How to Communicate Your Needs in a Relationship
As we’ve discussed before, many men these days have trouble being assertive. One of the things these “Nice Guys” struggle with is communicating their needs to others. Because they shy away from conflict, and don’t want to trouble or inconvenience others, they constantly let other people’s needs supersede their own, and they find it difficult […]
8 Reasons It’s So Hard to Overcome a Tough Childhood
Trauma experienced in childhood has a special ability to wound, especially when it includes emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect. The fallout echoes through the years and causes negative consequences, such as higher risks of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, obesity, behavioral problems, and health problems such as heart disease. One study that followed hundreds of […]
Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health
Children and adolescents are establishing patterns of behavior that affect both their current and future health. Young people are at risk for engaging in tobacco, alcohol, or other drug use, participating in violence or gang activities, and initiating sex at an early age. However, a growing body of research demonstrates that enhancing protective factors in […]
Fun Date Ideas For Moms and Sons
When my oldest was little, we spent so much time together playing, singing songs, going on adventures, and visiting friends. Then I had two boys and it became much harder to get the one-on-one time with them. Now that they are older, one of my “goals” this year is to spend more quality time with […]
14 Tips for Parenting in Public
“How many times have you felt forced/nudged/shamed/coerced into parenting in a way you don’t usually because you were in a public situation? I know I have, and it still happens now that my kids are out of the toddler tantrum stage.” -Ask Moxie “Where I struggle is under the judgmental gaze of grandparents who believe […]
How to Talk to Your Child About Being Distracted and Unfocused
Kids with certain learning or attention issues can have trouble staying focused on schoolwork or might get easily distracted. It can be hard to know how to approach the topic with your child in a positive and productive way. To help, explore the common challenges and suggested conversation starters below. Trouble Staying Focused What you […]
How To Talk To Kids About Death
Discussing death with your kids can be a real concern and many tend to avoid it. Death is however an inevitable part of life and it is our responsibility to ensure our kids are aware of it and know it’s okay to discuss it. If we allow children to talk to us about death, we can […]
15 Ways For Moms and Daughters to Have More Fun Together
With the chaos of juggling our own schedules with our kids’ calendars, it’s easy for your quality time to be limited to carpool conversations and the bedtime routine. Penciling in some one-on-one time with your favorite girl may require a little extra effort, but it’ll pay off in spades. Here, 15 ways to stop stressing […]
Stop Saying “You’re So Smart” – Growth Mindset
Last year, my school invited Eduardo Briceño to talk to us about the importance of having a growth mindset, a concept from his book “The Power of Belief – Mindset and Success”. He basically asserts that there are two types of people: those who think intelligence and skills are fixed/unchanging and others who believe they are […]
Creating a Positive Family Culture: The Importance of Establishing Family Traditions
Here’s a bit of trivia about me: My great-great-grandmother on my dad’s side was a full-blooded Mexicana. For whatever reason, this trace of Mexican blood manifested itself quite strongly in me – more so than in my other family members – and I credit my swarthy skin, thick black mane, and Pancho Villa-like mustache to […]
How to give your child a rich life–without raising entitled kids
“Our offspring have simply leveraged our good intentions and over-investment…They inhabit a broad savannah of entitlement that we’ve watered, landscaped, and hired gardeners to maintain.” -Sally Koslow “I think I want my daughter to have some sense of entitlement… We were raised that we don’t deserve anything, including respect…. This happens every generation, the same […]
15 Science Experiments You Can Do With Your Kids
Time to get messy, light some stuff on fire, and use food products in ways they were never intended! Parents and teachers across the internet have found fun ways to teach kids science, and have documented the experiments for the rest of us. Here are 15 hands-on science lessons that will stick in a kid’s brain […]