Every parent dreads the nights where bedtime seems to last forever. We go through our bedtime routine, read books, snuggle, and say goodnight and within minutes they are back up. The list of bedtime requests can be seemingly endless, from a drink of water to a missing snuggle to a suddenly discovered splinter. I believe one time our daughter asked if we could make the birds stop chirping. Sometimes, you can even watch them ponder what they should ask for next.
It’s Not Fair! Ever heard those words from your child? Remember saying them yourself? With two children in the home, I have the opportunity to hear that whiny jingle quite frequently. If you have missed this opportunity, park yourself outside an ice cream shop and count how many times you hear that phrase as children pass by.
Watch Sarina Behar Natkin on King 5 Morning News as she talks about helping your child choose an age appropriate Halloween costume.
While children in many parts of the country have started school already, Seattle area families kick off the new school year this week. Parents are ready for a change. We have juggled work schedules, camp schedules, and family vacations for over two months and can't imagine another day. Kids are ready, too. They may complain that summer went too fast, but often they are just as ready for the routine and structure of the school as we are. If all of us feel ready, the transition back should be a piece of cake, right? Given the spike in requests for parent support I see each fall, my guess is this transition is often bumpier than expected.
Have you ever noticed how quick we are to say, “good job” or “you are so smart” to our children? For most parents, it has almost become a tic to heap praise on every thing our children do. Our natural instinct is to let our children know how much we love them and how proud we are of their growth and accomplishments. How we express these feelings makes a huge difference in how our children feel about themselves now and as adults.
om the moment parents find out a baby is on the way, we make an endless number of decisions about how we will care for them. Hours are spent considering whether to breast-feed or formula feed, use cloth diapers or disposable, or who will care for the child while parents work. The discussion on what it means to raise a Jewish, Black, or Latino child in American culture often does not occur until much later. Whether a family is actively part of one cultural group or religion, an interfaith family or minimally connected to a religious or cultural group, the choices about how we want to include culture in family life should be deliberate and intentional.How do we, as parents, help our children develop cultural identity?
As a social worker, I thought I was pretty aware of the various “isms” that run deep in our society, from outward acts of discrimination to institutionalized oppression. As a Jewish woman, I am also part of a minority group, but not one that is visible from the outside. As I moved toward marriage and parenthood, I specifically chose where I lived because I wanted to be part of a diverse community.
Watch Sarina Behar Natkin on King 5 Morning News as she talks about Cultural Quotient and how to raise culturally aware children.
Once upon a time, we were a well functioning team each morning. It was surprising, given that I was not and am still not a morning person. We had one child, and daddy delighted in helping our toddler kick off the day. We had a lovely routine chart that helped us move through getting dressed and brushing teeth. My part was to press snooze, imagining that somehow that extra seven minutes of sleep was going to make a difference. I was eternally grateful for my husband's willingness to take the lead in the morning so I could grumpily move from sleep to wakefulness and put on my happy face before joining them 15 minutes later. Our little one was free to choose what she wanted for breakfast when they arrived downstairs.
With some families, fashion frustration starts quite young. I know many parents who at one time during infancy were shocked with what their partner dressed their baby in. I think my own husband delighted in dressing our first child in the craziest outfits possible just to watch my blood pressure rise. Alas, the days of my control over my daughter’s clothing choices were short lived. Somewhere around age two, my daughter was ready to debut her own sense of style and who was I to stand in the way?
We're thrilled to have Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer Theresa Destrebecq of Thrive Within as our guest blogger today. She shares some great strategies for making our wellness goals a reality!
