What to Do When Kids Are Scared of the World Around Them | Ep. 41

Are your kids scared of the world around them?  How are you talking about anxiety with your kids these days?  In current times coping is harder, and there seems to be more reasons to worry than usual. You may experience tension when your family gathers because everyone views what’s happening in our world through different […]

What to Do About the Things Kids Are Scared of At Home | Ep. 40

Mealtime battles, bedtime drama, homework struggles… Can you relate to these anxiety triggers in your home? Often there are deeper emotions under the surface, for both parents and children, that contribute to these conflicts. When we acknowledge and validate the emotions that drive our children’s anxiety, we can better equip them to self-regulate. Validating emotions […]

How to Teach Your Child Not to Be Scared | Ep. 39

How do you teach your child not to be scared? Bedtime, meals, learning at home, performance anxiety, and separation anxiety can all be sources of anxiety for kids. This is especially true for kids who may be highly sensitive. Kids who struggle with anxiety are often more “on alert” than other children, and don’t always […]

This Is Better Than My Old Consequences for a Disrespectful Child

alternative consequence for a disrespectful child

I don’t know about your consequences for a disrespectful child, but mine usually follow a certain script. This following scene has played out hundreds of times between my son and me. We know the scripts and we play the parts well. Too well. The script: A typical scene opens on my 9-year-old son, who is […]

To Spank or Not to Spank?

If you work with Christian parents, it’s tempting to stay far away from the spanking debate. There are the “never spank” parents, the “immediate obedience or get spanked” parents, and everything in-between. The question over whether to spank or not to spank is not a new one. Try to have a conversation with parents from […]

My Child is Afraid of Everything | Ep. 38

Do you feel like your child is afraid of everything? Where does anxiety come from in our kids? This is a huge struggle parents often face, especially when tensions are high in the world around us.  A survey Connected Families conducted in spring of 2020 revealed that 70% of families in the CF community have […]

Stop the Crazy All-or-Nothing Thinking with These 4 Steps

Your child just said something completely exaggerated. It was all or nothing. All bad. Nothing right. And not the truth. It drives you crazy, right? But underneath the all-or-nothing thinking is likely a discouraged or anxious child.  When your child makes an outrageous statement,  it’s hard to know how to respond. Most parents’ first impulse is […]

What to Say When Your Child Makes Outrageous Statements | Ep. 37

Have you ever heard an outrageous statement from your child? Outrageous statements come in all shapes and sizes and can often trigger disbelief or even outrage in parents. Perhaps that’s why they’re called outrageous statements!  It’s tempting for us, as parents, to respond to these situations with immediate correction or a lecture. However, this may […]

Avoiding Power Struggles Is Simpler Than You Think

We all want to avoid power struggles with our kids. The tantrums can be exhausting. Asking sincere questions, even with small kids, is a great way to redirect defiance and, most importantly, to build wisdom and responsibility in our children. Asking sincere questions to avoid power struggles Here’s how one parent experienced the difference between […]