Kids don’t like to accept blame for their own actions, and some children take that to the extreme and blame everyone but themselves for their mistakes. This mother wants to stop playing the blame game with her son, but has had little luck in moving the needle. That’s when the Godfather Principle comes in handy. Q: My 5-year-old son regularly blames others for his own mistakes, and for anything that he doesn’t want to do. For example, this morning when... Read more
The following is an excerpt from my interview with Mark Perna on my podcast, You’ve Got This. Mark is the founder and CEO of TFS, a full-service strategic communications and consulting firm whose mission is to share and support every client’s passion for making a difference. As an international generational expert, Mark has devoted his career to empowering educators and employers to unleash the tremendous potential of today’s young people. Mark’s best practices have helped parents, schools, districts, businesses and... Read more
For some reason, hot cultural topics can be difficult for parents to navigate. This mom wants some guidance on how to talk to her children from a Christian perspective about gay marriage. Q: I’m looking for some guidance on how to talk to my young children (ages 6 and 9) about gay marriage. My kids just informed me that their art teacher is a girl who just married a girl. We are Christians and believe that marriage is only between... Read more
The following is an excerpt from my interview with John Rosemond on my podcast, You’ve Got This. John has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology. John holds a master’s in psychology degree from Western Illinois University, and remains licensed as a family psychologist in North Carolina. He devotes his time to speaking and writing. John is syndicated in approximately 225 newspapers nationwide. He has written 11 best-selling parenting books. He is also... Read more
When a child returns to a misbehavior, it’s wise for a parent to do a little detective work to figure out if there’s a concrete reason for the change. Q: Our son who is almost 5 went back to throwing tantrums and have started hitting on a few occasions again. We’re wondering if he’ll ever stop. We have put him back on the 30 sticker program with restrictions. I just need to clarify the restrictions for my son’s continual tantrums... Read more
The following is an excerpt from my interview with Kathy Kuhl on my podcast, You’ve Got This. Kathy offers creative solutions for parents teaching children with learning challenges. She provides parents resources, support, and insight. A veteran homeschooler and former teacher, she knows the help you need. After homeschooling her son (a creative, distractible dyslexic with great perseverance), Kathy interviewed 64 parents homeschooling students with learning disabilities. Then she wrote Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner, a handbook equipping parents to teach... Read more
All kids lie at some point, even good kids. But parents can use lying and stealing incidents to help children develop their budding consciences. Q: Last night, my 7 year old confessed that she had opened a package and eaten some candy with her 11-year-old sibling that morning at the store. I had no idea this had happened. I briefly discussed that was stealing and reminded her that she knows stealing is wrong. I did praise her for telling me... Read more
The following is an excerpt from my interview with Dr. Allison Buskirk-Cohen on my podcast, You’ve Got This. Dr. Allison Buskirk-Cohen is the chair of the Psychology Department at Delaware Valley University, where she primarily teaches courses on lifespan development. Allison’s research focuses on how interpersonal relationships influence well-being and academic success. She has presented at numerous academic conferences around the world. Allison’s work also has been published in peer-reviewed journals and advanced textbooks. Recently, she served as the editor... Read more
By Guest Blogger Dianne Barker After leaving a successful journalism career to be a stay-at-home mom, I continued writing and speaking at women’s events while giving my hubby and two children priority. Trying to balance simultaneous roles—wife, mother, mentor to young wives, writer, and conference speaker—I found myself being swept along by life, grasping for a rope to survive the swirling current. Our children grew, adding music lessons and other after-school activities. Desperate to keep up, I found three simple... Read more
The following is an excerpt from my interview with Dr. Nicole Beurkens on my podcast, You’ve Got This. A unique combination of psychologist, nutritionist, and special educator, Nicole has 22 years of experience supporting children, young adults and families. She is an expert in evaluating and treating a wide range of learning, mood, and behavior challenges including ADHD, autism, anxiety, mood disorders, brain injury, and sensory processing disorder. Nicole holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, master’s degrees in Special Education... Read more
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