Parenting

Parenting tips, advice, kid’s activities and how to manage a family.

Podcast Episode 83: Helping Kids Make and Keep Friends
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Podcast Episode 83: Helping Kids Make and Keep Friends

Kids often don’t understand all the ins and outs of social relationships and friendships. And if your kids are quiet, shy, or have difficulties understanding social norms, friendships can be a HUGE challenge for them. The book Me & My Friendships was written specifically for kids ages 6-10 years old and is as easy and fun read! Kids will learn everything they need to know to make and keep friends, which is essential for social emotional development!

Podcast Episode 79: You May Be Settling for Less Than You Deserve (and what you can do about that)
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Podcast Episode 79: You May Be Settling for Less Than You Deserve (and what you can do about that)

In this episode, we push against that thought process that as moms, we should be happy settling for cold chicken nuggets as a meal and someone offering (but not actually doing) the dishes one day a year. We dig deep into expectations, ask why we settle for less than we know we deserve, and 4 things you can do today to stop it!

Podcast Episode 77: Mom Isn’t Your Only Identity
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Podcast Episode 77: Mom Isn’t Your Only Identity

Back in the times of B.C. (Before Children) moms had hobbies, interests, and a fully developed identity outside of being a mom. A hard mom truth is that many of us have slowly lost touch with that identity as our motherhood often took over the majority of our time.

But we’re here to tell you that Moms need their OWN thing (guilt-free)! They need to bring their own accomplishments that go beyond raising their family. Not only will it bring you happiness, but it will also bring you fulfillment. And we have 3 easy tips on how to start that journey back to finding your identity outside of being “mom”!

Podcast Episode 75: How to Ditch That Nasty “Stop and Drop” Habit
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Podcast Episode 75: How to Ditch That Nasty “Stop and Drop” Habit

Do your kids come to you the night before their diorama project is due in Social Studies asking to go to the store to buy EVERYTHING? And did you go?
Then you may have a Stop & Drop problem!
This isn’t any one person’s fault. It’s the result of a combination of things. But we have good news for you! Use our 3 easy tips and you will lose that nasty little stop and drop habit once and for all!

Podcast Episode 74: How to Find the Humor in Being a Mom
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Podcast Episode 74: How to Find the Humor in Being a Mom

Sometimes as a parent you just have to laugh. I mean, no one ever wants to believe that there will be a day where they are trying to figure out if that’s poop or chocolate on their shirt! But that’s a hard mom humor truth! And it’s why all moms need to laugh!
And boy will we have you rolling after this…

We discuss the importance of finding the humor in being a mom as well as what advice they have for moms struggling to get through the nitty gritty days in motherhood.

Podcast Episode 73: 4 Ways to Tackle an Upper Limit Problem You Probably Didn’t Know You Had
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Podcast Episode 73: 4 Ways to Tackle an Upper Limit Problem You Probably Didn’t Know You Had

Do you ever feel guilty when things are going good for you? Do you engage in negative self-talk? Have you ever thought that you just might be self-sabotaging good things in your life?
If so, you are not alone. And, according to Gay Hendricks, you may have what he calls an “upper limit problem.” Here’s 4 ways you can kick it to the curb.

Toddler Hitting Sibling
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Toddler Hitting Sibling

Not more than 2 seconds after they hop in the car, the screaming begins.

“No, that’s not what happened Erik. My lunch is at 11:35am, not 11:30.”

I brace myself.

“NO SISSY! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT”

And then, WHAP!

He reaches his little arm across the space in the bucket seats between them and hits her.

“Erik, DON’T HIT ME!!!”

That’s when I intervene.

I don’t know how school bus drivers do it. How do you discipline 30 kids when you’re trying to keep safe and focus on not veering your large yellow, monstrosity off the road

I’m in a Toyota Highlander with only two children and I’m ready to lose my mind.

Yelling At Child Doing Homework
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Yelling At Child Doing Homework

“Noooo… I can’t do it. I don’t have the time!!”

Have you heard this from your child when she sits down to do homework? My gosh, it wrecks me.

I can feel her overwhelm and so relate to it.

I know what it feels like to have so much to do and what seems like no time to do it.

So, I jump in and try to help.

“It’s ok sweetie, let’s write down all the things you have to do to get it out of your head.”

“NO!” she pouts back, “That won’t help. I don’t know any of this and I have to get started now.”

What do you do with that? You see the problem, you know the steps to take to fix it and yet your child pushes you away like you couldn’t possibly know what she’s talking about or what she’s dealing with.

How To Get A Child To Clean Up After Themselves
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How To Get A Child To Clean Up After Themselves

Ever walk in your house and become immediately overwhelmed with the stuff lying around?

Its bad enough when you have a kitchen junk counter stacked with 3 layers deep with kid’s artwork, random books and those gadgets for your door that you don’t want to throw away but you don’t really know how to install.

But then is all the stuff your kids leave laying in the living room or crammed onto the top of the family room game shelf.

3 Simple Ways to Make Homework Fun

3 Simple Ways to Make Homework Fun

I’m going to be blunt.

Right now, your child’s homework time just plain sucks.

It does.

You dread it every night. “Hey, have you done your math homework yet?

“NO! I can’t do my homework. I don’t want to do it yet. Can’t I watch TV? I’ll do it after dinner.”

So much back and forth and back and forth. It’s become too much.

The question is, how do you make your child want to do homework?

How do you make homework less boring?

Podcast Episode 86: Parenting on the Same Page with Amy McCready
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Podcast Episode 86: Parenting on the Same Page with Amy McCready

It’s hard enough when you are trying to pick a place to go out to eat and no one is on the same page, but when you and your partner or co-parent aren’t on the same page…it can be downright agonizing! We discuss with Amy how parents can identify what the real issue is causing their parenting struggles and how to best get on the same page and become a united front.

Tween Mood Swings
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Tween Mood Swings

You walk in the door from school. Your nine-year-old comes in after you.

Everything seems fine. She’s happy. All is well and good.

Then, you remind her that the dishwasher needs unloading.

Boom. It’s like something inside her detonates.

“Noooo… I don’t have time to do that. That’s so unfair. I can’t believe you’re making me do this!:

She glares at you, stomps over to the kitchen sink and starts crying.

WHA-ATT just happened? She was happy. I didn’t blame her. I just had a simple request.

Podcast Episode 112: What is Social Justice Parenting?
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Podcast Episode 112: What is Social Justice Parenting?

When it comes to parenting, so many of us want to raise “good kids”. Kids who will be kind to others, who can problem solve, kids who truly understand and act out of compassion, and who understand inclusivity, justice, and equality. But there is often a space between raising “good kids” and raising pro-justice kids. That’s where the concept of Social Justice Parenting comes in.

Podcast Episode 61: How Logical Consequences are More Effective Than Punishments at Home
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Podcast Episode 61: How Logical Consequences are More Effective Than Punishments at Home

Too often, we fall into the trap of punishing our kids in the heat of the moment after something’s happened. But that hardly ever works. Here, we’ll discuss the difference between logical consequences and punishments, as well as how to make effective logical consequences that will have a positive impact on your discipline at home.

Podcast Episode #146: How to Parent Like a Spy with Christina Hillsberg
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Podcast Episode #146: How to Parent Like a Spy with Christina Hillsberg

Have you ever thought that being a parent should carry some training? How about spy training? I mean, who doesn’t want to learn how to parent like a spy? Meet Christina Hillsberg, former CIA agent and author who shares how her training as a spy has influenced her parenting with her 5 kids.

Middle School Organization Checklist
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Middle School Organization Checklist

It’s 6pm on a Thursday and I get a frantic text from a friend. Her daughter goes to the same school as mine.

“Hey, does your daughter have the math test from 2 months ago? The teacher is letting Celina retake it but she can’t find it.”

“Yeah, hold on, let me ask her.”

My daughter does have the test – which she doesn’t hand over right away because she wants to know exactly why she needs it, what it will be used for… third degree basically.
Satisfied with all my answers,she opens her binder to the math section, pulls out the test and hands it to me.
“Thanks,” my friend texts back, “I don’t know what Celina did with it.”

Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?
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Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?

Do you feel like you’re too nice?

One of my students called me out for that my first year of teaching.

In her very astute, wise little fifth grade voice she told me, “Mrs. Crohn, you are too nice”

But wait… don’t you want to be nice? Isn’t that something to aim for?

Kind yes. But nice…nice is taking on the full responsibility of other people’s feelings and adapting your behavior to make others happy.

That’s what I was doing when an 11-year-old called me out.

Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money
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Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money

In the midst of this strange season of social distancing and change, money may well be a scary topic for you. Maybe you’re like my family and you’re working through a big loss of income due to the pandemic? Maybe overwhelm and anxiety define your money situation in this season of uncertainty? Maybe you’ve decided to keep your head down and eyes closed, playing the “if I don’t look at it, then it can’t be real game” that our kids played when they were little?

Homework Helper Middle School
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Homework Helper Middle School

Dread your middle schooler’s homework every night? These tips for middle school parents will guide you in effective homework strategies.

There I was, sitting in my son’s 7th grade Parent-Teacher conferences, listening to the Literature teacher tell me the same thing I have heard for the past few years at every single conference…

“Your son is very bright, well-behaved, an absolutely pleasure in class. However, he doesn’t seem to get his homework done. And our first test of the year didn’t go very well for him.”