By Guest Author, Amy Petrou Delighted to post today’s article from author Amy Petrou from Generation Mindful, an organization that supports families with toys and tools for building emotional intelligence, discussing some of the developmental themes of the teenage years and how parents and teens can work together through it all. As children enter their …
For the Youth Connections Magazine’s summer issue, we are discussing how you promote responsible decision-making skills in our children and teens. The article offers some guidance on children’s developing sense of what to base their choices on, how parents can support that development along with specific age/stage tips for promoting this essential life skill. Here’s …
Parenting with Social and Emotional Learning This article was written as part of a larger statewide awareness and educational campaign in Montana focused on parenting with social and emotional learning entitled “Parenting Montana” through the leadership of Montana State University’s Center for Health and Safety Culture. It begins… “What was that noise?” I asked my …
“It is high time the ideal of success should be replaced by the ideal of service.” – Albert Einstein Parents, by the very nature of our roles, serve in a leadership position while we raise our children. A servant leader realizes that his or her ability to significantly influence others and achieve any vision comes …
…And Teaching Turn-Taking to Young Children “My child gets a new toy, shows it off and then rips it away telling her sibling, ‘No! You can’t play with it!’” “I want my children to feel grateful for her brothers and for their toys and our life together.” “If one has it, the other one wants …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: children's social and emotional development, Conflict Management, Conflict resolution, Family collaboration, family teamwork, fostering children's kindness, Perspective taking, positive sibling behaviors, Responsibility, Responsible decision-making, sibling arguments, Sibling fighting, sibling kindness, sibling relationships, Sibling rivalry, siblings
If you have a problem, don’t muddle through. Here’s a simple rap about what to do. Stop, calm down before you act. You’ll think more clearly – that’s a fact. Say the problem and how you feel. Set a positive goal (and try to be real). Now for some “brainy” contributions, make out a list …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: Calming down, CASEL, Collaborative problem solving, Family problem solving, Identifying feelings, learning about feelings, practicing problem-solving, problem-solving skills, problem-solving with kids, Responsible decision-making, Roger Weissberg, Self awareness, Self-management, Social and Emotional Learning, social decision-making
And Tools and Tips! It’s a Sunday afternoon. Mom and Dad have decided that at ten years of age their daughter, Molly, could be taking more responsibility for her contributions to the household. They attempt to set the stage. Mom puts out a snack for family members. She grabs a clipboard, paper, and marker to create …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: alternatives to rewards, caring contributions, family power dynamics, household chores, Household responsibilities, household responsibilities by age/stage, Intrinsic Motivation, involving kids in home chores, involving kids in service, parenting and chores, parenting and home responsibilites, Power struggles, Responsible decision-making, teaching kids responsible behaviors, teaching responsibility
The coming of Valentine’s Day seems an ideal time to write about one of the greatest, most enduring loves. No, I am not writing about romantic love. This is about our love for our children and how we express it. There are moments in our lives when we feel like bursting with love for our …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: Clean Language, Expressing love to our children, learning about child development, love language for parents, love language with kids, parenting with love, parents and child development, parents and patience, Responsible decision-making, Self awareness, Showing children love, Social awareness, Unconditional love
For Promoting Social and Emotional Skills in the Home or Classroom Mandy is having a tough day because each friend or relative she meets can’t play. But the narrator of this story asks good questions of Mandy to learn more. It turns out her friend got in trouble and wasn’t allowed to play. Another friend …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: "The Grit Up Series", Abbie Kelley, Care to repair, Empathy, negative self-talk, Relationship skills, Responsible decision-making, Self awareness, Self-management, Social and Emotional Learning, Social and emotional skill building, Social awareness
Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve. – Roger Lewin Coaching can be a powerful way to help our children become more self-aware, understanding their thoughts and feelings and how they impact their behavior choices. It can also give them valuable practice in problem-solving and responsible decision making. Similar …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: "Coaching Skills; A Handbook", Active listening, coaching as parenting tool, Coaching with kids, Confidence, Confident Kids, Confident Parents, leadership coaching, Parent coaching, parents facilitating problem-solving, Problem solving, Responsible decision-making, Self awareness, Self-management, Sibling conflicts
