My husband and I went on a short vacation mid-month, with a group of old friends. On the morning of September 16th, far from any sense of danger, I enjoyed a beautiful view of the White Mountains of New Hampshire outside a window in the dining room of our hotel,while intermittently sipping tea and flipping through the New York Times. Unaware until then that September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, I came across a letter to the editor that got me thinking. It was written by David Perlin, Executive Director of the Public Health Research Institute and Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, New Jersey Medical School-U.M.D.N.J. Read more..

What prevents your messages getting through to your children?

Have you noticed that sometimes your children just need to hear a message once and they get it? And, frustratingly, you can send a message dozens upon dozens of times and it is as if they had never sent the message at all? Well, welcome to the real world of parenting where nothing goes as expected, what is supposed to work doesn’t, what isn’t assumed to work does, and what does work only works intermittently or only works for a limited time. Read more..

I’m getting a lot of flack about friends lately.

Be kind to other people and they will treat you like you want.
– Andy, age six

I’m getting a lot of flack about friends lately. Kids are complaining that they don’t have any. Parents are concerned that their children don’t have enough, or have too many disagreements with the ones they do have. Read more..

What’s the best strategy for teaching your kids honesty?

I’m sure you want your children to be honest-not to cheat, lie, sneak, cover up or steal. But what’s the best strategy to teach them to be truthful?

Some parents might believe it’s in a child’s nature to lie and it’s the parent’s job to punish dishonesty to prevent it from taking over. Read more..

What can kids do about Japan?

With the advent of the recent tragedy in Japan, and now military involvement in Libya – children often feel powerless and sad hearing about other kids in such situations. This is a healthy response. One way to nurture kid’s positive emotional health and sense of power in this situation is to teach them how to use their mind.

Loving-kindness Meditation
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Is this the year you have resolved to stop arguing with your kids?

Happy New Year! Is this the year you have resolved to stop arguing with your kids? Are you tired of feeling as though your teenager never agrees with any request you make? Does it feel like your third-grader is already practicing to become a lawyer, arguing and negotiating every request or rule that you make? Let me help you keep your New Year’s Resolution and understand what is happening between you and your children.

Before you have done anything as a parent you are already in conflict with your child. That’s right, as soon as you learn you are going to be a parent, you and your child are already in conflict. This is true whether you are becoming a parent through birth, adoption, fostering, step or blending families together.
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