Assertiveness can be very difficult at times, but in all relationships the ability to communicate assertively lowers the likelihood of misunderstandings. Communicating with our children is no different. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell someone exactly what you want from him or her when you’re frustrated, so this often takes a tremendous amount of effort.
The Growing Parent: Anger & Keeping Your Cool
Most of us have the tendency to say things we later regret when we are angry. Unfortunately, those that are the closest to us get the brunt of that more often than we would like.
The Growing Parent: Anger & Negotiating
Clearly the parent is supposed to be in charge, and I’m not suggesting otherwise. In fact statistics even show us that well-defined boundaries result in the best outcome for raising children. However, both my clinical and personal experiences show that being willing to give a little sometimes can have a tremendous impact on your relationship with your children.
The Growing Parent: Anger & Listening
Make a point to listen to your child’s side of the story. This can often be extremely challenging for some parents, particularly when your child is clearly in the wrong. Nonetheless, it is extremely important for our children to feel confident that we are listening to them and understanding what they are trying to say.
How to be Like Iron Man
The character of Iron Man intrigues me. He is a combination superhero and rapscallion with a smidgen of chivalry thrown in to endear him to the hearts of many people. Beneath his modern day suit of armor, he shines as any Knight of the Roundtable, albeit more like a Monty Python character than the classic versions of knights like Arthur.
The Growing Parent: Performance Night- A Way to Connect with Your Kids
“My job keeps me so busy that I feel like I have no clue what is going on in my daughter’s life. How can I reconnect with her to feel like I know who she is anymore?”
The Growing Parent: Dating
“My 14-year-old son just asked me if he can take his girlfriend to the school dance this weekend and I’m afraid to let him go because of what he may do with her afterwards. Should I let him go?”
A Lesson in Breaking Through
The markings were evident: the imprint of a bird’s body, wings spread, in flight, trying to find a way through. It happens every year at that same window. Once, I witnessed a bird hit the window, very hard, only to go back and try again. And again. It hit the window so many times, and with such force that it knocked itself out and lay there on the ground as I watched and wondered at its persistence in trying to break through a way that gave the appearance of one thing, but was not what it seemed.
Everyone doesn’t get a trophy
Have you noticed that in our culture these days, everyone get a trophy? Kids are not told that failure is an option. Instead, they are given an award for the hardest worker or most determined. It turns out that this might not be the best approach… Children may perform better in … Read More
Picture Perfect People
I was traveling recently and while waiting for a connecting flight, I stepped into a store to make a purchase. One entire wall was covered completely in magazines. I stepped back for a moment to view the wall as one entity and what I noticed was that every cover (for … Read More
