Do you find yourself dealing with homework battles or struggles with your child? You're not alone. Many parents face the same struggles when their child avoids or fights homework. It's a common issue that can cause both frustration and concern.

You may be frustrated, thinking that your child is not motivated, disciplined, or downright defiant…  or you may find yourself nervous and concerned, trying to convince them that ...

Do you struggle to get your child to tell you about how their day went and what happened at school?  First, please know that you’re not alone!  This is an issue for many parents as many kids aren’t talkers.  Some kids are, and they tell you everything, including things you would rather not know.  These parents often wish they could get their kids to stop talking so the grass is not always greener on the other side!

For p...

As parents, we all know that reading to our children is important, but did you know that you can help your child learn other lessons and helpful skills through reading?  Studies have been done with children as young as 18-24 months, finding that parents were able to help teach their children to help and share through reading.  When using books to help your child learn lessons and skills, the key is how you read to them.

For most kids, each new school year means getting to know a new teacher and getting used to different social dynamics within the classroom. This may not cause issues for outgoing and flexible kids, but it can make for a difficult start to the new school year for children who struggle developmentally, socially, and academically.

One way to help your kids have a successful start to the year is to prepare a quick and helpfu...

Is your child anxious about school or starting a new activity?  Each new school year means new teachers, different social dynamics, and new things to learn. With so many things being new and unknown, it’s normal for a child to be anxious. As parents, how we handle our child’s anxiety can have a significant impact, so I coach and teach around it often this time of year.

I invite you to pause and think about your typical r...

Is your child starting school soon?  Kids can experience a wide range of feelings, from anxiety to excitement over the first day of school.  Heightened emotions in any direction will affect your child’s ability to control their impulses and their behavior, but there are things that you can do to help calm their nervous system and prepare them for a good first day of school.

What to do the night before:

Work on having a ...

Are you looking forward to your kids returning to school? It’s that time of year when we all start thinking about kids going back to school, and I do a lot of coaching on how to help kids prepare for the transition.

Here are a couple of things I recommend you do in the two weeks leading up to the first day of school:

Start using your child’s school bed and wake-up times. 
Children often go to bed and get up later in the...

Do you have a little one starting preschool or kindergarten?  Little ones starting school for the first time can experience a whole host of different feelings ranging from pride at being a “big kid” that goes to school to anxiety about being separated from you and not knowing what to expect.

This time of year I do a great deal of coaching on how to prepare kids for school.  Knowing that transitions and new situations can...

Do you have a child that has a hard time falling asleep at night?  This is quite common, and I’m working with several clients right now who are struggling to get their young children to settle down at a decent hour.  I have one Mom of a 4-year-old who really pushes the limits and battles both going to bed as well as waking up super early.

Typically when parents tell me their kids have a hard time falling asleep at night,...

Do you battle with your kids over screen time?  Do you have a child that begs for screen time, and then has a meltdown whenever they’re asked to shut off the device?  If so, know that you’re not alone.

I work with many parents who have these battles, and it’s one that I had myself for many years.

I have a child who loved technology and video games from a very early age.  As a result, we had many battles about screen tim...

What did you learn about being a parent from your Dad?  As another Father’s Day is upon us, I took time to think about my relationship with my own Dad, what I learned from him, and what parenting qualities I appreciated and wanted to carry on for my own children.  

Let me start with a little background…  My Dad came from a large family of 14, with 9 brothers and 4 sisters.  He always wanted to have sons, but ended up wit...

As we get closer to the end of the school year and the start of summer — with extra activities and schedule changes — are you experiencing more behavior issues with your child?  

This is an issue that I often see come up this time of year.  Parents are showing up for coaching meetings in a bit of a panic because the outbursts are unpredictable and seem to be ramping up.  I had one mom reach out with a ‘911’ call because ...