When trying to get our kids to focus, we often say “pay attention!” to help them attend to the task at hand. Sometimes it can be very effective and helpful, but other times it can shift their focus and attention in a way that increases their overwhelm or anxiety, especially for sensitive children. Also, it can …
Do you ever wonder why your children resist your suggestions for the easiest and most painless way to perform a task, even when it seems obvious that their strategy will result in a undesirable or painful ending? Sometimes I have felt frustrated, and other times I’ve just felt a heaviness in my heart area, when I …
Distractible, creative, highly sensitive, empathetic. Those words describe my son and some of his greatest gifts, and some of those words also describe why he struggles in school. His sensitivity and creativity mean he’s highly tuned to the sensory input around him, but sometimes he has a hard time getting things finished because those same …
Despite my best attempts to avoid passing on my perfectionism to my son, I still see the signs in him—high expectations of himself, and harsh self-criticism when he doesn’t measure up. It has been incredibly painful to watch it unfold when I thought I was using parenting strategies that would prevent that! In part, we …
In this post, I explain how resistance can keep us feeling powerless and unclear (indecisive) about our heart-centered path. So when our children are resisting in interaction with us, it’s really important to have a look at how we can take a leadership role in shifting out of that pattern. Resistance keeps us stuck and …
One of the most frustrating experiences I have encountered as a parent has been trying to get my son to do something that feels important to me, and having him resist. At times I have felt exhausted, and more than a little annoyed when it feels as if I am putting in more effort …
Christmas Greetings! My gift to you is a couple of new recipes I’ve been working on this fall, plus a link to an all-time favorite. If you haven’t guessed by now, I love food, and I’m always on a quest to re-create a favorite recipe into a gluten, dairy, egg and cane sugar-free version to …
It’s the ultimate ‘big question’. Why are we doing what we do every day? Parenting the way we parent? How will our children find meaning and purpose in their lives? Today I’m sharing a short piece by the poet John Burnside because it touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of …
Happy fall! This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love staying home a bit more and eating warming, comfort foods. And the children returning to school–new exciting beginnings of friendships and learning. Today, I have 2 offerings for you. The first is about teaching your child to stay connected to his intuition …
It’s summer, and I want to spend less time in the kitchen, but I still want delicious meals without sacrificing taste or nutrition. If you are busy, would like to spend less effort in the kitchen AND feel confident that you and your family are getting good nutrition and tasty meals, read on! In my …
I gratefully acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people.
