Connected Parenting

I’ve been thinking about you, and hoping you’ve been able to take some time this summer to relax.  I’ve started a practice I’m calling “skygazing” which is just me sitting in a chair outside looking at the sky. It’s not meditating (somehow meditating feels like doing “something” and skygazing feels like doing “nothing” — and […]

These early days of school are famous for a reason. There are a million things to cover, a million things to buy and schedule and create and plan for.  My toddler is starting at her new outdoor school. I need to get her some anti-tick gear, make an “all about me” book, focus on her […]

Do you know what your values are? Do you have a mission statement?  I’m not talking about work, or your personal life.. I’m talking about your family. Do you have a family mission statement? Do you make values-driven decisions as a family?  I am just getting back from coffee with a friend who also works […]

Why you need reliable stability, not ups and downs Your kid is doing fine. Today. But last week was tough. So was last month. But then it got better for a bit. And next week, who knows?  The ups and downs you experience with your kid’s meltdowns and big behaviors are because they don’t have […]

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 […]

[Read a previous post on: Reading is more than an Academic Subject] You may have seen this recent New York Times article, or this New Yorker article, on the literacy crisis in this country. Currently, only 37% of 4th graders are reading at or above grade level. 63% of fourth graders are below grade level […]

Many parents know all about the importance of play, but don’t always have an easy time engaging their children in play at home.  To get the most from their play, children need: Time alone away from watching eyes to explore the world around them Time with a supportive adult to show what they’ve learned and […]

We want our children to have the stamina to keep reading for longer and longer periods. By the end of kindergarten, a child should be able to read for 20 minutes at a time on their own. This requires a lot of work! Just like a muscle, the brain learns how to do something by […]