I.D.E.A. (which stands for Investigate, Describe, Empathize and Act), is a parenting strategy that I've developed to help parents deal with challenging behavior, episodes of distress, or situations that impact the daily flow of life. With I.D.E.A., parents can be more thoughtful in their approach to their children, be less reactive and more reflective in...

I.D.E.A. (which stands for Investigate, Describe, Empathize and Act), is a parenting strategy that I've developed to help parents deal with challenging behavior, episodes of distress, or situations that impact the daily flow of life. With I.D.E.A., parents can be more thoughtful in their approach to their children, be less reactive and more reflective in...

I.D.E.A. (which stands for Investigate, Describe, Empathize and Act), is a parenting strategy that I've developed to help parents deal with challenging behavior, episodes of distress, or situations that impact the daily flow of life. With I.D.E.A., parents can be more thoughtful in their approach to their children, be less reactive and more reflective in...

Last month I introduced the parenting strategy of I.D.E.A. (which stands for Investigate, Describe, Empathize and Act), and described how to use each step when confronted with challenging behavior, episodes of distress, or simply things that impact the daily flow of life. With I.D.E.A., parents can be more thoughtful in their approach to their children,...

It's a typical Tuesday afternoon in the household. Errands are being done and new ones are accumulating. Emails are calling (or perhaps another round of Gumdrop Falls is reaching out from the tablet). Dinner is in the slow cooker, the laundry is underway, and the vacuum is out and ready for duty. Suddenly there's a...

It is not surprising that many mothers and fathers experience low mood and high anxiety as they cope with the transition to parenting their new baby. During this time, just as infants are going through the process of acclimating to their new surroundings, mothers are going through physical, emotional and biological changes of their own....

It comes out of nowhere. The sudden flash of inspiration, like a bolt of lightning somewhere in the unlimited skies of the mind's imagination. You see the slide, gleaming in the mid-day sunlight, shining brightly and almost smiling after having successfully carried another laughing child. You look down at your hand, filled with freshly laid...

It comes out of nowhere. The sudden flash of inspiration, like a bolt of lightning somewhere in the unlimited skies of the mind's imagination. You see the slide, gleaming in the mid-day sunlight, shining brightly and almost smiling after having successfully carried another laughing child. You look down at your hand, filled with freshly laid...

Learning how to be a good friend is arguably one of the most important and helpful skills we need for success and happiness in life. Around the age of 3 to 4 years, children are typically ready to begin the art of playing collaboratively with their peers and truly "making friends." Making friends and learning...

Last month we began this series on strategies for supporting preschoolers in developing friendship skills. These important skills help set the stage for success and happiness in school, in important personal relationships, and eventually on the job. We wrote last about concrete ways to help kids learn to wait, share and turn take. In this...