offer five simple ways to make your life as a parent easier. I’ll talk about developing a parental vision, encouraging independence in our kids, disconnecting from technology to connect with our kids, why we should stop playing “Parent Detective,” and how to use Alpha Speech to cut down on arguments. Join me and other parent coaches during a free Facebook... Read more
As Christian parents, we often struggle when our kids show an unrepentant heart. After all, we’re doing our part to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:4). But the questions that keep us awake at night, the questions that tear at our heart, the questions we sometimes don’t dare to utter to other believers center around having a child who refuses to repent of his or her sin. What can we as parents do... Read more
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