You’ve just been dealt a big blow, haven’t you! Schools are closed for anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. So now what? You’re already seeing lots of tips for how to entertain kids and keep them active during the coronavirus outbreak. You can also look online for ideas for active indoor play, what to …
Happy holidays, everyone! This month’s blog will be shorter than usual. Mostly, I just want to wish you and your family a happy, peaceful, and even rejuvenating holiday season! But I can’t help it – while I’m here, I’ll also share (or remind you of) three things you should be doing to help make sure …
The Holidays mean lots of things to lots of people, but to kids, the holidays mean MORE STUFF!!! And if you have a “spirited” kid, holiday gifts can be a challenge! Below is a list of spirited-kid-friendly items that you can buy yourself or send to relatives who love to spend money on your kids. …
Has this ever happened to you? It’s time to get ready for bed. You tell your child this. She says she doesn’t want to go to bed. You say, “It’s time. You have to get up for school tomorrow.” “I don’t want to go to school,” she says. “You have to go,” you say. “I …
I get a lot of calls from parents whose kids are in trouble at school. This trouble tends to fall into two main categories: Either the child is not listening to the teacher, not following the school routine – or the child is acting out physically. Hitting, kicking, biting… This blog will focus on the …
When Kids Are Aggressive At School: What Not To Do Read More »
For most families, school is just around the corner. And now is a good time to start working on the upcoming school routine! If you plan a bit now to fine-tune the routine you’ll use during the school year, you’ll be a lot less stressed and you’ll save time, too! Below are some ideas for …
I recently listened to a Hidden Brain podcast that covered the pros and cons of awards. In one discussion of how awards can backfire, the host described a study of 15,000 California students, where those students who received awards for perfect attendance quit working so hard and instead started to attend school less often! One …
Positive Reinforcement: If You Don’t Do It Right, It Can Backfire! Read More »
Those of you who have been through one of my coaching programs know that a big piece of my work involves helping kids to share in the responsibilities that come with family life. Usually I frame this in terms of “chores.” Cleaning a shared space, washing the dishes… yardwork… taking out the garbage… walking the …
Why Some Parents Don’t Want Their Kids To Do Chores… Read More »
Recently one of the parents I work with asked me: How to handle Halloween candy? Because even though she had a great way to limit her child’s candy intake, as she put it, “There are inevitably still a lot of fights with this method.” Here are some strategies I’ve used with the strong-willed, “spirited” kids …
Everybody’s yelling as they hurry to get it together and get out the door. In the car, it is learned that someone forgot something important, be it a briefcase — or a stuffed panda bear! The drive to school and work is agony. At least one person is crying. Everybody’s late. And then you have …
