Saying no to our kids can be hard for a myriad reasons…we don’t want our kids to feel bad, we want to avoid power struggles, we don’t want to feel “rejection” from our kids, we want to avoid conflict. But, as my friend Kathleen Burns Kingsbury says, saying no is a gift. It prepares our kids for the disappointments that life will inevitably throw their way, much as we’d like to protect them. When we say no to our kids, we are setting boundaries. …
Making decisions can be tough for kids. Especially when they’re confronted with two very appealing choices. I can go to my friend’s sleepover birthday party or attend the premiere to the new Harry Potter movie with my family. If they choose to go to the sleepover, they’ll be able to hang out with their friends and stay up late. On the other hand, if they go to the movie, they’ll be a part of an elite group that has insider scoop on the popular new flick. …
The first in a series of elementary math videos: .
This is Ryan right before he left to go on his first interview for a busboy position at the local sandwich shop. He was nervous. Very nervous. I knew he would be, so a few days before the interview we began role-playing. I wanted him to feel comfortable and confident that he was qualified for the job. Although it’s always hard to know exactly what questions are going to be asked during an interview, there tend to be some standard…
It was 6:45 a.m. this morning when I heard the pitter-patter of little feet on the floor. It was my 7-year old niece who was visiting for a few days. I was shocked to see her peek into my office that early in the morning; I’ve seen her sleep til 10. But today was the last day of her short visit and I’m guessing she didn’t want to miss out on anything. Ryan was up and fixing himself breakfast, John…