“Will you play with me?” What if that dreaded question, which so often feels heavy and tiresome, could transform the relationship you share with your child? You know your kids need food, water, sleep and
Sleighbells ring, are you listening? Unfortunately, probably not. That is, if you are shoulder-high in festive planning and your children are fighting over the last gingerbread. Here’s 18 sanity-saving tips for tackling those holiday stresses,
How should you respond when your child says, “I’m bored”? It was finally here. After a long, cold winter and barely-there spring, I was so happy to welcome summer. The day was as pretty
If you were to see a job description for a role where non-stop, around-the-clock care was compulsory, and there was no training and no overtime, would you take it? Probably not! Yet, it’s what we
Humor is an uplifting strategy to use in setting limits if your child isn’t too upset. Kids love nothing better than a good laugh, and using humor to pry them out of their behavioral ruts
Imagine this. Your kids are on a playdate. Everything is fine. There are a few giggles. Some stomping. The next minute? The kids are laughing manically, and the house is so trashed it looks like
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, your son or daughter gives
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
One point of difference between Hand in Hand and other parenting approaches is recognizing laughter and play as a way to relieve tension. So often, play is overlooked as a parenting tool, but here
Dear Hand in Hand, Please help. My 4-year-old son has had a turbulent time at pre-school and has become very aggressive. I am seeing this as an issue around separation. We have increased Special Time,
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
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
“Mom! He’s being mean to me.” “She’s weird. I don’t want to play with her.” “They never give me a turn.” “He won’t let us climb the tree.” “She always gets to go first! Just
Do you know that expression “I used to be a perfect parent, then I had kids?” I think that perfectly describes how sure I was that my children would not play with weapons. After all,
What happens to you when your child announces “I’m bored?” Despite research telling us that boredom is actually good for children – it can help foster creativity and independence – most of us try to rush