The Blog
Our best advice when it’s tough with kids:breathe, laugh, dance, sing, hug, call a friend. Be gentle with yourself, you’re not done growing up yet. This won’t last and you are not alone.
How to help kids feel emotionally safe
We’re going to tell you a quick story about our days as classroom teachers to illustrate something about human nature and parenting. It’ll all make sense in a second. We promise. Each fall, when Jason and I were preschool teachers we got new students in our classroom....
Are rewards effective for kids to do their schoolwork?
Around our house, the leaves are just starting to turn from the greens and browns of summer to the yellows and reds of fall. The figs have all been picked, cherries are gone, and we’re getting to the end of the blackberries from the bush outside our living room...
3 Ways to Handle Worry for Parents or Kids – Dr. Dan Peters
A friend of mine shared some interesting research… People who KNOW they will experience a painful electric shock have less anxiety and distress than those who are told they have a 50% chance of experiencing one. Or said in another way, humans would rather experience...
Fix Negative Self-talk in Teens – Dr. Kristin Neff
This one is for you if you have kids at home (like we do) who are overly self-critical. It’s hard to be a teen these days, especially if you are a girl. There is a lot of pressure on teens to look a certain way, to be popular, to achieve in school and sports and...
Racial Justice: What we're learning
Last week we wrote to you, saying that we are educating ourselves about race, listening to Black people and People of Color to hear their experiences, and talking–perhaps awkwardly and imperfectly–about race and social justice... This is not easy work, but it’s...
White parents don’t talk about race. This needs to change.
It’s hard to find the words right now. I feel shaken and shattered. I want to talk to you, but I feel scared and uncertain writing you this message. The truth is, I don’t know if I’m qualified. Another message from a white person? Really? How could I possibly...
3 Steps to Raising Resilient Kids
Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t shield our kids from what is going on in the world. They see it all happening on their phone or the computer or people talking about it. It’s a lot to take in, for them and for us. When there is so much that is unfair, unpredictable,...
When teens don’t want to talk
Cecilia here. In our family, I have a tendency to want to “fix” things. I’m a doer, a peacemaker, a nurturer, and sometimes I just can help myself. If someone is upset, I want to help them calm down. If there is an argument, I want to find a solution. If someone is...
How to Stop Mom Shaming
Even before the pandemic, 90% of American moms and 85% of dads felt judged (New York Times). Is this true of just American parents? I don’t think so because we talk with parents all over the world. I taught a parenting class in the Philippines and one of the most...