Parents often complain that their children just can’t seem to go with the flow and are easily upset by change. Change in a child’s life can be as simple as a parent’s decision to read two bedtime stories instead of three, or as complex as a move to a new house, or even a divorce. The fact of the matter is that change is hard, even for adults! My husband and I experienced a big change recently as we moved from our hometown in Maryland to Charleston, South Carolina. I will be the first to tell you that change is hard and can create uncertainty. Both  read more »

What do you do when the kids are misbehaving, but they're not your kids?  We've all been in this situation, whether you're out in public or maybe you've invited kids to your house for a playdate.  Do you speak up and correct them or do you hope their own parents will.  Darcy Jacobs, executive editor of Family Circle magazine, comments on this common dilemma--bit.ly/4kMENy

I'd love to hear about your own experience with reprimanding other parents' children...feel free to post a comment.

Yes, it’s that time of year when fall is right around the corner and kids are getting ready to go back to school. It’s also the time of year when some parents are jumping for joy, as the father in the Staple’s commercial did…singing “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. However, there are some parents, myself included, who find this time of year bittersweet…happy for our child as we watch them spread their wings, but a little sad for ourselves as we let them fly.  read more »

When working with families, one of my first recommendations is that parents create “special time” for their child.  Parents are often confused by this and quickly state that they spend a lot of time with their child.  However, often the time spent with their child is “management time”.  The time is spent making sure they get dressed, brush their teeth, do their homework, etc.  One of the requests that I hear over and over again from children is that wish that their parents would spend more time with them.  read more »

I have heard children asking their parents for cell phones, as early as age 5!  Parents often feel pressured to give into their child’s demands, especially since there seems to be a trend for kids to have cell phones…what’s a parent to do?

Certainly, some children should have cell phones.  Parents should really examine their own child’s need, not want.  Some things for a parent to consider might be:  read more »

The truth is that kids don’t listen to their parents because they know that they don’t have to!  We often repeat ourselves five times, as if our child didn’t “hear” us the first time?  Children are smart and know from past experience that if a parent asks more than once or twice for a child to do something, chances are they can wait because their parents will ask them several more times before they start yelling.

So instead of asking your child over and over again, why not try a new approach.  When asking your child to do something:  read more »

Welcome to the Parenting Partners’ blog.  My intention for the blog is to inform and inspire you as you parent.  With the overwhelming amount of parenting information available, I would like to help simplify your job as a parent with specific tips and strategies.  read more »