Relationships
Yes, Valentine’s Day is the reason this topic is in February, but it isn’t just about romantic relationships. Siblings, extended family, grandparents, godparents, friends – we all have a ton of relationships in our lives and our kids are no exception. Helping them learn to negotiate all these relationships is no small task.
My parents, being smart people, realized that as our kids became teenagers, they wouldn’t want to visit any more. They are tricky, though. They had our boys try skiing because they live near a ski resort. One now loves skiing and will probably keep coming to visit them as long as they live there, just so he can go skiing. In my book, that is grandparenting, master level!
Bonding
Caregiving
Featured
Life Skills
Lists
Mental Health
Relationships
Serious Illness
5 Wordless Ways to Comfort Loved Ones
We all want to comfort the ones we love, especially our children, when they are upset or stressed but not all parents, or all kids, are comfortable talking about feelings. For that matter, a lot of times kids genuinely don’t understand what is upsetting them. There are times that trying to force a conversation makes […]
Read More
Ethics and Morals
Family
Mental Health
Quick Tips
Relationships
Social Issues
The Kindness Challenge
Some kids were seemingly born kind. Then there’s the other 98%. The organization Kids for Peace has a Kindness Challenge. The goal is to simply be kinder to those around us. I love the idea! See what your family can come up with or try one of these suggestions. Compliment someone. Talk to someone who looks lonely. Do […]
Read More
Bonding
Featured
Relationships
Teens
Young Adults
Tips for Talking to Your Teen
Little kids want nothing more than to talk to mommy and daddy – sometimes a bit too much! But teens? We all know that changes in the teen years. You still see your baby even as they start driving, graduate, move out, and start their own life. Finding a balance between the baby you see […]
Read More
Bonding
Family
Featured
Grandparents
My Dad
Relationships
Then and Now
33 Questions to Ask Your Dad
Two weeks ago, my dad was healthy. Old (in his 80s, he won’t argue that point), but healthy. Within 24 hours, he was hospitalized and although he is home now, they never figured out what went wrong and he’s still not well. It’s the sort of thing that really makes you realize all the questions you […]
Read More
Featured
Relationships
School
Make New Friends
The song Make New Friendswas woven into the fabric of my youth by its ubiquity in Girl Scouts. I have always loved the sentiment, which I have always taken to mean older friends are more valuable. As adults, this is so much more important. It’s easy to focus all your time and energy on your […]
Read More
Extended Family
Featured
Relationships
Choosing Legal Guardians For Your Kids
Choosing legal guardians is tough. Unlike being a godparent, a legal guardian is a legally recognized (and binding) relationship. Your kids will only ever have a legal guardian if you stop being able to be their parent or aren’t close enough to be there when they are needed, such as for medical care. Types of […]
Read More
Ages and Stages
Featured
Friends
Growing Up
Relationships
Social Issues
Teens
Meeting Online Friends IRL
First, second, and third: Most strangers are harmless, not dangerous. A teeny, tiny portion of strangers are Bad People who will do Bad Things if they get the chance. Sadly, because those Bad Things are So Very Bad, it is important to learn about how to recognize potential Stranger Danger and to be very careful […]
Read More
Ages and Stages
Extended Family
Faith
Faith
Family
Featured
Musings
Pregnancy and Babies
Relationships
Choosing Godparents
Depending on your faith, you may need to know who your child’s godparents will be almost as soon as they are born, or maybe not until years later. But what goes into choosing a Godparent or what they are expected to do? Is it a legally binding relationship? What family pressures do you have? No one […]
Read More