My first year of motherhood felt a bit like trying to stay in control of a runaway train. Breastfeeding did not come easily to me and so I was delighted to reach the milestone of feeding my daughter for a
I just wanted her to nap. My energy was spent, and getting her to sleep was my sole agenda. Unfortunately, my cheerful “Time for nap” was met with her “No” as she continued playing on the floor. My fatigue and
Getting angry with your toddler? Ask yourself this, How did you feel about your child becoming a toddler? While some parents mourn the loss of babyhood, most are eager to see their babies become toddlers. During this time you see
Ever told your child not to start playing blocks and then watched as they dump out the whole basket? Have you asked your child repeatedly to feed their pet and still find the food bowl empty, day after day? Did
This way of setting limits is like nothing you’ve probably seen before. It involves no need for bribing, yelling, time outs or punishment. Instead, Patty shows you what’s going on with a child when they start pushing buttons and boundaries,
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
“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.
Does it ever feel like your kids are just waiting for an excuse to start fighting? Family busyness, school stress, and changes in routine can all uproot a child’s sense of security. To get it back they need your warm
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
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
There are days when it is very hard for my daughter to say goodbye when I leave home. Since I have realized this, I will often spend the morning spending lots of time with her to build a connection. Even
Babies cry.
It’s hard to listen when all you want to do is find a way to make your baby stop crying. As a parent you’re hard-wired to care when a baby cries, after all. But sometimes, it feels like babies cry for no reason.
A Guest Post by Michelle Hartop I picked up my seemingly happy seven-year-old from school one day, but by the time we got in the car to drive home, she was filled with frustration and tears. She was whining about
A Guest Post by Stephanie Parker My daughter is about to turn nine and I’ve been thinking recently that I’d like her to do more around the house. I haven’t spent enough time making this happen in the past, I’ve
Sarah Charlton works as a learning support assistant with secondary school-aged children in the UK and has seen the benefits of bringing connection tools into the classroom, with teachers and pupils. Here are six illuminating lessons she learned along the
A guest post from Marilupe de la Calle My daughter, age two, was showing signs of tension and off-track behavior. She was easily dissatisfied and cranky. As soon as we arrived back home after an outing, she demanded that we open
“My daughter, who is seven, always wanted to sleep in my bed. She went through a period of crying every night about sleeping alone. I listened to her cry each time, hoping it was doing some good, but I saw
A Guest Post by Michelle Hartop My daughter’s manners got lost somewhere between 5 and 6 years old. Once the reigning “thank-you queen,” by school-age, she seemed bothered even receiving a gift, let alone actually thanking the giver, and my
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