Your Kids are not Kings

Our three-year-olds aren’t clad in togas and wreaths of gold leaves. They don’t sit on an enormous throne with a royal scepter in their hands.

Without this, it doesn’t matter what you want

“We want what we want.” I’ve heard that phrase used as…

Wait a minute…

Some thoughts on procrastination:

—it’s not an aversion to hard work, because procrastinators end up working very hard…

The Easiest Way to Earn Respect

I hear parents complain about their “disrespectful” kids all the time.   Here’s my question in reply: When you lose your cool with them and say and do things you regret, how quickly do you apologize?   Some folks actually tell me they don’t apologize, ‘cos that would communicate “weakness.”   Others tell me they’ll […]

You’re Not a Lizard

There’s something about the power of quietness that modern society doesn’t know how to cultivate. We get anxious and feel like…

The 4th Worst Piece of Relationship Advice Ever Given

Today’s piece of advice is often handed down to parents as their adorable infant transforms into an intolerable two-year old:

The Best Remedy for Anger

Here’s a challenge for today: The next time you feel angry, about anything at all, press pause and just wait.

Help! My kid keeps lying!

For today’s Pause, I’ve chosen to address a very common parenting question, one many of you have sent in over the years.

Go ahead, make mistakes

Many parents find themselves petrified by possibilities. They know the stakes are high and the decisions they make will have strong ramifications.

Good for Nothing Kids

For a child, doing nothing is often much more valuable than doing something. They learn to entertain themselves, to find joy in simplicity, to problem solve, to be content.