Featured Resources
Talking to Your Teen
You heard this would happen. Your little snuggler, your helper, your “mini-me” has become a teen. Attempting to engage with them now may elicit a series of grunts and groans, or seemingly thoughtless one-word answers. Try these techniques to help you reconnect with your teen and keep the lines of communication open.
How To Love Through Hard Times
If you or someone you know experiences painful memories this time of year, check out some of our blogs below to read different perspectives on relationships, learn ways to move past those difficult times, and learn how to continue to give and accept love from others.
Making Time for Family Fun
Often the fun activities in life get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. When this happens, I encourage caregivers to take a few minutes to complete the following activity adapted from the “Together Facing the Challenge” curriculum.Additional Resources
Reminder: Healing Isn't Linear
We fill up with sunshine when we see victory in our children’s lives, and the moment we start to let our shoulders drop in relaxation, another storm comes seemingly out of nowhere. But that does not mean healing isn’t happening. It means that it is layered and multifaceted and complex. It means that trauma goes deep, and so must healing.
My 13-Year-Old Says Making Friends Is Easier Online
My 13-year-old son (soon to be 14) is having a hard time maintaining friendships. As a result, he tells his dad and me that he is lonely and then moves to “online friends,” which are really people he doesn’t know. He says that when he goes online, he can be who he wants and can just tell them the good stuff. Any suggestions on how to cultivate friendships with kids he has actually met through baseball, school, etc.?
My Family Is Struggling
My family has been struggling as my husband lost his job due to COVID, my daughter has been acting out, and I feel like I am going to lose it. We have never been to family therapy, but do you think it would help?
Fixed or Growth Mindset – Which Type of Family Are You?
A fixed mindset often focuses solely on the end result. A growth mindset focuses on the journey and the effort put in, and not on the end result itself. Neither of these are wrong nor bad, as encouraging your child is always a great thing to do. However, by parenting from a growth mindset, you instill the idea of resilience and learning to achieve goals. So, how can you move your family from a fixed to a growth mindset?
My Mother-in-Law Is Critical of Me. How Do I Get Support From My Husband?
My mother-in-law is very critical, and she makes negative comments about things I say or do, and this really bothers me. My husband is aware and even though he agrees that she is inappropriate, he never sticks up for me or says anything to stop it. It makes family events very uncomfortable. What can I do to encourage my husband to come to my defense?
What Is the Best Living Arrangement for Our Kids After a Divorce?
My husband and I are getting a divorce, but we are amicable. We have been having problems for quite some time and after a lot of couple’s therapy, he came out that he is gay. As hard as this is, we both know that he needs to be true to who he is. We have two younger children ages 8 and 6 and we want to keep things as normal as possible for them so we have decided to keep the children in the house and he and I will rotate staying at the house every other week. We are going to share an apartment and rotate living there as well. Is this type of arrangement good for children?
How Do I Enforce Rules With Our Kids If My Husband Doesn't Follow Them?
One of the rules with my children is no swearing. But my husband frequently curses which I feel sends mixed messages to our kids! How can I enforce the no swearing rule when it seems to be: do as I say, not as I do?
Goal Setting as a Family
Have you ever set a goal for yourself or a new intention, and quickly found that it was unsustainable? This happens all too often when we set goals that are just too broad, and this practice is not one we want to instill in our children. Yes, being the best parent you can be is a great end goal, but you need smaller, actionable steps to get you there – and those steps are what should become your goals.