Whether you're shuttling your kids to soccer practice or helping them with their homework, cleaning up messes or doing mountains of laundry, you've probably wished you could clone yourself just to get it all done. And that's before you've even started cooking dinner. If your attempts to make meals that appeal to the kids just leave you exhausted and frustrated with your children's reactions, a quick fix is on the horizon. These simple tips will allow you to serve your kids nutritious, delicious meals with minimal prep.
Category: Sample Work
Teaching an Anxious Child Coping Techniques
While most children are inquisitive by nature, children who are anxious often take the concept of an inquiring mind to another level. They exhibit signs of stress, ask a lot of questions and sometimes even struggle with frequent headaches and stomachaches. “Anxious children are ‘what if’ kids,” says Dr. Tamar Chansky, Philadelphia-based psychologist and author of “Freeing Yourself from Anxiety.” “They think ahead, need to know all the details, worry about what’s going to happen and are saddled with an imagination that fills in the blanks with worst-case scenarios.” If your child is anxious on a regular basis, provide him with the tools and skills to cope with anxiety on his own and with the help of the entire family.
How to Talk to an Older Child About Divorce
When your family is coping with divorce, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. Teens and older children often deal with a variety of thoughts and feelings that range from anger and betrayal to disappointment and sadness. “Teens and older children need to hear the truth about their parents’ feelings in their divorce, and it’s tricky, as parents need to disclose these feelings without being overly insulting to the other parent,” says Dr. John Duffy, Chicago-based psychotherapist and author of “The Available Parent.” Learning to acknowledge and validate your older child’s feelings will pave the way for a stronger relationship between you and your child.
Rules for Behavior Between Siblings
A sibling is often a blessing in disguise. He can be your best friend one moment and an archenemy the next. Sibling rivalry can get out of hand, though, when rules for behavior are not established early on. “Parents need to help their children establish rules and boundaries for how to get along with another,” says Dr. Nancy Buck, a Colorado-based developmental psychologist and author of “Peaceful Parenting.” Help your children work out their differences peacefully by establishing rules for behavior between siblings as a family.
The Effects of Divorce on Daughters
While divorce is never easy for a family to cope with, recognizing the effects on your children is an important step to recovery. Boys and girls typically have very different reactions and coping methods after divorce. Daughters, in particular, may experience anxiety, stress and even emotional turmoil as a result of her parents' split. From academic challenges to emotional adjustments, divorce is likely to affect your daughter in a variety of ways. “The reactions daughters have to the divorce of their parents can run the board, depending on factors as varied as the nature of and reasons for the divorce to the personality and age of the daughter herself,” says Dr. John Duffy, a Chicago-based psychotherapist and author of “The Available Parent.”
Back to School: Classes for Adults
You’ve decided to take the plunge and head back to school. Although this journey may seem a bit overwhelming at first, the good news is that you are probably more prepared than you think. “When adults return to college, they bring with them wisdom, experience, maturity, skills and knowledge that informs and enhances their educational experience,” says Karen Stevens, chief academic advisor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With some research, planning and evaluation of your career goals, you will be ready for the first day back to school.
Teaching Kids Boundaries With Peers
Watching your child play with her peers can be an eye-opening experience. Is she sharing with others? Respecting her peers’ boundaries? “Being able to keep good boundaries with peers is essential for developing healthy self-esteem and friendships,” says Raquel Lefebvre, Vermont-based licensed psychologist. Help your child foster healthy friendships by teaching her about appropriate boundaries with role playing and activities that will enrich her understanding of herself and her peers.
Teaching Children to Learn From Failure
Ever wonder why some children throw in the towel as soon as things get tough while others get right back on the horse and try again? The fear of failure can stifle one child’s progress while motivating another. “Failure is an opportunity for a child to build their resilience muscles,” says Ingrid Kellaghan, founder of Cambridge Nanny Group in Chicago. Learning to deal with failure, rejection and challenging situations shapes a child’s personality and opportunity for growth. As his parent, you have the power to teach him how to get back on the horse and continue to ride along on this important journey.
Teaching Children About Being Considerate
It’s tempting to scold your child for forgetting to say please or thank you, but many parents don’t realize that their children may not have learned considerate behaviors yet. If not, it’s time to give them the opportunity to show off their sweet and caring sides to family and friends. “Providing opportunities for children to learn considerate play are integral to kids learning these behaviors,” says Melody Brooke, family therapist in Richardson, Texas. By modeling considerate behavior and showing your child how to empathize with others, you will be molding his character for the future.
Teaching Children to be Good Listeners
Your little chatty Cathy probably shares every detail about her day with you on a regular basis. She talks about her friends, her toys, her wishes and her wants with excitement and enthusiasm. However, once the chatter stops, does she really listen to you and others? “Developing the ability to listen allows a child to learn not to see only their perspective on things, and to be open to connecting to others on a more intimate level,” says Melody Brooke, a family therapist in Richardson, Texas. Before children can really connect with others, it’s important that they are taught the skills to be good listeners – at home, at school and in social settings.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 