If you’re a parent, you undoubtedly want a good relationship with your kids. Before they're even born, you're praying for them, loving them, and envisioning the future. So why does it get so difficult to stay actively involved in your kids’ lives as they become teens? In adolescence, your kids begin to pull away from … Continue reading 4 Tips for Staying Involved in Your Teenager’s Life
It is a big deal to be a parent. To be a mom is often more obvious and more celebrated in our culture than to be a dad… and of course, the nine months of pregnancy and the child’s birth day have something to do with that! But for moms and dads alike, parenting is … Continue reading What kind of Dad are you?
Many kids today are more tech-savvy than their parents. This can make it difficult to supervise what your child is doing online, but monitoring their online activity is very important. For many teens, their online lives are often more “real” to them than the people and things around them. Teens use technology differently. From television … Continue reading Are you a tech-savvy parent?
The school day tends to bring a rhythm to a family’s life, a pattern to follow, a routine to stick to. This routine may have its own challenges, to be sure, but when a school break comes, many parents find themselves counting down the days for the kids to return to that routine! How do … Continue reading Parenting over a school break
Sibling rivalry has occurred since the first generations. Abel and Cain. Jacob and Esau. It is difficult to live in very close proximity to other people, and for young children it is natural to struggle on the path to learning life skills such as sharing, empathy, conflict resolution, and problem solving. Conflict between siblings is … Continue reading Managing sibling rivalry
As your kids get older, they may want to spend more time in their rooms, on technology, or out of the house. This doesn’t mean your job as a parent is done! These are the times to be more curious, more supportive, and to find more teaching opportunities to guide your child’s social life as … Continue reading The 5 W’s to monitoring teens
As our children enter the teen years, friends become more and more important to them. This is normal, and appropriate for young people who are quickly approaching new levels of independence. But the parenting part isn’t done yet – parents still have a big influence on their children's friend group. Know their circles When they’re little, kids … Continue reading Who are your kids spending time with?
One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to enforce discipline with your kids. It feels mean, and no parent enjoys their child crying or yelling. But discipline is required for them to learn boundaries, appropriate behavior, and helpful life skills. Select rules that make sense for your family Your family rules … Continue reading Developing the “Family Rules”
Today, Florence schools are celebrating "Read Across America" day to promote literacy in children. What a great goal! Reading is a great pastime with numerous benefits. It's free, it's entertaining, and it is a critical skill for school and work success. Do you read to your children? No matter how young or old your child is, … Continue reading Reading to your kids