Your Child Needs Structure!

July 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Do you have repetitive struggles with your child, in which one or both of you get upset?

This frequently happens when parents are unclear how to set limits in a way that empowers their child and brings out his best.

Last week I shared a powerful question with you that will assist you in reducing the number of conflicts you have with your child. If you haven’t already watched this short video (3.5 minutes), I urge you to do so and be sure to read the comments below as they provide valuable insights from parents just like you.

Click here to watch “The Most Important Parenting Question”


My new video below “Your Child Needs Structure!” builds on the information from the week before, helping you understand why your child needs limits and what limits are worth setting.

I cannot emphasize too strongly how essential and empowering this information is. By taking just a few minutes now, you can get a timely reminder or even a brand new idea to explore and implement. Take time now to watch them both!

Hope you’re making precious time to enjoy nature with your child this summer. Doug and I are heading out early today with 5-year-old grandson Sebastian for a 6-day camping adventure in the Sierras. So looking forward to sharing some cool stuff with him!

Happy trails!

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For Dads…and the Women Who Love Them

July 5, 2012 By 1 Comment

I’m delighted to talk with you again. Our home remodel is complete – new hardwood floors and new lovely, warm colors, and more of our incredible granite in the bathroom! You can tell I love it!! Now all that’s left is unpacking a few more boxes.

My husband Doug and I also took a 6-day camping trip in the Sierra Mountains of Eastern California two weeks ago, discovering spectacular new territory, hiking, and enjoying the breath-taking beauty and peace of Mother Earth.

I hope you’re spending time with your child in nature this summer. It’s good for you and your child. It’s the perfect place to have spontaneous meaningful conversations.

I have a new video for you that I am really excited about! Of course, I’m excited about all of them, and this one is especially dear to my heart.

The emotional connection between you and your partner makes a profound impact in your child’s life, probably more than you realize. I designed this short video to give you powerful insights to deepen your partnership and communication.

A dear friend and colleague Meryn Callendar is about to release a book in which my son Orion and I contributed “Why Dads Leave: Insights and Resources for When Partners Become Parents” that addresses this topic more deeply. I’ll let you know when it is released. It is a must-read!

Feel free to share the video with your partner and other dads you know. I especially recommend sharing it with your partner, whether male or female.

What do you do to keep your emotional connection with your partner strong and flourishing? Please tell us in the comments section below. You just might give someone else an idea that will make a big difference to them. That’s one of the values of community.

Filed Under: Children, Grandparenting, Loving Yourself, Parenting, Partnership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 6, 2011 By 2 Comments

This is a big WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOO!!! to all you mothers and grandmothers

who give the best you’ve got to your children and your family every day.

who ask the important questions when you feel a concern for your child.

who have the courage to do what’s best for your child, even when it means not doing what others expect or want you to do.

who want your child to be who she is and not who you or anyone else wants her to be.

who know and take action to value yourself so you can be fully present to your family.

who care deeply about your child’s Emotional Wholeness and make conscious choices to nurture it.

I celebrate all of you, even when you don’t do it perfectly or get it ‘right’ every time. None of us do.

I hope you do something fun for you this weekend and cherish the special moments you have with your child and your family.

Doug and I are taking Sebastian camping this weekend, something we all love to do while Orion and Nichola are taking a weekend for themselves (with Madison). I am delighted to think of them having a special weekend.

What are you doing this Mother’s Day that is special to you? I’d love to know! Please share your plans with other moms. You just might inspire someone else!

A heart-felt Happy Mother’s Day to you!

Filed Under: Children, Loving Yourself, Parenting, Parenting Tips Tagged With: ,

A Mother’s Success with Her Daughter’s Tantrums

July 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I’ve been telling you that tantrums and emotional upsets with your child of any age can be resolved, and they are not a normal or necessary part of childhood.

I want to share a quick story about a mom whom I’ll call Mary, mother of two girls one a young teen and the other 6, to share with you what’s possible.

Mary and her husband struggled with their younger daughter’s frequent ‘screaming fits,’ which they reported, “could last for hours.” In addition, these emotional upsets occurred several times every day, whenever they had to tell their daughter, “No.”

As you can imagine, this affected the entire family on a daily, constant basis. Everyone, including the older daughter, tiptoed around this young girl, afraid of setting her off. They saw her as fragile and tried to keep her happy.

Mary was exhausted and distracted by the attention and time she gave to her youngest daughter, feeling she was neglecting her older daughter, and having frequent fights with her husband about their daughter’s tantrums.

Then there were the times she was at the end of her rope, when she became an angry, yelling, upset, out-of-control mom, which she always regretted afterward.

Her young daughter was creating chaos for everyone, and she knew she had to do something.

She came to me for coaching, clear that, “My girls need a better mom.”

After getting some coaching, Mary learned how to calmly and consistently respond to her daughter’s tantrums, to not be afraid or overwhelmed by them. Things began to change immediately. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Children, Grandparenting, Loving Yourself, Parenting, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What to Do When Moms and Dads Disagree about their Child’s Tantrums

July 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Johnny is on the floor screaming and crying. Your teen just stormed to her room after yelling at you. Tommy put his head on the table and refuses to talk to you.

Your child’s tantrums and emotional upsets are never fun. But they become even more complicated and challenging when you and your partner don’t see eye-to-eye on how to respond to these already difficult moments.

Usually moms and dads fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. One believes in firm rules, structure and discipline. The other is more flexible and interested in making sure their child is happy.

Because tantrums are such emotionally-charged situations, it’s easy for you and your partner to get your own emotions triggered. You lose your cool and become frustrated or angry about the way your partner just handled your child’s emotional upset.

You may believe your partner is too harsh and critical. Your partner believes your child needs more structure and that you’re letting your child walk all over you and perhaps even encourages the tantrums.

It’s important to your child and to your family’s emotional well-being that you and your partner work together, that you are equal, loving partners with one another.

Here are some quick tips to help you work things out –

1. Remember neither of you nor your partner is wrong. When it comes to parenting, the important question is not right or wrong. The important question is how can we make this work. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Children, Grandparenting, Loving Yourself, Parenting, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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