02 Feb
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It happened. You blinked and the month of January was over. Before you could process what happened, two days of February were forever gone from the calendar. While we cannot stop time in 2012, we can stop to evaluate how we want to spend time the New Year. So, here’s the million-dollar question: How do you want to spend the remaining 332 days of 2012 with your family?
A recent article from about.com revealed that over 50% of Americans vowed to appreciate loved ones and spend more time family and friends in 2012. If the truth is told, many of us are included in this number but have no clue how to realistically make this happen in our daily lives. Below are a few strategies for creating quality family time with your family this year.
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25 Jan
This guest post was written by Jessica Brodey, a trained and certified Gentle Sleep CoachSM. Through her company Eat-Sleep-Love, Jessica provides private consultations with parents to help them develop healthy sleep habits for their children by creating and implementing sleep plans that are tailored to each child’s needs and respect parental philosophies; seminars and workshops on sleep strategies for parents of infants and young children; Happiest Baby courses; breastfeeding education and support; and guidance, advocacy and support for parents seeking early interventions, assessments, Individualized Education Programs, or Section 504 Plans for their children. Please see Jessica’s contact information at the end of the post.
The first six months of parenting a new baby are a challenging time, especially for first-time parents. New parents struggle with a changing family dynamic, the responsibility of getting to know their new baby, and balancing feeding, sleeping, and other care needs. Parents welcoming a subsequent baby into the family share these same challenges, but must also balance the needs of their newborn against the needs of their older children. Sleep (or the lack thereof) is a critical factor for parents as they embark on parenting their new baby.
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22 Dec
In our efforts to provide children with every opportunity and advantage they need to succeed in the world, we sometimes overlook a vital ingredient. Imagine for a moment that there is an option available for your child that fosters emotional, social, and cognitive development; reduces stress; improves physical and mental health; strengthens families; and is fun–with no negative side effects. Wouldn’t we insist our schools offer it, sign our kids up for it, and have our doctors prescribe it? Well, fortunately we can, because that magic something is called play. Read more »
12 Dec
Divorce is the legal ending of a unified, nuclear family, and managing the feelings that accompany this termination is challenging for all concerned. When children are involved, the time of a family’s separation is also a time of reorganization. The couple makes crucial decisions that impact the family’s future, including how to divide property, how to distribute and spend future income, and how often and under what circumstances each parent will have access to children. One household becomes two, each with their own norms and rituals, and the ex-spouses begin a “co-parenting” relationship that will serve as a bridge between the two homes.
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08 Dec
Guest blogger Jennifer Kogan is a clinical social worker who provides counseling and support for parents and families in Northwest D.C.
The holidays can be a stressful time for any parent but what happens when each parent observes a different religion? This year, Chanukah and Christmas overlap thereby adding an extra challenge for interfaith parents. Is there a way to balance two religious traditions in one home? The answer is a resounding yes, if you take a thoughtful team approach to the holiday season. Below are some suggestions for celebrating the interfaith way: Read more »
01 Nov
The loss and pain of divorce can be extraordinarily challenging. When children are involved, parents’ hurt feelings are often re-activated as they find themselves needing to communicate extensively with the very person who has caused them such hurt and pain. While most parents know that their children will be better off if they communicate amicably and cooperatively with their child’s other parent, confusion and hurt feelings can lead parents into a “conflict dance” that can generate further pain for the whole family. Read more »
29 Sep
Losing someone we love is a painful experience for anyone. For parents, it can be difficult to know how to best support children after the loss of a loved one. This can be an especially challenging task with teenagers, as their quests to prove independence can lead them to present façades of composure. Educating yourself about grief in teens can help you recognize appropriate grief in your teenager and offer support. The following questions and answers offer some clarity. Read more »
