“Fathers are far more than just ‘second adults’ in the home. Involved fathers bring positive benefits to their children that no other person is as likely to bring.” Dr. David Popenoe Happy Father’s Day! If you follow my blog you know that I support and conduct research on the importance of fathers. Fathers play a … Continue reading The Unique & Special Role of Dads
Just as divorce or separation is the furthest thing from a man’s mind on the day he says, “I do.”, being separated from his child is the farthest thing from his mind when he hears, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” Yet, close to 50% of marriages end in divorce, and roughly 80% of … Continue reading New On-Line Program for Fathers Experiencing Divorce or Separation
One of the barriers to communication is the naturally occurring distancing that takes place during adolescence. Communication during the teen years can be especially challenging because of the rapid changes that occur in their physical bodies and social worlds. The first thing to remember is that as your child moves through the teen years, he/she … Continue reading What’s Going On? My Teen Seems So Far Away!
Recently, I shared some bad news with a good friend of mine and she sent me this video. The video served two purposes: (1) She wanted me to know that she would stand by me through the hard times and (2) she wanted to communicate how important it was for me to stand by others. … Continue reading Stand By Teens When They Make Mistakes
Think back to when you first brought your baby home. There you sat, fully responsible for the livelihood of this child. You may have felt exhausted, or even a little overwhelmed by all that had changed. Yet, you loved this baby more than anything in the world and very quickly realized how much he/she enriched … Continue reading How You Respond Can Influence Your Teen’s Behavior
Parenting teens is so different than parenting younger children. Parenting young children involves teaching them about the world, giving them boundaries, and keeping them safe. The older they get, the more parents learn about who their child is and what their child needs to grow into adulthood. Home can provides a place where teens can … Continue reading Making a Difference in Your Teen’s Life
Have you ever found yourself doing something for fear of negative consequences? Ever tried to achieve something difficult, just to prove to yourself that you can? Have you ever pushed yourself to do a dreaded task, only to find you truly love what you are doing? Think about each of these scenarios. Why do we … Continue reading Motivating Teens: Pain, Pleasure, & the Pressure to Achieve
Have you ever wished you could motivate your teen by offering him a sucker or providing her with an opportunity to earn a desired toy after putting enough gold stars on the calendar? This may have worked when your child was younger, but life with a teenager is much more complicated! In order to understand … Continue reading Motivating Teens: Why Can’t We Just Give Them Gold Stars?
Improving communication with your teen can be challenging, but never-the-less, one of the most important things you can do to have a strong, long-lasting relationship. The trouble is, it can be hard to get children to talk once they hit the teenage years. What can you do about this? Below are 5 things you can … Continue reading What Parents Can Do To Improve Communication with Their Teen
Divorce is rated as one of the most stressful life experiences people encounter. Dealing with your stress is important to living a productive life and requires paying attention to your emotional needs and letting go of issues that you cannot control. When you are a parent, having less contact with your children can create an … Continue reading Miss Your Children? Take Action Using Safe, Secure Web Communication Tools