How I Turned off My Emotional Alarms (and got some rest)
I have a weekly appointment with a Listening Partner and I know that this scheduled time helps me work deeply on topics that feel heavy to me in my family life. But it happens quite regularly
16 Questions You Can Use To Help Heal Family Tensions
Listening Time There’s nothing like raising kids to bring tension into a family. Right from pregnancy it can seem like every decision you make comes under scrutiny, and then feeding, sleeping, schooling, behavior and
Setting Limits: Saying “No” To The Yellow Bowl Lets the Storm Cloud Lift
A friend and I were spending our vacation together. Between us we had five children aged from three to six years old. It was their first time meeting. A few times I had perceived a little
Help with Infants
Sleep Crying Being a New Parent Learn the 5 Hand in Hand Parenting Tools
Games For Parents That Are Too Tired to Play
Dear Hand in Hand, Since the new year, i’m trying to play more with my children. We’ve been playing lots of hide and seek and roughhousing, and it feels great most of the time, but sometimes
How Parents Can Use Play To Help with Teasing That Borders on Bullying
My seven-year-old son had been being bullied by his classmates for months. It had started with the boys, but soon some of the girls picked up on it as well. Our life was not good,
When Family and Friends Don’t Understand Your Parenting Style
By Rachel Schofield When we choose to parent differently to the norm, we add an extra layer of challenge to our already overfull plates. Without the support and backing of family, friends or professionals, the
Keeping Closer to Your Teen: Why Parents Need Flexibility
Planning Special Time with a teen can be a little different than with a younger child. It’s a topsy-turvy road of uncertainty, for sure. Several years ago my son always jumped at the chance to
Teen Emotions: Helping Your Teen To Release
My daughter, 13, and I were getting ready for bed this week when things turned playful. It started because she is a master at picking up any irritation in my voice, even when I’m not
When Crying Just Needs to Stop
Most of us are taught to hush children when they cry, but parents using Hand in Hand’s approach learn how valuable crying can be for a child’s emotional health. When crying is supported with a
Five Ways Staylistening Is Different From “Cry It Out”
Often, our children find reason to be beside themselves with upset. These are rough times for them, and trying times for us as parents, too. We are taught to hush, shush, distract, rock, jiggle, joke, or,
Helping Children Sleep: A conversation with Roma Norriss and Marilupe de la Calle
The Hand in Hand approach is a gentle, attachment-based way of parenting which helps a wide range of sleep issues and strengthens your relationship with your child. In this recording, Certified Hand in Hand Parenting
Building Sleep Confidence: The Truth About Children and Sleep
Sleep is one of the most challenging aspects of being a parent. When we become parents, we may notice that our newborns often fall asleep relatively easily, often in the middle of feeding or right
How I Faced Bedtime Fears With Play
My five-year-old son had been having trouble getting to sleep on his own. We had several weeks of him resisting bed time. He didn’t want to be alone in his room and kept coming up with lots
How Connection Helps Your Children Face Fear
The Role of Fear in our Lives Fear is in our lives to protect us. It is a natural part of our human condition and our bodies are exquisitely built to detect threats and to
How Listening to a Micro-Preemie Helped Relieve Her Fear
By Laura Minnigerode Emma was born so early that she identified as a “Micro-Preemie.” That is, she weighed less than 800 grams and was born before 26 weeks. When I first met her, she was about 9
How Is it Possible to Parent Without Punishment?
“Are your parents strict?” Remember when that was all anyone asked about parents? Now we have dozens of labels, from gentle and calm parenting to authoritative and authoritarian. We have tiger moms, and helicopter moms,
His Needs Nearly Crushed Me
My son is now 16 months old. When he was newborn he was a nightmare. We couldn’t lie him flat for the first 6 months of his life. I couldn’t leave him for a microsecond.