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“I don’t like Dad, I love you Mom!” You don’t forget words like that; trust me, I know. My son was seven or eight years old and we were on a short vacation with my parents when he made this proclamation to my wife. I was standing outside the bedroom door of the condo where … Continue reading Parenting Mistake
I have been reading Brene Brown’s leadership book entitled “Dare to Lead”. If you are familiar with Brene’s work you know that this book is full of talk about vulnerability, empathy, connection, and relationship. So, since we at Connections Family Counseling are passionate about building a community of connected families it makes sense that we would … Continue reading Five Empathy Skills That Create Connection
Finding your voice in a world of 7.7 billion inhabitants can be quite burdensome. This is especially true for our youngest members of society, who have not mastered the art of verbal or written expression. Try as much as they can, children frequently cannot articulate the feelings, thoughts, or ideas that reflect their worldview. As … Continue reading Play Therapy Explained
It seems that nearly every month I hear of a new book or article that touts the latest trends in parenting styles. Most recently I heard about the Lawn mower parent –one that cuts down any challenges in front of their children. There is attachment parenting, the helicopter parent, drill sergeant parent, consultant parent and one book … Continue reading Parenting Styles: What Works?
I am often asked, How can I help my stressed child? We live in a culture full of stress. There is pressure to be involved, pressure to be the best, and pressure to fit in. Some claim that the current generation is exposed to more stress than any previous generation. Psychologists define stress as “the … Continue reading How can I help my stressed child
Self-esteem is a concept that is regularly discussed in our culture. Many parents fill their child’s life with activities, play dates, and positive affirmations in the hopes of creating greater confidence. In many cases however, it does not seem to work. The harder we work to build our kids up the lower their self-regard. This … Continue reading How to build your child’s self-esteem?
I have had the wonderful privilege of working with many Christians struggling to parent their child through the difficult teenage years. Most of these families are like any other family that enters counseling. They are struggling with conflict, rebellion, communication difficulties, trust issues, and emotional challenges. One unique concern for Christian parents, however, is the … Continue reading Sharing Faith With Your Children
For many parents the worst phrase that could come out of their adolescent’s mouth is, “I’m Bored”. This phrase can push the parent fear buttons of “entitlement”, “laziness”, “ungratefulness” or “failure-to-launch”. These buttons when pushed tend to produce feelings of failure, inadequacy, and helplessness. The problem of Boredom Richard Winter described the problem of boredom … Continue reading Adolescent Boredom Busters
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” -Jon Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness is all the rage these days. It seems like teachers, parents, news personalities, and especially counselors are talking about how mindfulness helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. (I wrote about other ways to help you … Continue reading Boys and Mindfulness
What is the most important thing you hope to teach your son before he turns 18? Many parents focus on skills like, driving a car, spending money wisely, working hard, or study habits. But, research seems to show that teaching our sons emotional intelligence may be the most important thing we do. In 2003 researchers … Continue reading How to Teach Emotional Intelligence to Your Son