Q: My 7-year-old daughter keeps asking for her best friend to sleepover. We know the girl and her family quite well, and the girls really have a great time playing together. My daughter has had cousins to stay, and one
A parent I was working with once said, “My child would still want more from me if I was watching over her and doing nothing else for 24 hours per day!” What parent doesn’t feel that way?! Children have a
Why do you aim to do better in your parenting, and then fail… First off, let’s get one thing straight. You are never failing. Never. Parenting is a work of practice. And it’s ok when you veer off track from
A Guest Post By Rebecca Eanes Before my children were born, I had a pretty predictable daily flow. Eating, sleeping, showering – these were done on my terms and in my own time. I enjoyed hobbies, date nights with my
“Help! My son has big issues getting dressed. I’ve tried making it funny, using imitation. He laughs, but there is still so much resistance. What can I do?” she asked.
We know that grandparents can make a huge difference in the lives of their grandchildren. They can be another ear to listen. A teacher, a carer. Someone to share different ideas and viewpoints. They can be a key source of
Guest Post By Alissa Marquess When my three kids are getting along, helping each other and playing nicely together, I feel a sense of peace. Usually, not long after this, I hear screaming from the other room and then one
When he was four years old, mom Laura Minnigerode and her son set aside time to play each morning one on one, as a way to encourage connection. This devoted “Special Time” happened most days once his two older
A Guest Post by Yasmeen Almahdy If you want to set limits that your children actually listen to, doing what your parents did will not help. That is, if they yelled, nagged, bribed or sent you to your room for
Do you find your children’s behaviour triggers you to react in ways that are out of character with the parent you thought you would be? You work hard to parent with respect and empathy yet there are times this can
It’s a new morning, and your child is grumpy and refuses to get out of bed. “You’re so mean!” your child shouts as you tell her it’s time to get up. “I hate you!” These words seem made to rile
A guest post by Irina Nichifiriuc Read this post in Romanian In our house, I faced a series of “battles” and obstacles every night as the day wore on towards bedtime. With three children, I found that the task of
My son is diagnosed with sensory issues so getting dressed is a daily challenge for all the family. One morning, I wanted to take the kids out for a walk, so we could have some quality time. My daughter was
Dear Hand in Hand, I recently found out about your approach, and I really want to try some of these ideas. I have started Special Time, and it seems to be going well, but I’m confused about Setting Limits. You
You’ve had a hard day and you walk through the door, ready to see your child and find out what you missed. Except that when you walk into your home, they give you a sour look. You take a deep
Because there are so many caregiving tasks as a new parent, you may find that they become a little transactional. You do the task to get it done because you have 8 million other things that need to get done,
Dear Mama, If you have had a birth experience that did not go as you hoped or planned, it’s not selfish to have negative feelings about it. Even though you, or the people around you, may expect the joy
Dear Hand in Hand, My son is 18 months old and most nights I end up falling asleep in his room with him. I’m enjoying our closeness and don’t particularly want to stop sleeping with him (I know at some