It has to be one of the questions we ask ourselves repeatedly. Managing big emotions can be hard for little ones and it doesn’t get easy on its own. As puberty creeps earlier and earlier in our culture, our brain development isn’t keeping up. Our childhood brains are no match for the emotions of puberty….
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Teaching them to try
“He loves you for who you are. He just wants to see you try.” I have said some variations of those words so often in the 20 years of parenting. There is so much meaning in that message. Hearing it from the pulpit from the mouth of the priest this morning gave me a renewed…
Healthy Detachment in Parenting
As a big proponent of attachment parenting, I had a hard time with the spiritual concept of detachment. Forming and maintaining healthy attachment to and with our children is a primary task of parenthood. It begins as soon as they are born with skin-to-skin contact. The act of breastfeeding a child releases oxytocin which is…
How to Encourage Independence – and why you should.
From the moment they can crawl, they start to explore. We remain their “safe base” in psychology speak. We are the place they return, the place they look back to for reinforcement and reassurance. At the end of the slide, under of the monkey bars, on the sideline, from the audience, we encourage and cheer…
Dropping your child off at school
I said another goodbye today and it really doesn’t get any easier. When I dropped him at preschool 16 years ago, he gave me a quick hug then ran into the classroom. I was shocked at how easy it was for him and so hard for me. As I walked through the scorching parking lot…
Fostering Hope in the Face of Fear
Fear and anxiety are striking our young people in a surprising way. Or perhaps not so surprising when we see how many adults are struggling with those same issues. How can parents expect to teach their children how to cope when they themselves are struggling. Hope is something that can be fostered best in times…