A good listener? Hardly. But maybe a good lecturer. So what does it mean to be a good listener? Well, I'll give you a couple of hints… its more than the absence of talking… and it doesn't involve multitasking when your child is speaking to you. Listening is the active process of hearing what our child is saying, looking at their eyes and body language for clues, processing it all to determine what's really going...

It's tough. In a "me" focused world, getting your kids to focus on others is challenging. So, how do you do it? Well, last night, we took a shot at it…with a little coercion…we got our teens together. We assembled some "manna" or food bags for the homeless and hungry. We filled large zip lock bags with non-perishable items like granola bars, beef jerky, peanuts, fruit cups, and vegetable juice. Now, when we're out...

Do you find yourself constantly telling them to brush their teeth, make their bed or pick out their clothes for the next day? If you want to encourage responsibility in your child, consider posting a chart of their daily routines in their room. List your child's name and their responsibilities for the day, then let them check off their completed tasks. You may even reward your child with a special treat if they...

A lot of parents have a hard time telling the difference. And that's a problem. You've seen it…a mom dressed like her teenage daughter. A dad who offers his teenage son a beer while they watch the game. When mom or dad becomes a buddy, the child loses out on the most important relationship…that of parent and child. Your kids have plenty of friends, what they need from you is guidance, love and boundaries. They...

Every year, Hollywood entices our kids with a flood of new films designed for their consumption.  But, just like their favorite foods at the grocery store, not everything made for them is good for them.  With so many movies being released, it’s tough to sort out the good from the bad.   Well, we can help.  Check out our movie monitor.  There you can see if the release of Monsters University or The Smurfs 2 is...

There's nothing to do! I'm bored!" Sound familiar? Wasn't it just yesterday that everyone was excited about school being out? But just a few weeks in, and you're pulling your hair out for some ideas to entertain the troops that won't cost an arm and a leg. Well, no need to worry. July is Picnic Month, so take your PB&J, and head out for a little lunch on the lawn. Better yet, try a change of scenery…load the...

There's no such thing as not having time. When we say "I don't have time," what we're really saying is that we don't choose to make certain things a priority right now, or, there's something else we'd rather be doing. Think about all the demands on your schedule and take a look at the things you spend the most time on. The truth is we make time for the things we want to make time for. But that isn't always...