“Hi, I’ve been using the Hand in Hand tools for a few years but my husband has never really been on board. I’ve modelled using the Tools – and over the years he used to help me with Special Time when they were little, and he’s watched me hold them through their tantrums, instead of
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 have Special Time. Now that he is 13, he often tells me that he does not want it – most
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 aware of it. We joked with each other about the difference between how she experiences things and how I do
Ever wonder what you can do with those foam peanuts that are used as packaging material for fragile items? Well, my teen daughter and I found out how we could use them… It was just one of those evenings. My daughter and I were in my study area. I don’t even remember what I said.
I’ve been working with Cynthia on learning how to build a solid foundation through working with my daughter rather than trying to control her.
I sat there thinking how Mother’s Day was an hour away, I would be getting up at 7 and driving to South San Francisco with my daughter and right now I am probably the absolute LAST person she wants to be with. Sigh. A Mother’s Day to look forward to.
I thought, “No, we aren’t going to be able to handle a big upset right now!” so I got her to let him go, and we kept on pillowfighting and wrestling for a long time–10 or 15 minutes.
My wife and I also had to process our feelings: it didn’t feel good to hear how painful it was for us to limit her social life in this way. She felt badly, we felt badly.
I quickly grabbed a small notebook and pen, scribbled, “Dear Owen, I love you, Love Mommy” on a sheet of paper, and shoved it under the door.
I didn’t really realize what I was doing, but I could feel that Anna was not listening to me. Tension was building up in the car. When we arrived at home the first thing she did was to shout angrily at her little sister without any reason!
He was doing his thing, but he was thinking about me, too.
When one reasonable request doesn’t get through to our children, it’s time for an entirely new tactic. We propose the vigorous snuggle!
My son is 15 now, and he’s much bigger than I am. He used to chase me, and get me down and tickle me. And he just loves that, absolutely loves that. He laughs and laughs. Now, he’ll take a stinky shoe or a stinky sock, and chase me around, or pick his toenails and