Do you beat yourself up when you have your own BIG feelings or lose it in front of your kids?

Please trust me when I share that you are NOT alone.  Many parents come to me because they don’t like who they are when they are with their kids.  I let them know up front that I can help them, but I’m also adamant that perfect parenting is NEVER the goal nor should it be.

If your kids never see you get...

Are you sick of all the schedules and routines by the end of the school year, and looking forward to more carefree summer days?  I remember being excited when the school year finally ended.  I was so happy not having to get up and pack lunches and snacks every morning, or run around after school to activities and sports.  But as the summer continued, the lack of routine would start to drive me crazy...

Do you dread hearing the words “I’m bored” from your kids?

I’ve had a couple of clients tell me they were at a loss of what to do when their kids complained of boredom.  I also see other parents avoiding this altogether by packing the schedule with back-to-back camps, sports, and other activities.

In an earlier blog, I discussed the benefits of giving children free time to play. ...

It’s summer…  and a time that many families take vacations together.  I don’t know about you, but I tended to go into a vacation thinking that I would unplug and unwind.  Unfortunately, what I typically imagined and reality were worlds apart.  Taking vacations as a family was often more stressful than work!  Can you relate?

Family vacations and traveling with kids can be...

If I asked you what you want your kids to believe about themselves, what would you tell me? As I work with parents and ask this question, I get different responses but most are relatively similar to my thoughts and what I want my own kids to believe. 

So I’m going to imagine that like me, you want your kids to believe that they are strong, capable, kind, and overall awesome.  You want them to believe...

Are you looking forward to the freedom of summertime, or are you nervous about your kids being together more?  For many families, summer means less scheduled days and more down time.  It also means more time for siblings to play together, and fight.  From name-calling, yelling, poking and hitting, to the annoying “he’s looking at me” — if you have multiple children, you will have...

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

This is an issue that is coming up with a number of the families that I’m coaching.  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...

Is your child easily frustrated, having meltdowns, or giving up as soon as things get challenging?  Do you tiptoe around your child, not sure what will set them off?

I had a set of parents tell me last night that they’re so tired of the drama and fights with their son.  When things don’t go his way, he quickly escalates.  The day we met he had a meltdown over his mother asking him to put his...

As parents, most of us work hard to keep our kids physically healthy.  We make sure they get to their physicals every year, we feed them nutritious food, and we take them to the doctor when they’re sick.  But have you ever really thought about how to support your child’s mental health?

Children’s mental health is just as important as their physical health, and the CDC reports that as many as...

Can you describe the love you feel for your child?  

I don’t know about you, but I actually have a hard time putting into words the depth of love that I have for my kids.  Becoming a mother changed me like nothing else, and watching my kids grow into considerate and caring young adults has been both a joy and privilege.

For many of us, the love that we have for our children knows no bounds. ...

What does raising a mentally healthy child mean to you?  For many parents, it means raising kids that generally feel good and positive.  Unfortunately, this definition can have parents trying to protect their children from “negative” feelings and challenging situations, and detract from their developing mental strength and resilience.

As a coach for parents of kids struggling with BIG Feelings,...

Do you ever stop to think that it might be a good thing when your child challenges you?  My daughter was particularly strong willed as a child and did not always cooperate easily.  To be completely honest, I did not think that it was a good thing at the time.  I wanted her to listen and cooperate more often, but she truly had a mind of her own.

The battles I remember most were over her clothes, and...