Connected Parenting

I had an amazing time speaking with Sheila Akbar about power of resilience for kids on her Don’t Force It podcast. We see around us, and are finding though studies, that there is a huge spike in childhood anxiety. Our kids are more anxious, afraid to make mistakes, and are full of shame when they […]

I joined the show to discuss:

– How children are competent, capable people

– Why we as parents should observe our children to find their competence and skills

– Why giving children space can lessen their anxieties and allow them to simply explore themselves

– The importance of allowing children to contribute in their home vs always “receiving” from their parents

“I don’t want to rely on screens… but I have to use them sometimes!! Usually when I hear this, it’s followed by a sheepish look of guilt mixed with indignation (“don’t tell me not to use screens!” I hear you thinking)   I want to talk about your child’s screentime in a reasonable way that allows […]

Since I always encourage you to support your kids’ independence and ability to play alone, I wanted to share this exciting research with you. Independence can give so much to our kids. This research helps put into perspective just how important childhood independence truly is, and how deeply it can lead to a child’s resilience.

Embracing the uncertainty of early intervention can be overwhelming, even for those familiar with the process. As a teacher, I empathize with the challenges that come with raising resilient kids. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. After a recent call, I found myself questioning and spiraling.

“Is this normal for my kid’s age, or is this something I should worry about?” This is the number one question I get asked “Should I worry about this? Or will they grow out of it?” While of course we wonder this, I encourage you to think about this differently. Instead, ask yourself two important […]

I hope you enjoyed last week’s blog and were able to use the Cultivating Contributions Family Survey to start a discussion with your kids about their personal contribution desires.  I wanted to check in with you and see how things went. Were there any surprises when you asked your kids about their contributions? It’s incredible […]

Parents often come to me telling me that.. … their kid is having a huge meltdown over something small… their child gets so upset when they lose a game and is inconsolable… their child has such big emotions coming home from school each day and that no amount of repeating back their emotions, guiding them […]

Is your child quick to shut down? When they’re reading, if they get a word wrong, do they close the book and stop reading? (do they even try with a word they don’t know?) After soccer, do they come home upset when they don’t get a turn? This is how so many of the parents […]

I want to give you some wisdom from my grandma. I had a dream about her recently. She died last year, and was a big influence on my life. She spoke many languages, Yiddish among them, and shared this Yiddish folktale with me. She especially shared it right after I had my baby, when I […]