Using A Sense Of Humor

sense of humor

“Knock. Knock.” “Why did the chicken cross the road?” “Why did the elephant paint its toenails red?” Answer: Because they turned six-years-old. Spend a few hours with a six or seven-year-old and you might hear a joke. Or two. If you are lucky they’ll make sense. Many times I’ve sat at a table full of […]


See It In Your Child Video: The Child’s Need To Belong

the child's need to belong

We all need to feel like we belong. Children’s behavior is directed towards getting the emotional connection of belonging. Watch this video to learn about four basic, yet unconscious, goals that drive our children’s behavior. You’ll learn how these goals, when met, make for a child who is happy, cooperative, self-motivated and self-aware. Download the accompanying […]


Sensitive Periods: Social Relations

best years for learning

Before the age of six, human beings are in a unique period of learning and development. At this time in our lives, certain information is absorbed by our personalities without conscious effort. Young children learn to walk, talk and do hundreds of things without formal instruction or being aware of learning. Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), […]


Beware The Age Of Rudeness

beware the age of rudeness

“Ever since Jill started first grade, she’s become louder, messier, and not as kind as she was in kindergarten. I think her first grade classroom must be the reason she is the way she is,” Jill’s mother, Paula, said. Susan, a former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, smiled. “Paula, I heard this every year. What’s happening […]


Using Words To Encourage

words encourage

As young parents, my husband and I took a video-based parenting course called “Active Parenting” developed by Michael H. Popkin, Ph.D. Impressed with all the valuable information I was able to put to immediate use, I became an Active Parenting instructor for several years. One of the many “gems” from the course was writing “letters […]


Why Establish Routines?

why establish routines

Establishing routines with our children is an effective and powerful way to set boundaries. Setting limits helps our children feel safe, and allows them the freedom to focus on skill building and learning. Our routines, though, may have unintended consequences. If we spend the morning reminding, organizing and coercing our children in order to get […]


Santa Claus: Making The Invisible Visible

santa claus

“I’ve never gotten a present from Santa Claus,” said Iliana, my 12-year-old seatmate on an east coast flight. “My parents thought I should only be given verifiable facts. They told me there is no veracity in Santa Claus.” “It’s too bad that no one ever told your parents about the Secret of Santa Claus. When […]


Know Who Your Children Are

know who your children are

Summer nights, years ago, right before the news there was a public service announcement: It’s 10 o’clock. Do you know where your children are? What I’d like to hear today is this: Do you know who your children are? When parents or grandparents contact me asking for advice about how to handle a child who […]


The Importance Of The Hand In Language Development

hand language development

Why does your tongue stick out when you are trying to thread a needle? For most of us, when we are doing a job with our hands that requires fine motor control, such as threading a needle, our tongues will stick out involuntarily as we concentrate on the task at hand. It is as if […]


Priceless Presents

Do you ever worry about selecting the right gift for the special people in your life? Let’s take a few minutes to consider gifts that are free, yet priceless. Download the article and audio recording below: ARTICLE: Priceless Presents AUDIO: Priceless Presents Leave your comments below!