By Ann Brown, Parenting Consultant The topic this month in parenting group was crime. Lying, cheating, stealing, taking bribes, racketeering – you know, stuff your little kids do that make you wonder if instead of contributing to their college funds you really should just toughen them up for prison. Switch out “The Little Mermaid” for […]
Parenting: Enough is Enough
By Ann Brown, Parenting Consultant You knew this was coming. I mean, it’s November. Which is practically December. Which means you are gonna start buying all sorts of crap for people you love because that’s what we do in December. And then, in January and February, you wonder why your kids don’t clean up their […]
Kids Have the Right to Be Angry. Really.
Pants on Fire (A Bit of Parenting Advice)
By Ann Brown Liar, liar, pants on fire. That was a big topic on the parenting couches this month. According to a random sampling of dozens of you, it appears as though there is an epidemic of crime among the four-year-olds of the nation. This is particularly troublesome to parents, as four- and five-year-olds appear […]
When it Comes to My Child’s School, How Involved Should I Get?
By Joe Newman, Behavior Consultant What do you say to a parent who asks, “How involved should I get in school?” Before talking about this question I first want to talk about a more important underlying issue. Relations between parents and teachers are at an all-time low. Parents blame teachers for their child’s poor academic […]
Parents: You Gotta Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
Forget Mars and Venus: Understanding the Power of Differences for Relationships and Parenting
By Rhona Berens, PhD, CPCC I attended a Bat Mitzvah recently where the Cantor spoke about peace. “Peace,” he proclaimed, “is desired by all people, in all nations. Problems arise not because we don’t want peace, but because we each define it according to personal, cultural, religious, or other differences.” Same word. Contrasting meanings. […]
Kids and All Their Stuff: Enough is Enough
Fight Right: How Conflict Can Enhance Relationships and Parenting
By Rhona Berens, PhD, CPCC Whether we argue consistently with our partners, or only lock horns on rare occasions, when we’re in the thick of a conflict it’s natural for us to ask: Why are we fighting?* While finding the answer might seem important in the moment, given how precious our time and energy is, […]