We often think that the holidays are for spending quality time with our family, carrying out traditions and enjoying time at home with the ones we love the most. Although the holidays are truly a special time for our families, so should it be for you and you alone. For most of us, we make plans…

Is your child struggling in school? Does your child stall when it comes time to do homework? Does your child’s teacher often comment that your child is capable, but is just not working to his or her potential? Or does your child do alright in school, but seems a bit bored or lacks enthusiasm for…

Halloween has arrived. You’re prepared for the night and the kids are excited to head out the door and start trick-or-treating. But with all of the hustle and bustle (especially when Halloween falls on a weekday), a happy Halloween can quickly turn into a stressful evening for even the most prepared of families. So, to make…

Parenting can be a full on job. If you’re a single parent you know this well. Beyond work, there are many details to take care of: cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, disciplining, etc. Many moms I coach tell me they feel overwhelmed and when I dig deeper I find that one of the reasons they…

Meal times are one of the cornerstones of your daily routine. They can be the most joyous part of your day or the most dreaded part of your day. When you have small children it is very important that you be consistent and that they sit down to eat at roughly the same times every day…

I cannot count the number of times I’ve either heard my coaching clients or parents on the street say, “My child just doesn’t listen to me!” or “Why can’t he/she just listen?” There are two issues here: 1. The child doesn’t have a healthy level of respect for the parents’ authority (as hard as this may…

If you were to make a list of all the things you’d love to provide for your children, what would your list look like? Many people spend every waking hour stressing and worrying about how they can provide this and that for their children, but I want to propose that the BEST gift you…

One of the top issues in homes today is one where parents are completely frustrated at how picky or fussy their children are at mealtimes. Luckily, there is a very easy solution to this problem. Meal times should and can be one of the most precious rituals in any family’s home. It’s a time when…

Does your child often get sick, or do they constantly whine and cry? Do they bite their nails, act out or often throw tantrums? Then your child may be stressed. Here is a simple guide on how to handle this and change things around for the better. The first step is to stay calm. If…

It’s common to hear adults talking about how stressed or overwhelmed they are, but do we hear from our children how they feel? Research finds that between 8 and 10% of North American children are seriously troubled by stress. I’ll never forget a class meeting I shared with my students some 6 years ago. The…

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, prompting us to reflect back on parents and parenting. If I asked you, “What is the main purpose of a parent?” I’d probably get the following responses: 1. To be their child’s guide in life 2. To love their child unconditionally 3. To teach their child good values 4. To protect their…

Show me any two people who have fun together frequently and I’ll show you a good relationship. People who have regular fun together like each other and most often respect one another. This is a winning combination when it comes to the parent/child relationship. If both parties feel good around each other…

Have you ever seen a small child go down to a pond and throw rocks into it? Kids can do that for hours, partly because the big splashes are a sign of their impact. They are the ones causing all the commotion! How does throwing rocks into a pond relate to what happens at…

“I feel so guilty!” is a common phrase with most moms. We tend to feel guilty about everything, even if we’re doing something away from our kids that’s good for us! Where does this guilt come from anyway? Dads don’t seem to have the same issue. They are more matter-of-fact about things…

It was Dr. Anthony P. Witham who once said “children spell love…T-I-M-E.” He was definitely onto something. Unfortunately, if you are like most parents, time is a precious commodity that often eludes us. Whether we have a new job, a new baby, or we just need to make the coffee or strip the beds, we…