Posted on February 7, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
Accept the children the way we accept trees — with gratitude, because they are a blessing — but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are. – Isabel Allende In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d write about our love for our children and …
Posted on January 31, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
Too often we give our children answers to remember rather than problems to solve. – Roger Lewin What do you know about the biggest creatures on earth? What nighttime dream do you remember most vividly? Why do you think you remember it? What super power would you like to have? When have you been most …
Posted on January 24, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
“I think of discipline as the continual everyday process of helping a child learn self-discipline.” – Fred Rogers The responders to the question “How do you teach children self-control?” provided lots of rich ideas. In addition to theirs, I have added some ways you can teach your children self-control in your day-to-day life. I’ve separated …
Posted on January 17, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
We are the hero of our own story. – Mary McCarthy In the hero’s journey, an ordinary person is called through extraordinary circumstances to sacrifice a part of him or herself in order to serve the greater good. In doing so, the reward or victory is self knowledge and a demonstration of character that the …
Posted on January 10, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
A smiling face is half the meal. – Proverb Food is inherently social. Often mealtime can be a source of great stress with children. Each family members’ unspoken goals for the meal can differ. Parents want kids to sit down with them, eat a healthy meal and not waste food. Children are excited about seeing …
Posted on January 4, 2013 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
I love the mornings! I clap my hands every morning and say, ‘This is gonna be a great day!’ – Dicky Fox, Jerry Maguire, 1996 Do you consider yourself a morning person? Are you someone who loves to get up bright and early and has energy and vocal cords that work by the break of …
Posted on December 23, 2012 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play, it is as though he were a head taller than himself. – Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) Since Christmas is the holiday I celebrate in the coming week and toys are filling my head and attic, I thought it appropriate to …
Posted on December 20, 2012 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
Making the decision to have a child – it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walking around outside your body. – Elizabeth Stone And this is the very reason why the events of Sandy Hook Elementary School have shaken us all to the core. Because it is our very exposed heart …
Posted on December 13, 2012 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. – Lao Tzu The holiday season is an ideal time to help children learn about the joy of giving. When parents teach children to think about their giving, it teaches critical skills in self awareness. For example, the gift giver …
Posted on November 30, 2012 by confidentparentsconfidentkids
It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving. ― Mother Teresa Many of the major magazines are publishing gift guides with lots of smart ideas to make holiday shopping easy. That’s fine for presents that cost money but here are some ideas for gifts from the heart. They will not …
© Copyright, 2026, Jennifer Smith Miller. All rights reserved.
© Copyright, 2023, Jennifer Smith Miller. All rights reserved.