“Just Give it a Try,” Pleaded the Father.
Beseeching your child to just give an activity a try, to practice the guitar she begged to take, to put in more effort on an assignment frustrates parents, lots of them. Parents frequently come to me...
View ArticleBefore It’s Too Late
The end of life of a very dear friend of mine for 54 years is on the horizon. Needless to say, it breaks my heart. I have been spending as much time with her as I can. Last week I sat down and wrote...
View ArticleFire Talk, Part 2. Older children, tweens, and teens
It is impossible to imagine a human who has not been profoundly affected by the catastrophic fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, California. Those who lost their houses, all their possessions, and...
View ArticleHoliday Envy
Let’s face it, Christmas is everywhere. Even in cities heavily populated by Chanukah celebrants, Christmas rules, as the streets are dressed in sparkles and twinkle lights and red and green and fa la...
View ArticleTalking to Children About the Election
I awakened today to more than a few emails pleading, Help! How do I explain the election results to my kids? This processing of the election is not meant just for those who are unhappy with the...
View ArticleTurn ON the TV…Lessons of the Olympics
Turn OFF the television and spend real time with your children! How many times have I preached this advice to parents? Today I am doing an about face. It’s time to turn ON the television … to watch...
View ArticlePart II of Kids Don’t Understand Money: TEACHING ABOUT MONEY
In Part I of Kids Don’t Understand Money I shared a story of a parent whose child had not previously seen or paid attention to paying with cash. (Really!) I addressed the reality that children today...
View ArticleKids Don’t Understand Money. Part 1
True story: The dad took his 7-year-old son to a funky donut shop he had heard about, a shop which took cash only. No credit cards, no Apple Pay. “But Dad, how can we pay for this?” the worried boy...
View ArticlePost Covid Parenting Reboot
All of us who lived through the Covid shut downs will not forget that period in our lives. At first we were kind of grateful for the forced time at home with our families. It was close and cozy and...
View ArticleWhat DO I Say about the War in Israel
“My child just asked me,” a mother wrote, “ ‘Why do people hate the Jews?’ ” Another parent wrote, “I can explain the cause of the war; I can retell history. I cannot explain these atrocities against...
View ArticleTalking to Your Children About the War in Israel
I absolutely hate that I have to write this blog. There is a war in Israel, and this is the reality of the world in which we must raise our children. But my job is to help and support parents and...
View ArticleBack to School for Toddlers to Teens
Going back to school or starting a new school…or just starting school the first time for our littlest ones…is a mixed bag for kids and for their parents. The process and the thoughts about it are...
View ArticleTiming is Everything: Set yourself up for successful conversations with your...
Finding the right words to use with children is undeniably powerful. But coming up with the “right” response in the moment, creating just the script that is called for can be challenging. In fact,...
View ArticleDo You Love Your Child Enough?
Seems like a ridiculous question, I know. But since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it feels fitting. One of the lessons our children will learn as they mature is that are lots of different...
View ArticleTeaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids
I was transfixed by the coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death and funeral proceedings. The pageantry, the ritual, the lock steps, the salutes, the uniforms…I was mesmerized. The English loved their...
View ArticleWhat’s Wrong with “I’m Sorry?”
Years ago, I walked into the 4 year olds’ nursery school classroom and watched Mimi, a fabulous, feisty, third born child, collect all the playdough from the other three children at the table. The...
View ArticleHelping to Smooth the Transition Back-to-School
It’s mid-August… that means summer vacation is creeping to an end, depending upon your child’s first day of school. For some it starts as soon as next week. Summer time and the livin’ was easy. Going,...
View ArticleTeaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids
I was transfixed by the coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death and funeral proceedings. The pageantry, the ritual, the lock steps, the salutes, the uniforms…I was mesmerized. The English loved their...
View ArticleWhat’s Wrong with “I’m Sorry?”
Years ago, I walked into the 4 year olds’ nursery school classroom and watched Mimi, a fabulous, feisty, third born child, collect all the playdough from the other three children at the table. The...
View ArticleHelping to Smooth the Transition Back-to-School
It’s mid-August… that means summer vacation is creeping to an end, depending upon your child’s first day of school. For some it starts as soon as next week. Summer time and the livin’ was easy. Going,...
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