Airplane Travel with Toddlers: Nine Out-of-the-Box Strategies
Before I had kids, vacation started the moment I sat down on the airplane. That all changed when I started traveling with toddlers. And how! When traveling with toddlers, boarding a flight signals the beginning of the biggest challenge of the trip: trying to confine little people with the need for speed into one small space […]
Dear Kerry: “Unwinding After School”
Dear Kerry, My first grader really needs some “down time” when he gets home from school or else he falls apart if we do any other activities. I’ve started letting him have half an hour to curl up and watch a show. It seems to be helping. Any reason that I shouldn’t be letting him […]
Dear Kerry: “Sick of all the Whining”
Dear Kerry, My 12 year old son whines constantly and it drives me absolutely crazy. It’s almost like it’s his default way of speaking. I don’t want to constantly berate him – but I am not sure how to curb the whining? Sick of All the Whining Dear Sick, For better or worse, this seems […]
“I Overreacted and Gave My Child Too Harsh a Consequence…. Now What..?”
Dad: Kerry, I’m a single dad and wondering how I can gracefully back out from having overreacted and given my son a harsher consequence than I should have? He’s 4 and was throwing water out of the bathtub. I got mad and told him he had to go straight to bed with no stories. I […]
And Then My Daughter Said.. “You’re Not a Rock Star!”
I started using my new Love and Logic skills of empathy and going brain dead. My 4 year old daughter wasn’t too happy when I set a limit about eating snacks before dinner. She started arguing back and I calmly said “I know.” I could tell she was trying to figure out a way to […]
When is it Okay to Rescue?
Those who know Love and Logic™ know the damage done by C.H.P.S.“Chronic Helicopter Parent Syndrome.” Parents who chronically rescue their kids from the consequences of their poor decisions create kids who are chronically irresponsible and chronically unhappy. “You are so weak that you can’t survive without me” is the unintentional yet very real message sent […]
Three Different Parenting Styles
Drill Sergeant | Helicopter | Consultant Were you raised by a “Drill Sergeant” always telling you to “Jump,” and you asking, “How high?” or were you raised by a “Helicopter” always hovering, ready to swoop in and rescue? Did you ever think about what kind of a message these parenting styles send to your kids? […]
Teaching Our Kids to Be Happy
All of us want our kids to grow up to be happy adults. So, what’s the secret to raising kids who see the glass as half full rather than half empty? Teaching our children that happiness comes from within is probably the most important piece of the puzzle. In other words, happiness has more to […]
Getting Kids to Pick Up – With No Nagging!
A dad I work with just announced to his 3 little boys that he has a new plan for a “Sunday Shelf.” Here’s how it works: • When the kids don’t pick up their stuff as asked, dad picks up for them and puts everything on the “Sunday Shelf.”• On Sunday, he pulls it all […]
How Do I Get My Kid To Do The Dishes?
First, it is important that children contribute to the household. Not only does it send an important message to our children – “You are a valuable member of this family and we count on you to make our family function” – but it gives them a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Studies also show that […]