How Parents Can Steer Clear of the Achievement Trap

As parents, it’s natural that we want our children to be successful. We want them to do well in the world and not struggle. But this can become a burden on children when parents overemphasize achievement in academics, sports or the arts. Without meaning to put pressure on children, we can get caught up in… Read More

Having One Child is The New Normal

We are living in a new era, one in which family as we knew it (mom, dad, 2 kids) is being redefined in myriad ways by changed social and economic factors. Today’s parents are re-defining family. Across the United States, and in countries such as England, France, China, Korea, and Canada, one-child households have become… Read More

12 Ways to Make Family Dinner Fun

Most parents agree that family dinner is important and should be a priority—even as we struggle to find time and too often end up eating dinner on the road or in front of a TV or tablet some nights. Research finds that families are less stressed, function better, that kids tend to eat better, and… Read More

The Secret Sauce for Building Children’s Memories

For years, our family had “Ralph” in all his plush furry glory. He was our secret sauce for building the children’s memories. How children remember differs by their age and the “ingredients” parents need to use… Read More

6 Tips for Parents of Millennials Moving Back Home

Many young Millennials are moving back home in the COVID-19 era. In this guest post, Wilfred Farquharson IV, Ph.D., director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, shares advice for families readjusting to having adult kids under the same roof with their parents: The pandemic has ushered in a time of… Read More

To Have or Not to Have Another Child

One woman’s revealing story of her emotional rollercoaster ride and struggle deciding whether to have or not to have another child. It provides insights or perhaps affirmation for the decision you may already have made.… Read More

Best Practices When a Grandparent is Caregiver

Whether your parents or in-laws care for your children on a regular basis or occasionally, best practices when a grandparent is caregiver help build a win-win collaboration. Tantamount to making the arrangement work for you are taking steps to avoid misunderstandings and recognizing often overlooked benefits and advantages that you may not have considered or… Read More

Changing a Parent’s Controlling or Critical Behavior

No matter how old you or your parents are, a parent’s controlling or critical behavior doesn’t seem to change. Parents have a special knack for pushing your buttons or inserting themselves into your adult life. Some parents are overly controlling, constantly critical or intrusive in obvious ways; others are less apparent, subtle. The annoying behavior… Read More

On the Fence About Having Another Child?

Conflicted about adding another child to your family? Deciding to have one child or several is monumental. It can cause all kinds of self-doubt, friction, worry and, frankly, stress. You and your partner may disagree on the number of children you want, making the decision all the more difficult. In speaking to those with one… Read More

Lighten Up Parents! Humor is a Powerful Parenting Tool

Humor is an effective parenting tool for disciplining and bond-building. You don’t need to be naturally funny to add humor to your parenting toolbox. It is a surprisingly effective — and underused — parenting technique to relieve tension and strengthen the bond with your children. For parents, humor can be a gateway to a deeper… Read More

5 Scandinavian Parenting Approaches You’ll Want to Practice

Americans often look to other countries for new trends and practices, and parenting is no exception. You might have stumbled upon articles that extol child-rearing philosophies from one region in particular: Scandinavia. American parents, bogged down by pressure for their children to compete and to raise star children, will find Scandinavian parenting tips appealing and… Read More

Stop Over-Gifting Your Children: Here’s Why

Think back to your childhood — specifically, your memories of the holidays. Your fondest recollections might resemble something like singing carols with your cousins, or baking a special dish with your grandparents. Or, something more festive or adventurous: a trip to the ballet, or sledding in the woods. In asking people about their warmest childhood… Read More

5 Ways to Maximize the Morning Commute with Your Child

The ride to school and after-school activities can quickly become a tiresome chore. It’s a mad morning rush — up with the alarm, out the door, and then getting everyone where they need to be on time. For working parents, it can be tough to resist the urge to think about your upcoming tasks for… Read More

5 Scripts to Use with Your Strong-Willed Child

Some children are naturally independent and opinionated — even used to getting their own way. In short, they can be obstinate or defiant at times. This makes your job as a parent all the more challenging. A typical strong-willed child often misbehaves or refuses to test your love and limits. It could be there are… Read More

5 Quick Parent-Child Bonding Activities

With back-to-school season here once again, the dog days of summer shift dramatically into busy mode. Suddenly, schedules feel packed. In between morning commutes, after-school sports or weekend extracurricular activities, it seems that there’s barely time to update each other on your day. You’re not alone. Life swirls at a hectic pace in most families.… Read More

6 Reasons Why You Have a Pushover Problem

Your phone rings or an incoming text chimes. You’re greeted with the same all-too-familiar message: “Can you help with…” or “Can you do me a favor?” As always, you are the go-to person in your family, friend circle or work group to handle a crisis or solve an issue. And, as usual, you’ll do it… Read More

How Technology Causes ‘Brain Drain’ & Weakens Family Connections

It’s no secret that the advent of smartphones and other technology puts strains on family life. Technology also causes a brain drain. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, children now spend more than seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen. (“Screen” includes cellphones,… Read More

Quiz: Who Makes Your Life the Most Difficult or Stressful?

Often, it’s easy to get swept up into regularly responding to requests with a yes rather than a default no. You may not even recognize your willingness or selflessness as a hindrance. Some people are more difficult to refuse than others. Who gets you to say “yes” most often? Who makes your life the most… Read More

5 Unexpected Benefits of Saying No That Every Parent Should Know

If you’re like many parents, the prospect of saying no to your children sometimes feels uncomfortable or difficult. The benefits of saying no are unknown. You may believe that it’s simply easier to cave in. After all, how bad is your daughter’s request for another scoop of ice cream? Or, how harmful is it to… Read More

8 Ways to be the Adult in the Room with Your Parents

It is not unusual for adult children—be they 25, 35, 55, or older—to suddenly act like their 10-year-old selves with their parents. It can feel as if you have no control over the situation, but you do have choices in an effort to stop bending to parents’ wishes and demands.… Read More

How to Help Children Stand Up to Peer Cruelty & Stop Bullying

In this guest post, Dr. Michele Borba, an educational psychologist and parenting and bullying expert, offers specific, evidence-based tips on bullying prevention. Her latest book, End Peer Cruelty, Build Empathy, helps teachers and parents instruct children on how to step in safely to halt bullying. Dr. Borba emphasizes how creating a caring culture based on… Read More

5 Ways to Protect Your Boundaries This Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or, for you is it a runaway celebration train of obligations and a mile-long to-do list? You can change that by protecting your personal boundaries.… Read More

Meaningful Holiday Activities that Focus on Family & Gratitude

The holidays are a time for togetherness. Yet, for many families, it’s also a stressful season ruled by obligations and pricey expectations: gift-giving, attending party after party, adhering to tiresome traditions. Especially for families with young children, the unrelenting demands of the holidays can take over. Orchestrating wholesome family-friendly, meaningful holiday activities quickly take a… Read More

5 Family-Friendly Halloween Activities

Any holiday offers fertile ground for fostering positive family togetherness and warm memory making. Halloween, with its delightfully spooky fun, can be an especially exciting time for young children. Whatever and however you celebrate your family-friendly Halloween, it is important to include rituals and traditions. To you, Halloween may pale in comparison to higher profile,… Read More

Quiz: Do You Have a People-Pleasing Problem?

When someone asks you for a favor, a “yes, sure” is out of your mouth before the reality of the commitment registers. You may have a people-pleasing problem. It’s not uncommon for many of us to wonder how we got roped into being the family’s go-to task person, an extra office assignment, or making arrangements… Read More

10 Memorable Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day

Here are 10 creative, memorable ways to spend Mother’s Day together as a family.… Read More

6 Smart Ways to Interact with Your In-Laws After the Baby Arrives

Plenty of people struggle with maintaining happy and healthy relations with their in-laws. Bring a newborn into the equation and unexpected sticky in-law situations can quickly arise. You likely spent a lot of time with your in-laws before getting married. And you may have felt that they were involved in your pregnancy — baby showers,… Read More

25 Days of Little Things

How are you and your family making this holiday season extra memorable? … Read More

Five Parent-Proven Strategies for Managing Stress

Here are five parent-proven strategies for putting the brakes on stress so that you can be the calm and caring parent you want to be.… Read More

Older Moms: 40 is the New 30

The”older moms” trend is clear: More women in their late thirties and well into their forties are starting families.… Read More

Mothers With One Child Are Happiest

Having an only child is desirable from a wide range of viewpoints and practicalities, but that doesn’t make decisions about family size any easier.… Read More

Sweethearts-in-Training: 15 Valentine Tips

How you treat your partner on Valentine’s Day speaks volumes to your children.
… Read More

Do Children Need Siblings to Become Good Sports?

If your toddler refuses to share a toy or take turns, even if the person doesn’t say the words, you know she is thinking: If that child had a sibling she wouldn’t behave this way. But is it true? Do children need siblings to learn social skills?… Read More

Ready for Baby? Choosing Single Motherhood

Should women bother waiting for their dream guy to become mothers? Arguably not. … Read More

Only Child Benefits, According to Those Who Lived It

Onlies in their 20s, 40s, 60s and 70s shared their feelings and revealed five distinct advantages to being an only child.… Read More

10 Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress

For some people the holidays are a time for friends, family, and relaxation, but for many, even most, the pressure to get everything done and be merry is just too much.… Read More

More Babies, More Housework for Moms? Not Necessarily

Despite the fact that more women than ever before have full-time jobs outside the home, household labor remains largely the mother’s responsibility. So perhaps it isn’t surprising that more and more women are choosing to have only one child.… Read More

How to Bring Extra Love to the Holidays

The holidays are a fine time to reconnect with your family. … Read More

When You Can’t Be There: 20 Ways to Stay Connected to Your Children

It is a dilemma most working parents face: How do you fulfill your job commitments without cheating your children? Instead of worrying, use the time you have to reconnect in these simple, yet meaningful ways. … Read More

In Defense of Older First-Time Moms

“When is the ideal time to have a baby?” Everyone has an opinion and most people have no qualms sharing it. Whatever people believe, women are having their first babies later than ever before. … Read More

The Digital Detox Every Family Should Do

Face-to-face interaction is crucial for the development of a young child’s language skills and emotional intelligence. Although it might be too much to do away with technology all together, here is the digital detox every family should do.… Read More

Do You Have the Energy for Another Child?

Deciding whether or not to have another child is a difficult decision. To parents of singletons who aren’t sure how an addition will impact your family, consider this oft-repeated phrase: “One is One, Two is Four…”… Read More

No Crossing Sign, guarding your boundaries

Guarding Your Boundaries: When Adult Children and Parents Live Together

Boundaries separating you from family occur automatically when you’re independent, formed either by the physical distance or the amount of contact you orchestrate. When you live together again with family, boundaries can blur rapidly. One of the first orders of business is to install ground rules that reshuffle the boundaries to ensure everyone’s freedom and comfort.… Read More

6 Ways Parents Can Bond With Their Children

In May, The Pew Research Center reported that, for the first time, 40% of American households have breadwinner moms acting as either the sole or primary source of income for the family. As we continue to see such changes in the job force, many moms and dads struggle to find ways to stay bonded to their children.… Read More

Harness the Power of NO & Take Back Your Life

Overscheduled? Overworked? Overwhelmed? The word NO is an invaluable tool for stemming the tide of favors asked of you and regaining control of your life.… Read More

Fight the Pressure to Over-Schedule Your Children

From early morning to late evening most families buzz with non-stop activity that shifts into overdrive during the school year. Extra curricular sign up sheets abound, and the impulse to engage your children in multiple endeavors becomes hard to resist.… Read More

Are Your Wedding Dreams Getting Lost in the Wants and Wishes of Everyone Around You?

When you can’t say “no,” planning your wedding can become an ongoing hassle that adds stress to an already stressful situation. The solution lies in one simple word—“no.” Once put into action, the power of “no” is limitless.… Read More

Night, Night: Bedtime Rituals Grow Warm Memories

Most of us feel as if the entire day flies by without a moment to catch our breaths. Although parents usually follow a bedtime ritual with their young children, it, too, is often cut short or rushed. But reserving that time and making it sacred reaps both immediate and long-term rewards for you and your child.… Read More