Tag Archives: independence

Stop Doing For Your Kids What They Can Do For Themselves

“Don’t do for your kids what they can do for themselves.” I read this profound yet simple statement several months ago and it has been echoing in my head every since. Tyler is good at taking care of his own needs but there are times when he will feign incompetence to get me to do something for him because he does not want to do it himself. Most of the time this happens when doing the “thing” would be inconvenient for him. During these times, he will whine, shed crocodile tears or really try to turn on the charm by … Continue reading →

Letting Our Kids Be Different From Us

When kids are small, they want to be just like mom and dad. They follow us around and mimic our speech and actions–it’s quite easy to get caught up in all the adoration and obvious similarities. But as kids grow, and adolescence kicks in, their striving for an identity of their own may seem incredibly reactionary–anything and everything that is NOT mom or dad. It can be a little painful for us to accept the transition of the teenager and allow them to actually develop an identity that feels like the complete opposite of everything we are. It takes a … Continue reading →

Potty Training with use of Rewards

Experts say we shouldn’t bribe our children in order to achieve a certain type of behavior. However, offering appropriate rewards for accomplishments is entirely different. Not only is it a good way to encourage your child and make potty training a smoother process, but it is also a good life lesson. Children should learn at an early age that there are rewards for working hard and accomplishing goals. In fact, sometimes the greatest rewards are praise and the sense of accomplishment derived from a job well done. If you are inclined to offer more tangible rewards, doing so can also … Continue reading →

You Know You’re an Overprotective Mother When…

When you parent a special needs child, it’s easy to become overprotective. Kids with disabilities can seem so fragile and needy. The truth is that they’re a lot stronger than we think. Yet it’s hard to quell the powerful desire to control, intervene, and rescue. Sometimes we can overprotect until it becomes obnoxious. So how do you know when you’ve gone too far? Here are a few (sarcastic) suggestions: You know you’re an overprotective mother when: You show up 15 minutes early to your daughter’s birthday parties, with a can of Lysol. Your child has a GPS tracker and boundary … Continue reading →

For Richer/For Poorer

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Financial issues are some of the hardest issues to come between spouses. No one likes to talk about money. No one likes to struggle with finding a few bills from column a to put them into column b just to borrow them back out for column c. Unfortunately, financial issues are a big deal in our times. Whether you blame the slow economy on a normal settling after the tech rich 90s or a result of policies foreign or domestic, there’s never been a better time to become more financially aware. Balancing the Burden In many relationships, one person or … Continue reading →