Articles
Helping Our Teens with Organization and More
I was recently asked by a wonderful local Home Organizer, to answer some questions about adolescents and how to help them organize their room. Here is that article by Dawn Howlett: As an organizer, I often help families with teens who are struggling to tidy and organize their rooms. It is a very common theme,…
The Gift of Relationship
The stress of holiday gift-giving is often overwhelming, particularly so during these economic times. Big emotions can be stirred in us when our kids come to us with a huge list or seem ungrateful for the incredible gifts they did get. It’s easy for both parent and child to get pulled into the consumerism of…
Our Heart Rope is Strong: Bridging Through the Parenting Journey
Recently I was saying goodbye to my 24-year-old daughter who was going off on a long overseas journey: a trip she was both excited about and ready for. The intention for the trip is that it will be not only an exploration of new lands, but also an exploration of her inner landscape. After all…
Resilience through the Storm
How do some people bounce back from stress and adversity, seemingly unscathed, while others fall apart and become emotionally distraught and dysfunctional? This is one of the crucial questions of our time. Emotional readiness for adversity—whether it be everyday challenges or larger losses– is just as important as physical preparedness to thrive in these turbulent…
Understanding the Bully Dynamic
Pink Shirt Day, an annual event happening on February 28th this year, inspired this article. Pink Shirt Day “aims to raise awareness of [bullying], as well as raise funds to support programs that foster children’s healthy self-esteem,” and was inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia. “Two boys and their teenage friends organized…
Setting the Stage for Play to Find Us
My childhood memories revolve around playing endless games of tag, hide and seek, and running bases with my brothers. We also spent lots of time camping as a family, catching salamanders in culverts, fishing in remote rivers, and playing Marco Polo anywhere we went swimming. My father was a wonderful storyteller, teasing our imagination with…
When Kids Misbehave
Dr. Neufeld completed a series of interviews with Kids in the House, this one on behavior problems. I’m pleased to have permission to share these informative videos to bring you Dr. Neufeld’s attachment-based, developmentally friendly parenting advice — in three minutes or less! When kids misbehave| Find More Parenting Tips, Advice, and Videos at…
Parenting the Sensitive Child
If the tag on your child’s shirt feels this big, and the seams on their socks are so annoying they have to turn the socks inside out, and the noise of the automatic flush toilets in the mall send them running out in tears, chances are you have a sensitive child. These children are also stirred…
Cultivating Resilience in Our Children
What makes one person robust in the face of adversity, and another fragile and weak? Human beings have the potential to be incredibly adaptive, but not everybody develops this capacity. It is not so much what happens to us, but our response to it that matters. I am fascinated with resilience, and how to cultivate…
The Summer Whine
Just as you may have been so excited in June for summer to start, and to have more downtime with the kids, some of you may now be yearning for September to come. I hear many parents complaining about how challenging it is to be with their children all day, every day, often accompanied by…
Discipline through Good Intentions
I have never been a fan of lofty New Year’s resolutions, only to be broken and forgotten, or later used to beat myself up for not sticking to them. There is a powerful parenting alternative, however, which is key to how I discipline my kids. First, let’s look at an adult example. I may decide…
September Separations
Whether you’re a preschooler or a big kid, September usually involves a big transition from the long luxurious days of summer to school, schedules, and routines. That means many of our children are facing separation – not just from their favourite summer activities but also from the most significant people in their lives. Feeling close…