Head & Heart Parents

A dad I work with had to take his three young sons to a long, boring meeting in an attorney’s office. He was sweating it because his boys were likely to act up. To inspire them to great behavior, he offered the reward of “Candy for dinner and movies till you fall asleep!” Now THAT [...]

After tucking in his three young boys, a single dad walked into the kitchen to find the fridge and freezer doors both wide open with a chair in front of the shelves. It had been his 3 year old in search of an apple an hour earlier. In our parent coaching session the next day, [...]

Kerry, I just had to share a story about my little Tate having the opportunity to learn from his mistakes. I had found some recipes to help the boys use their creative juices and love for cooking to actually contribute to our table this week. Today was our third recipe. Apple turnovers. They sat complete [...]

A dad I work with just announced to his 3 little boys that he has a new plan for a “Sunday Shelf.” Here’s how it works: • When the kids don’t pick up their stuff as asked, dad picks up for them and puts everything on the “Sunday Shelf.” • On Sunday, he pulls it [...]

We don’t have to convince our kids that we have valid reasons for saying NO. It’s ok to “Just say no.” Recent text stream between mom and 14 year old son: Kid: Can I go to chad’s after school Mom: No Kid: Y Mom: Insufficient grades, make up work to do. Application to complete. Oh, [...]

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Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event “Adult support and reassurance is the key to helping children through a traumatic time” A GUIDE FOR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND TEACHERS  Children and youth can face emotional strains after a traumatic event such as a car crash or violence.1 [...]

An experienced mother shares what she wishes she would have known about holiday traditions when her kids were young When my sons were little, I was so excited to live out my fantasies of being a great mommy who created Norman Rockwell-ish holidays. Since the time I was old enough to play with Barbies, I [...]

First, it is important that children contribute to the household. Not only does it send an important message to our children – “You are a valuable member of this family and we count on you to make our family function” – but it gives them a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.  Studies also show that [...]

Three year old Wes used to play his favorite game at bedtime. It was called, “See how many ways I can be naughty.” He was the only one enjoying the game. His single, working dad certainly did not. Wes was very creative in how he played the game: he ran away when it was time [...]