When your child asks you for something, do you quickly figure out in your head if it’s a good idea or not and then say yes or no?  I get that there are times when a quick response is needed, but if you have the time or can make the time — kids asking for permission to do something provides a great opportunity to connect with them and help develop their thinking brain.

In a recent article, I wrote about...

Do you get triggered when your child misbehaves?  I know that I often did when my children were little.  In my mind, they always seemed to pick the worst times to not listen and not do what they were “supposed” to.  That’s when I would go into command and demand mode.

Unfortunately, at the time I didn’t know how my children’s brains were developing and what their misbehavior...

Have you ever stopped to think about the characteristics that you want to develop in your child?  The type of adult that you want them to grow into?  How you want them to think about themselves and treat others?

Many parents say that they want their children to be confident, to be kind…  but I’m not sure they put much thought into it beyond that.

This came up recently in a coaching session...

Do you hear your child put themselves down or talk negatively to themselves?  This is a concern that I hear from parents often, and it came up in a recent parent coaching session where the Mom was noticing that her son was extremely critical of himself.  She is concerned and wondering if there is anything that she can do to help.  The answer is yes, there are things you can do to intentionally teach your...

It’s that time of year!  Do you have a child either starting school for the first time or headed back?  I have parent clients on both ends of the school spectrum —sending kids off to college and preparing to send their first to kindergarten.  One who was dropping her son off at college for the first time shared that he was super anxious and second-guessing every decision.  Another client...

Does your child get anxious over upcoming transitions?  School is coming, and that means a number of unknowns for kids.  Will they like their new teacher? Will they make new friends? What activities will they be doing this year and will they like them?  There are so many new things, and many of these can make them anxious.

Our brains prefer predictability, they like to remain safe and comfortable. ...

If I asked you: “What’s the #1 best feeling you’d want to feel most often as a parent raising your children?” would one of your top feelings be confidence?  Do you want to feel like you know what you’re doing instead of second guessing yourself and often wondering if you’re doing the right thing?

A common theme that I hear from many of the parents that I work with is that they...

Do you struggle to stay present and connected to your kids when you are with them?  I can’t necessarily speak for the Dads, but as a Mom I know that I typically have a constant running list in my head of things.  Things that need to be done at work, things that need to be done at home, the schedules for the kids and who has to be where and when, the menu for dinners this week and what needs to be picked...

Do you have any children that are experiencing summer camp, or starting a daycare or school program for the first time?  Many children have been home with parents and as programs are starting back up again, I’m seeing parents with children who are now leaving the house for programs for either the first time or after quite a break, and some children are struggling.

I just coached a Mom this week whose 2 year...

When your child “misbehaves”... what do you make it mean about you?  As parents, we all take pride when other people tell us that our children are great kids…  and that they are so well behaved.  It makes us feel good, and we tend to make that mean that we’ve done a good job as a parent.

But what about when they “misbehave”?  If you are out in public with an...

Do you cringe when you witness your kids' disappointment or embarrassment when they try something and it doesn't turn out as they had hoped? When they’re sad, disappointed or embarrassed, is your first instinct to help them feel better about it as soon as possible?

Take a minute to think back to some epic “fails” in your life, and consider the lessons you learned from them.  I’m guessing...

When I began receiving coaching, and then becoming a coach myself, I found myself needing to “unlearn” habits and ways of thinking that had been ingrained in me since childhood. As I coach parents now, I find that I’m helping them do the same.

This got me thinking, what can we do to help our children learn these different ways of thinking to avoid years of struggling emotionally – both as an...