Have you ever had an inner knowing that something was troubling your child, but he wasn’t willing to tell you what it was? And then when he did, you discovered that another student at school was teasing him or laughing at him and the experience had left him feeling bad about himself? You feel your …
Setting limits with our children can be one of those sensitive topics on which we have intense feelings about how to do it best for our child, while at the same time, we experience self-doubt and fear when our child resists or behaves inappropriately. We worry about whether he will be liked by others or …
One of the traditions I have always loved about Christmas is making special treats that we don’t eat year-round. So when I discovered that my son and I are sensitive to gluten, dairy, soy and eggs, I wondered how I would create the same feeling of excitement and pleasure we have experienced in the past …
Happy ‘late summer’! I hope you have been enjoying a wonderful time of connectedness, adventure, and relaxation. I have had a fabulous time away with my family, and as always, I learn more from my relationship with them than I ever teach them! Today I am sharing an experience that reflects something I have been …
It can be fairly easy to follow the strategies and scripts for being the parent you want to be when you’re feeling calm and good inside, but if you’re like me, it’s those moments when you’re upset that your parenting skills seem to vanish and you find yourself saying and doing things that you regret …
If you are not your child’s boss, and you are moving away from using an authoritarian model for parenting, one question that comes up is “How can I teach my child to make good independent decisions for himself? What guidelines can he use?” The factors that influence how your child makes decisions include your own …
Every parent, at one point or another, finds themself stuck in a conflict with their child. That not-so-rare moment when your daughter stands, shoulders squared, hands on hips, and says: “You’re not the boss of me!” She’s right. You’re not her boss. You don’t want to use force to exhibit power over her. It’s not …
I gratefully acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people.
