Surprise! Holiday Meltdowns Are Actually A Good Thing
Your child will have big feelings when a special holiday or birthday comes up. It’s one of the phenomena you can set your clock by. We parents wish the universe were governed by forces
Category: Playlistening
Parenting as a Team: Using Humor To Diffuse Tension
A Guest Post from Anca Deaconu and Megha Mawandia In part one of this series on Parenting As a Team Anca and Megha talked about how to become more confident in making parenting decisions. Today they focus on an
How Connection Helps Create Trauma Sensitive Classrooms
Trauma can really undermine a children’s ability to thrive at school, affecting relationships and making it hard for them to follow school structure and directives. Dealing with these behaviours can be taxing on teaching staff, but
How to Nag Your Child The Fun Way
My daughter has just turned 8, and as she’s grown I’ve become increasingly frustrated when she doesn’t help around the house. When she doesn’t help tidy up, I start to feel like a ‘slave.’ It’s
The Simplest, Happiest Way to Connect with Your Kids
In his book, Playful Parenting, Lawrence Cohen says, “Play can be the long-sought bridge back to that deep emotional bond between parent and child.” Play invites adults into a child’s world, on their terms, and
How to Confront Separation Anxiety Supportively
Every Monday morning, just as soon as he wakes up, my son remembers that he’s supposed to go to the kindergarten and starts protesting: “I don’t like it, mommy and I don’t want to go; please let
Empowering Anxious Students in Class
You have a classroom of kids and plenty to get through, but one, quite clearly has issues with the topic. He or she might withdraw. Maybe they cry. The other children notice and begin to
The Surprise After-School Game That Transformed my Child’s Upset
When I picked up my son from school it was clear to me that he was not his usual affectionate, talkative and playful self. Instead, he was silent, seemed tense and rejected all of my
A Playful Response Helps With Whining and Pretend Pain
A Guest Post by By Emilie Leeks Our four-year-old daughter had a growing tendency to be very melodramatic around ‘pain’. If she was in a certain kind of mood and just got touched or gently bumped,
When Life Gives You Lemons, Try Play: A Playful Solution Helps Angry Tween
The outburst happened immediately after my two children’s father brought them to my home. My twelve-year-old son wanted to use his father’s phone, but his sister wouldn’t share it. He screamed, “She always gets her way!”
Play Helped When My Child Acted Helpless
My daughter was a very capable girl at eight years old. She was smart, strong, clever, and so resourceful. But at the same time, she sometimes acted helplessly. As a single parent, it would drive
Games For Parents That Are Too Tired to Play
Dear Hand in Hand, Since the new year, i’m trying to play more with my children. We’ve been playing lots of hide and seek and roughhousing, and it feels great most of the time, but sometimes
When Your Family Doesn’t Like How You Parent
My three-year-old daughter is used to being listened to and being allowed to voice her opinion. However, this was near unacceptable to my mother. Since my mother often takes care of her (thank you, mum)
How Parents Can Use Play To Help with Teasing That Borders on Bullying
My seven-year-old son had been being bullied by his classmates for months. It had started with the boys, but soon some of the girls picked up on it as well. Our life was not good,
How to Make Brushing Teeth Fun
My son had been avoiding brushing his teeth for a couple of days before Christmas, and then on Christmas day, he’d eaten more sugary foods than he’s usually allowed. My husband was getting concerned, and
“Mom, Do you Like The Present?” How An 8-Year-Old Solved His Family’s Holiday Fight
This is a Christmas story about the day my son saved the adults from their tantrums with his own special gift. When the holidays come our house fills up with family and friends and we
What If I’m Just Not A Playful Parent?
“Play with me?” That one question is asked at least 100 times a day in most houses, by kids to their parents. Time and time again we hear that play improves connections. Greys Anatomy-creator (and former
How To Get Your Kids To Play Better
Why do your children play well for hours some days and others can’t go five minutes without calling on you? Your own tension may play a big factor. Children have a way of picking up