Having a general idea of your child’s temperament can help parents to understand their child’s moods and actions better, and thus allow them to parent with more empathy and kindness.  Understanding your child’s temperament is important in parenting, just as knowing child development patterns is important.  When you know what to expect, you can…

Tis the season for shopping.  This may be one of the most frustrating parts of parenting: taking your child to the store.  Many parents complain that their child will beg and have tantrums if they tell them they can’t have something. They get into a battle of wills and end up giving in due…

Children are designed to push limits.  It is how they figure out how the world works and how they get their needs and desires met.  Parents are designed to guide children by putting up “fences” so kids know where the limits are.  We do this by remaining calm, firm and kind.  “I can see…

Thirty years ago the odds were 1 in 2000 kids were diagnosed with Autism. 15 years ago, it was 1 in 150. Today, the Washington Post published an article by the CDC that says the autism rate today is 1 in 45. I am consumed with concern. Something I find very interesting is the…

Empathy is the key to discipline, self-esteem, and compassion. Discipline:  Don’t give in, but empathize. “It doesn’t seem fair that we can’t have Mac N Cheese for dinner tonight.  You don’t like Vegetable soup very much and you wish we could just have your favorites every night.  Wouldn’t it be fun to eat Mac…

Toy Totes Make up small totes with toys that are only brought out for special circumstances: going to a restaurant, when you are on the phone, in a waiting room, etc.  Design a different tote for each circumstance.  ONLY bring out the toys for the determined situations and occasionally switch out the toys so…

Get a step stool. If you have a child between the ages of 2 and 7 you need a step stool. Get one that is grippy on the top surface as well as the contacts with the floor so neither the stool, nor the child, will slip. I like Ikea’s Forsiktig Children’s Stool. As…

Preparation, preparation, preparation When you are going somewhere with your children, have a little game of question and answer so they know what the expectations are for their behavior in this particular setting. Parent: “So, we are going to visit a special friend in the hospital.  Does anyone know how we should act when…

Have an AR (Automated Response) How many times have you answered your kids’ requests with a yes (or “FINE!”), when later (after thinking it through) you realized your answer should have been no?  Or the reverse, said no when it really could have been a yes?  Oftentimes, we are in the middle of something…