I knew having a teenager would be hard, no matter how wonderful a child my wife and I raised. And, I was right. Riley, who is now seventeen, has immersed herself in her social circle. She has tried to set herself apart from her mom and me by discovering her own identity, which may include… Read more »
“But I don’t want to start school!” I’ve heard my teenage daughter utter that phrase at least a thousand times in the past week. Well, maybe not quite a thousand, but it sure felt like it! It was so hard to know how to respond. How could I reassure her that things will be okay, without… Read more »
It’s that time of year again: back-to-school! It’s a joyous time for some parents: “Ah, my child who stayed up until 3 a.m. and slept in until noon will be getting back on a sleep schedule.” “My child who left dirty lunch plates around the house while watching television and complaining about there being ‘nothing… Read more »
My eldest daughter, Riley, recently turned seventeen. She’ll be starting her senior year of high school this September. College is right around the corner. Then she’ll be gone, out on her own, dealing with the real world: paying bills, living with roommates, and coping with plain old jerks. The thing is, I think she’ll deal… Read more »
I’m so glad my aide, Chris, opened my eyes today. I teach third grade and have twenty-five eight and nine-year-olds scurrying about our room filled with desks, books and promise. At my school, I’m known for giving my students cool experiences that they will probably remember for years to come, as well as for being… Read more »
One of my earliest memories is of my parents getting ready to leave me home alone for the first time, while they went out to dinner. I was in the bathroom, looking for nail polish. I blew my nose, and heard my father ask my mom, “Is she okay in there? Is she crying because… Read more »
I saw the most amazing thing on the playground the other day: a little girl wanted her dad to help make a little boy share the slide, and dad…refused to help. Before I get into that, though, let me tell you about the little boy. He was being bratty, standing on the slide, not letting anyone… Read more »
At Empowering Parents, we don’t focus on parenting the “right way” versus the “wrong way”—we focus on ineffective parenting versus effective parenting. Spanking is not effective in getting kids to follow rules or change their behavior. Experts at the University of Texas and University of Michigan agree. Just last month, researchers released a compelling study… Read more »
Spring has arrived and summer is on the way! This is the season where Empowering Parents Coaches get a lot of questions about end-of-the-year academic struggles, proms, graduations, parties, curfews and summer plans. How do you set limits and expectations when you’re not home during the workday? Is it true that “everyone else” lets their… Read more »
Does your child complain constantly? No matter how hard you try, something is always wrong: from what you made for dinner, to the horrible school you force her to attend, to the unfair rules in your house and everything in between. If you’re like most parents, you’ve tried to point out that things aren’t nearly… Read more »
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