When I was little, the television in our home was often on. My parents were very good about ensuring that it was not the focus of my attention for much of the day, and I spent plenty of time playing outdoors, reading, and doing other things that kids do. What I do remember is that the television in the kitchen was generally on at breakfast and at dinner, because my parents like to watch the news. I don’t really watch the news any more. It’s not that I don’t care about what is going on in the world, because I … Continue reading →

Being a parent is challenging as well as rewarding. One of the reasons that it is so challenging is that our children can bring about opportunities for personal growth that seem more like problems instead of opportunities when they arise. Sometimes we can see the opportunity in the moment and follow it. Other times, though, we get stuck. Dr. Laura Markham of Aha! Parenting.com offers some helpful advice about why we become stuck in negative patterns with our children and what we can do about it. In this first part of a two – part discussion about this topic, let’s … Continue reading →