Bestselling author Paul Smith teaches parents how to encourage hesitant children Bestselling author Paul Smith knows a lot of ways of encouraging hesitant kids, 101 ways to be precise. In his book PARENTING WITH A STORY, Paul documents 101 inspiring lessons to help kids build the kind of character that they and their parents can […]
Peace activist Daisaku Ikeda’s newly published parenting book Admit it, you love to see your kids happy; your home is filled with photos of your smiling children; you see their grinning faces peering out from computer screens, bookshelves, even your refrigerator door. It’s a universal truth that every parent loves to see his or her […]
For millions of vacationing, carefree children the phrase “back-to-school” provokes mass hysteria. Now with September just around the corner, it’s time for parents to put away the beach umbrella, sunblock, and brace for impact. How can you make the back-to-school transition less of a trip to crazy town? Soothing Back-to-School Angst Anxiety is driven by […]
…and the one factor tied to virginity loss two years earlier than average. When I lead parenting workshops, I can feel the anxiety in the room spike when the issue of teen sex is raised. Mothers and fathers often get anxious when they see their teenagers—specifically their darling sons or daughters—morph into sexual beings. One […]
College support groups prevent freshmen year “crash & burn.” For many years I’ve sat with stunned parents who asked, “What went wrong with my kid in college?” Their son or daughter left home upbeat and full of hope, only to return from freshman year overwhelmed, anxious or depressed. Yet they had excelled in high school. […]
Psychotherapists have long believed that a relationship that you choose reflects your feelings about yourself. For example, if you don’t value yourself, your friends won’t either. They won’t think twice about standing you up, phoning at the last minute to cancel plans, or forgetting to contact you altogether. They don’t consider your feelings or needs. […]
Have we raised a generation that relates better to screens than human beings? In Three Mistakes Parents Make with Technology, I advised parents to create family guidelines for technology in their homes. Now, we’ll examine the effects of over-reliance on technology and how it can diminish kids’ emotional intelligence. (Download or print a family technology […]
This anxiety-driven defense destroys relationships. Do you feel betrayed when others don’t do what you want? Do you wrestle with trusting people? Have a history of combative relationships? If you answered yes, it’s possible you have a controlling personality. That’s right, your controlling personality may be the cause of your biggest relationship headaches. But don’t […]
5 ways conflict strengthens intimacy. When faced with a conflict in an intimate relationship, do you suffer from the Triple A’s: apologizing, agreeing, and accommodating? Under pressure, are you more likely to compromise or hide your true feelings behind a tense smile or nervous laugh? Afterward, do you find yourself ruminating or losing sleep over […]
Group therapy is the express lane to healthier relationships and lasting happiness. So often we feel consumed by our problems. Overcome one obstacle, another appears. Solve one dilemma, another one taps you on your shoulder. Let’s face it, life is full of suffering. Illness, injury, aging, death of loved ones; no one can escape these […]