Real parent training, with coaching to make it stick!
Emotions can run rampant in the ADHD household. Tempers flare for no apparent reason, feelings are hurt, and the entire family dynamic can quickly end up in a hot mess. Add to this the natural tendency that most of us have to deflect responsibility, and everyone is getting blamed for everything that happens to everyone... read more
Sometimes my life feels like Groundhog Day! Each morning my alarm goes off at 5:55. For the next 50 minutes, I do what I need to do for me: I take a shower, do my meditation, make my coffee, sometimes sleep in a little, sometimes read a little. By 6:45, I am ready to get... read more
An ADHD diagnosis can be alarming, upsetting, frightening. “What’s wrong with my child?” we wonder in fear. It’s no laughing matter. Or, is it? We hate feeling scared about our children’s future. But what do we want instead? What’s the opposite of scared? Calm? Brave? I suggest it’s laughing. Laughing or fearful; amused or anxious;... read more
“I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.” -Emo Philips Many of us believe everything we see, hear, and experience. It doesn’t occur to us that we never really perceive the world outside of our own brain. Unfortunately, our brain’s... read more
Let’s face it, middle-schoolers can be mean. It’s a natural result of an increasing desire for independence, chronic deficits in self-esteem, an under-developed capacity for empathy and compassion and raging hormones. Add all of these up and the result can be just plain nasty! I am fortunate enough to have two such hormone rangers in... read more
Compassion is the expression of sympathetic concern for another’s difficulties. On the surface, it seems too simple to be a coaching tip — shouldn’t we all have compassion for our kids? But it’s actually a helpful strategy. Hear me out. As parents, we tend to get frustrated when our kids act like kids – even... read more
The hardest thing in the world is to know your child is in pain, and walk away. While it applies to anyone you love, really, it’s especially hard when it’s your own kid. And yet, sometimes, the best thing you can do is absolutely nothing. My daughter had to have her wisdom teeth removed, recently.... read more
Sometimes, even when we try to be conscious parents, we inadvertently hurt our kids’ feelings. We don’t do it on purpose, but they interpret something and the next thing we know, they are upset. So what to do in response? Take time to really listen: I take the time to curl up on the couch... read more
Ever had one of those parenting moments when you look around and realize that your child has just done, or said, something great, and no one else recognizes how spectacular s/he actually is? When you find yourself wanting to share your child’s success, tell him or her directly. Why bother with a middle-man? After all,... read more
Coping with ADD I am committed to raising my kids to have a high level of Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI is: “The ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others.” EI is a critical life skill that impacts our ability to function in life and to successfully interact with others. EI... read more