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Your Parenting On Purpose Toolbox
This is where I share weekly tools and strategies to help support you both as a parent, and in living your best life — so you can be an example of what's possible for your kids.
Feel free to browse or find what you need in the categories in the right-hand column. I hope this inspires you, and by all means: COMMENT. I'm always open to feedback.
Do you wonder how you can raise kinder kids? As parents, we want our kids to be nice and kind, but how do we instill these qualities in them?
Most families and kids have busy schedules, and the days and weeks can fly by before we know it. So, if you want your kids to be kinder, you have to intentionally raise their awareness of kindness and the impact of being both kind and unkind.
Consider focusing on kindness as a...
I invite you to take a few moments to reflect on your discipline style and that of your parenting partner. Do you have opinions about how your spouse or partner disciplines and parents? We all have opinions about the best way to handle challenges with our kids. Unfortunately, we usually have those opinions while watching them handle a situation with our kids.
We think we can...
Do you think your parenting partner is too strict or too lenient? We all have opinions about the best way to handle a situation or discipline in general, and it’s common to be on a different page than your partner. However, you can run into problems when you think your partner, spouse, or co-parent is being too strict or too lenient — and often end up too far in the opposite direction.
What would you tell me if I asked you what your parenting style was?
Do you tend to be more strict or rigid and good at following through on consequences, even if your child gets upset? This type of “because I said so” parenting is considered authoritarian and likely how your parents were raised.
Or are you on the opposite end of the spectrum and more in tune with how your child is feeling? If you are...
Does your child struggle with BIG feelings, and are their emotions all-consuming? Are your child's emotions unpredictable — keeping you on edge because you're unsure how to parent through it or what to do? You are not alone. Parenting kids through big feelings can be hard and scary. Many parents find it either maddening or anxiety-provoking — and some parents find it a...
When was the last time you got or gave a big bear hug, and you were really present for it? Hugs make us feel good. When someone hugs us, it’s comforting, and we give hugs to help comfort others. We usually don’t give much thought to it, but there is so much research on the impact of hugs on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Hugs are very powerful from a parenting...
Do you have an effective strategy for managing behavior challenges with your kids? Many, if not most, parents don’t. So when these challenges arise, parents become paralyzed because they don’t know what to do or they feel out of control and frustrated—and neither leads to effective parenting.
One of the most common things I hear when working with parents is, “I don’t know.” ...
Do you have behavior challenges with your kids? Many parents tend to think that their child’s behavior is random, and they never know what will set them off. However, when we take a step back and view it through a different lens, we almost always find some consistency in their behavior.
That’s why one of the first things I do when working with parents is to start by taking a big-picture overview of their...
As we kick off a new year, have you taken any time to review the previous year, what you’ve accomplished, and what has changed for you and your family?
The new year is one of my favorite times of the year. I love to review where we were a year ago and how much has changed, and I love to ponder and get intentional about planning for what I want in the upcoming year.
I invite you to join me...
Do you get nervous about how your kids will act at the family holiday gathering? For neurodiverse kids and kids who struggle with impulse control, family gatherings and all of the extra stimulation can be tough, and parents can feel like they’re on display. One mom told me she was sick of being the “show.”
In last week's article, I shared how setting expectations accordingly will help you...
It’s the time of the year when there are many family gatherings and opportunities for your relatives to observe you parenting your children. As parents, we always want to be proud of our kids, so we often expect our children to behave a certain way at family gatherings.
Unfortunately, family gatherings also typically mean that our kids get overstimulated and jacked up on sugar, so they don’t behave or...
As the holiday season is upon us, what are you grateful for, and what brings you the most joy? I know that when I stop and take stock, I’m usually most grateful for those small moments of connection with my loved ones — the moments talking before bed or the random hug in the middle of the day that bring me the most joy. The question is how present are you for these moments?
Are you able to enjoy...