Toddlers

The only three family rules you need

With children, you never know what they’re going to do on any given day. No wonder you need some great family rules!

Case in point: A few days ago, my husband and I came home from a trip with some chocolates that I’m really looking forward to. Even though we don’t do a lot of sweets for the kids, we also got them a few chocolate covered pretzels and let them have a piece the night we got back into town. So my kids knew there was chocolate on the counter.

I came to the kitchen yesterday to see that Bella Bean, my three year old (and scrounger), was about to get into the candy. I moved it to the top of the fridge (where they couldn’t reach even with a stool) and then put all three kids to bed.

The next morning, we got up and I started getting dressed. I noticed a suspicious quiet (you know what I’m talking about, parents of toddlers). (more…)

11 steps to calm tantrums

temper tantrum

We’ve all had that moment out in public where your child freaks out and it feels like everyone is looking. It’s like everyone stops and stares at his huge tantrum.

Or maybe you’re running late for an appointment, and of course your three-year old picks that day to lose his mind about not getting to wear snow boots in July.

It can be so stressful when your young child falls apart, especially whether you are in public or you just don’t have time to handle a meltdown.

Are you desperate for effective parenting strategies to calm toddler tantrums? Or perhaps your preschooler (or older!) is having frequent meltdowns and you need help dealing?

After all, the mindset of just. make. it. stop. isn’t enough. You want to help your child grow through these experiences, and heck, maybe for you to have some personal growth too. Here are some gentle parenting strategies to help you do just that.  (more…)

Teaching assertiveness to girls – why “nice” isn’t enough

strong little girl

How do we empower our little girls to be strong and thrive in today’s world? It seems like being “nice” doesn’t pay for women. So many of us have been taken advantage of, hurt, or assaulted all because we were being “nice.”

And this needs to change for our next generation of girls. What can we do as parents? How do we equip our daughters for this world, knowing we need to start when they’re still small?

(more…)

How your child can help with dinner prep (tasks by age)

preschooler knife skills

Getting kids involved in dinner preparation, whether by letting them cook or set the table, is so important for them developmentally. There’s so much for them to learn, feel, and see!

But getting kids involved in kitchen prep can be scary. After all, there are knives. And hot ovens/stoves. And heavy pots and pans. The kitchen can look like a disaster waiting to happen.

Plus, you may be wondering where to even begin! How old do your kids need to be to start in the kitchen? When can you give them a knife? When can they use the stove? How do you keep them safe? (more…)

How to give your kids a growth mindset

learning through play

You probably want your kids to be smart. Not only that, but you want them to love learning! The best way to promote this trait is something called a growth mindset.

So what is a growth mindset, and how to we give it to our kids?

More to the point, what do we often do that squashes our child’s love of learning, and how can we avoid these behaviors? Learn more about promoting a growth mindset in your kids in this post! (more…)