She slapped me. We had just spent the day on the lake. Splashing and laughing in the sun. I asked her to come with me to our cabin to take a bath before dinner and she responded by slapping me. That's right, MY preschooler slapped ME, the parent coach...in front of several extended family members. As soon as she struck me I heard the gasps before I saw several of my extended family member's mouths gape open. … [Read more...] about How to respond when your young kid hits
From Acorn to Oak
Tell me one bad thing…
I've always been one to try and see the good in people or the good in the day. I try and practice gratitude daily. For years, there has been a jar on my desk with the quote "Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day," by Alice Morse Earle. It is filled with small things that make me smile. Little glimmers of positivity. And although others view me as an optimist, I'm also one to fall … [Read more...] about Tell me one bad thing…
Set Intentions: Create a life you love.
"Our intention creates our reality." -Wayne Dyer This year, set intentions instead of resolutions. For thousands of years, it has been a tradition to make a New Year's resolution. A resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something and the majority of resolutions created focus on self-improvement. Yet, the definition feels so rigid and constrictive. And it's important to note that the majority of … [Read more...] about Set Intentions: Create a life you love.
How to stay calm during your kids meltdown
How do you handle a crisis? Do you freeze, run away or fight? Or do you stay calm, listen and offer support? Throughout the day, we are faced with dilemmas or problems. Typically they are small problems but some are bigger than others. And every person interprets the dilemma differently. Our kids have dilemmas too. And because they don't have the same life experiences we have, their smaller problems feel … [Read more...] about How to stay calm during your kids meltdown
What I wish I knew as a New Mom…
1. There's no such thing as nap when the baby naps. This was something that was reiterated to me over and over. Pre-baby this was the biggest piece of advice I heard. I knew that as a new mom I would be tired and so I held on to this advice truly believing that it would solve all of my sleep woes. It didn't. In fact, this was the worst piece of advice for me. Now, I get that everyone was well meaning and had … [Read more...] about What I wish I knew as a New Mom…
You are NOT failing as a parent
Throughout the week I have the honor of listening to parents be vulnerable. And it is during those brave moments that I frequently hear parents say: "I know this sounds horrible but... " sometimes I hide in the bathroom longer than I need to, just to get a break.I hate pretend play and try to avoid it with my child.I spanked my kid yesterday, even after I talked about no longer spanking.I'm sending my kid to … [Read more...] about You are NOT failing as a parent
