Lying is one of the most common behaviors parents contact me about. When someone lies to you, it breaks the trust and connection in your relationship. It may also trigger trauma from past betrayals. Lying shatters the felt safety we have with someone. It’s no wonder parents want to nip lying in the bud. When...
No parent enjoys a tantrum. Kids don’t either. It never feels good to have such big feelings that they come out in crying, yelling, kicking, stomping, throwing, or whatever else makes up a meltdown for your child. Now would be a good time to note that there are levels of tantrums and dysregulation. Sometimes our...
I hear from a lot of you that you have essential oils but you want more ideas on how to use them. You hear they can be useful in many ways, but you bought lavender for calming and have no idea what else to use it for. We want the best value for our dollar,...
For many children with special needs, social skills are a struggle. They can come across as mean and anti-social at their worst and awkward at their best. Family nurture groups are good times for children and youth to learn and practice social and emotional skills. Practicing at home is best because it’s where we have...
No one likes to fail. But kids with learning differences feel like they’re failing a lot. They always feel like they’re running to catch up with their same-aged peers. Over time, they’re self-esteem sinks lower and lower. I’m not proud to admit it, but I’m guilty of contributing to this feeling of failure with our...
You’re trying to be an awesome, mindful parent. You offer two choices, just like the nice lady in the video demonstrated. But your child screams in your face and demands a third choice. Or maybe you asked what he needed, and he told you to go to hell? Having a list of trust-based parenting tools...
Maintaining a positive mood and attitude can be very challenging when the demands of our kids seem never-ending. They feel like black holes of need sometimes. Our brain is actually wired to shut down if it’s too stressed in a particular relationship. When it comes to managing your mood, essential oils can help restore your...
One of the most common factors behind challenging behavior is anxiety. According to the Oxford Dictionary, anxiety is defined as, “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.”[1] The tricky thing is that anxiety isn’t always obvious. Sometimes anxiety in kids comes out in behaviors that may look disrespectful without...