This is the place to read blog posts from our experts and from Empowering Parents' team of dedicated Parent Bloggers, who write about their own experiences raising their children. Comment, ask questions, and share advice.
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 else use... 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 as... Read more »
If you’re struggling with your co-parent (or an ex) – arguing about whose style is more correct, or more effective - you’re not alone. Coming to an agreement can be very difficult. And when you’re talking about parenting, emotions can certainly run very high. The good news is, you and your co-parent can find a way... Read more »
Doing the dirty work is a great way for kids to grow and mature. We hear that all the time. But getting kids to do that dirty work isn’t easy. Have you been in this situation? Your child has been asked to do something that’s difficult or unpleasant. Maybe it’s a new chore at home, or... Read more »
When I was growing up my family was poor—really poor. There were definitely those worse off, but looking back, we really struggled. We lived off food stamps and dumpster diving behind the local grocery store. One year, we celebrated Christmas late because Dad needed to construct a tree from the best curbside branches he could... Read more »
This mom sums up what a lot of people are experiencing: “My child will not take her college applications seriously! She has to take an interest in her grades, her college applications, her test scores. She just blows it off. Why won’t she take this stuff seriously?! It’s HER future!” Sound familiar? You want your child... Read more »
Do you ever wonder what happened to your sweet, affectionate, “glad to be part of this family” younger child? Did your child enter adolescence with a sudden cloud of distance, brooding, sullen behavior, and a desperate need to be as far away from your family as possible? Though it’s one of the more heartbreaking aspects of... Read more »
Parenting is tough. We speak to many people every day who are struggling with challenging parenting issues. It’s easy and normal to get caught up in negative thoughts about yourself and your family. Here are some common thoughts we hear from parents: “I love my family, but sometimes I don’t like being a parent." ”My friends’ kids are... Read more »
Last week a comment from a reader caught our attention and sparked a discussion among the coaches here. Our reader shared that she likes to take advantage of “car time” with her teenage daughter on the way to school. For this family, car rides can sometimes be a calm time to discuss topics small and large. We... Read more »
Incentives are a powerful way to encourage certain behaviors in kids. Used correctly, they can motivate children to make change and stick with it. Parents often have mixed feelings about using incentives, and they ask us how incentives differ from bribes. Here’s how incentives are different from bribes, and how to use them effectively. An incentive is chosen... Read more »